Anne's IntermittentroPolis

I don't know how to explain this: No one of course can light a candle to Eugenides's tricks. And this story is centralized around Sophos's adventures and his slow ascent to the throne. So I felt a bit disappointed which is none of MWT's fault. Storywise, Sophos is really reliable and a very sensible man with an interesting history. He is not naturally brave which is a refreshing perspective since all popular MC nowadays are always courageous. Rather, he is pushed by circumstances to act to achieve his ideals and find his own will. His inner self is a scared, insecure boy trapped in a tall man's body. Fact is, Sophos is wimpy. That hunan weakness makes it so much more easier to sympathize with him and cheer him on when he outwits (in his own way) every player on the field.
I've never been much interested in palace intrigue and kingdom politics but this series makes it so much fun. Most books always make the monarchy out to be stupid useless figureheads manipulated behind the scenes by devious officials. They usually end up focusing on the lives of rebels in the kingdoms instead of the royalty. If it did talk about the blue bloods, they were mostly about the frivolous actions of princes and princesses. So I applaud the author for taking a different tack on fantasy life which adds to the originality. I understand why MWT takes half a decade for each sequel. They're all carefully planned and the storyline so meticulously arranged. Hopefully, HarperCollins will bring us more news in the next two years.