The Exercise Of Vital Powers by Ian Gregoire

Similarly, when Kayden is on her journey, she comes across a region that is held hostage by bandits. Even when she is feeling rejected and judged, she still is able to keep her cool well enough to come up with a legitimate plan that doesn’t just benefit her alone. I really loved this moment – Kayden is of course still arrogant and blind to her own weaknesses, but this moment shows how far she has already come. This is when she decides to capture a wanted cultist to prove her worth. In this novel, two years have passed under Fay’s tutelage, and Kayden has had the opportunity to gain a little more control over her temper. In much of The Exercise of Vital Powers, Kayden attempts to muscle her way through every conflict she has. When some of her classmates accuse her of advancing because of an inappropriate relationship with Fay, this provides the first real opportunity of the novel to show her progress. Kayden is a young woman with a complex past and immense power that has pushed her to be at the top of her class. I think the thing I love the most about Ian’s books is how he takes a an ultimately flawed character, but by the friendships she makes, demonstrates how she is slowly developing a morality that fits the role she wishes to fill in the world. Kayden has come a long way since the first book, but Kayden is still fierce and proud, and sets herself upon a dangerous mission to prove that she is worthy of a full position in the Order. It is a fantasy novel about a young woman named Kayden who, nearing the end of her apprenticeship with Fay Annis, is feeling pressure from her peers to prove that she is worthy of the special attention she has received throughout her training. The Apprentice in the Master’s Shadow is the sequel to The Exercise of Vital Powers.

In no way did this affect my review or my rating of the novel. – The Apprentice in the Master’s Shadow by Ian Gregoireĭisclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

She had a week in which to devise a viable plan of action, and when she successfully executed it no one anywhere in the Nine Kingdoms would ever be able to disrespect her again. In that moment, Kayden resolved to grab the opportunity with both hands. All she had to do was step out of Fay’s shadow, and the avenue to achieve that objective had been presented to her earlier this week. She could compel people to give her the respect she was rightfully due. Neryssa had said there was nothing Kayden could do to make anyone respect her, and at the time she had agreed. Simply being the best apprentice on campus wasn’t sufficient as long as her critics perceived her as the administrator’s pet, worthy of their disrespect.

The Exercise Of Vital Powers by Ian Gregoire