The Armies of Daylight by Barbara Hambly

[meganbmoore]

I freely confess: my chief thought through most of the book was wondering if Rudy and Alde would have any luck if they just packed up the kid and ran away. I’m sure Rudy would be all for that, but Alde is too responsible. Or at least, is trying to figure out how to be responsible, and how to be important without just being a figurehead. I particularly like how her reaction to being tempted with becoming the saintly mother of nations was “Oh screw you!”

Random sidenote: Though it’s only two (in my reading, at least) I can’t help but notice that Hambly seems to have a bit of a thing for unhappy young queens who have insane husbands and are in love with nice, if necessarily bright, young men.

I missed Gil and Alde’s friendship (not that it was gone, it just wasn’t as much of a focus) but liked the return of Gil and Rudy’s totally asexual friendship and caring for each other, as well as Gil and Icefalcon’s “I insult you so you know I missed you” routine.

I’m not sure what I think about the confirmation that Ingold and Gil’s relationship is romantic. Mostly I’m concerned about whether or not he’ll live long enough to scare off a potential daughter’s potential boyfriend. Then again, I’ve half thought that theirs was a sexless love the whole series.

I’m not entirely certain I understood everything that went on with The Dark at the end (and am rather concerned about the wizards and church) but I kind of view it as an excuse for the characters to have something to do, anyway.