Cast in Deception

When one listens to a lengthy story and one's boredom level is reaching painful levels, you can spin your index finger in the air to indicate "wrap it up!" Michelle Sagara needs to wrap this series up. I am officially spinning my finger in the air. I have purchased/read all of the Elantra books. They used to be a good mix of action and discourse. Now, I feel, Sagara is repeating the same plots for each story. In this book, the main character, Kaylin, is drawn into a magical situation beyond her control and forced to weave her way between conflicting loyalties and political entities without insulting anyone or starting a war. Sound familiar? BECAUSE IT IS THE SAME STORY AS THE LAST FEW BOOKS. Sagara picks a small event, and drags it out into an entire story that doesn't serve much purpose to move the story arc forward. As an example, as promoted on the back cover of the book, two of Kaylin's housemates are supposed to take the Barrani 'test of name'. But the actual story has nothing to do with this actual test. That is just a catalyst for an excuse to send Kaylin out the West Marches via a deus ex machine mode of travel. The book becomes about the motivations of the cohort/children of the regalia and a mishmash of political assassination attempts. As an ongoing irritant, Kaylin is treated by all the supporting characters as the equivalent of a child because she is mortal and they are all immortal. And yet, time and time again, her powers as Chosen and her intelligence and bravery are the reasons that people survive the Shadows and evil is not loosed upon Elantra. And she still gets treated like dirt. It is getting old. I particularly dislike the author's penchant for filling in long pages with characters having silent stares or conversations that don't include Kaylin, or explaining to her that while THEY understand something, she is unable to understand it because she is (pick one): human, not smart enough, too young, not an immortal, unwilling to become a political creature. If you are reading this series, you're stuck reading this book because you're invested in the character of Kaylin. It is slow and a bit boring. I would respectfully suggest that the author make Kaylin grow a bit. Make her less reactive and passive, give her a romantic interlude with SOMEONE, play a bit of politics, create a plan to fight against Shadow instead of passively reacting to it as she usually does. Until that time, I'll keep reading and continue being disgruntled.

While the series is great and the arch continues with the threat of shadows and integration looming for the missing 12, I found this book to be lacking and kind of tired. The beginning was confusing in spots and it was sometimes hard to figure out who was speaking. While intrigue and court politics continue surprise, too much time is spent in the pathways between. You da only walk thru so much grey mist! There is a lack of evolution in MC and a real lack of any kind of romantic progress or relationship. The end leaves questions that hopefully will be answered in next book. I don't know that I would continue with this series past the next book if some sparkle and charmed isn't served with a healthy heaping of character development.

**SPOILER ALERT**Another book where Kaylin doesn't grow but instead goes backwards even more. In this book, as Chosen, she is relegated to being the equivalent of a magical Geiger counter. She goes from having power and using it, to merely detecting it. The author has taken the series for a radical turn and I do not like the new direction. Maybe others do, as this book has a fairly high rating, but I do not.Again more new characters, most of them not at all likeable, are introduced and other major characters become minor ones. Severn, although he appears throughout the book, almost disappears into the pages. The new characters in the cohort are not people I want to know more about. The Consort turns out to be a Barrani bitch just when I was getting to like her.There are major issues with continuity in this book. In one of the earlier books, the Keeper's Garden was said to be unique in all the parallel worlds. In this book, it is said that there is a keeper and garden for each world. World building is an art and a science. Just as I like to see main characters evolve in a forward motion, I like seeing the worlds grow in depth as an author has multiple books to describe those worlds. I don't like seeing authors make radical changes in a world with no explanation.I do not think this is one of the better book in the series. For the author it may be a game changer as she veers in different directions, but I feel those new directions clash with the original path the earlier books of the series were on. I am sure Ms. Sagara has a plan, but I am not sure I am going to be interested in seeing where she takes the series. I will buy the next book in the series to see how she gets to where she is obviously heading, but if she continues to ignore established characters and demotes Kaylin's magic and talent, it will be the final book I buy.I have purchased 13 books in the Elantra series. I have stayed with the series for its entire run of over 12 years. I look forward each year to reading more about Kaylin and watching her grow. I am no longer seeing that growth. I read several other long running series. One of them started just about the time Kaylin's saga did, and the series has a great female protagonist. This protagonist has continually grown in depth and abilities over the years but Kaylin sadly has not. Maybe Ms. Sagara doesn't have a clear idea of where she wants Kaylin to end up so she wanders. I don't know, and honestly I don't think Ms. Sagara does either.UPDATE 2/14/18 After rereading the book a couple more times, my review still stands. In fact I might like the book even less now than I did when I first read it. When the next book comes out, I will not preorder as I normally do. I will wait a few weeks and read the reviews - especially the 2 and 3 star ones. If the new book is about the cohort, I will not buy it. If the new book is centered on Teela, I will not buy it. I like Teela as a character but I do not wish to read a series about her. When the series started, I thought Kaylin would continue to learn about magic. I thought she would learn the names of all 4 of the elements. After 12 years of reading, she knows the names of water and fire but that's it. After 12 years of reading, she is no longer using magic, she is detecting it. Why? I have no idea. But if Kaylin does not progress in the next book, I won't buy it. I have no idea what arc Ms. Sagara is constructing but from what I see now, it is not an arc I am interested in following.

Very much a placeholder book setting up for the next in series, I think, the main purpose seemed to be to introduce new characters and set up a conflict between Kaylin and the consort. It dragged and I actually had to force myself to keep reading, normally I enjoy, periodically re-read, the series. This had too much internalisation and not enough action, it was basically an interminable journey from A to B with very little happening or being resolved or even explained realistically. The ending was somewhat abrupt and honestly I would have thought that the book could easily have been cut in half and you would have been left with the same end but probably a more satisfying read. I find myself agreeing with the other reviewer who commented on a lack of character growth throughout the series, I constantly find myself thinking of Kaylin as about 16, because that seems to be where she's stuck.So, all in all, not an enjoyable read and I hope that the next book comes out quickly and has more substance so that I can forget this one.

Not going to read any more of this seriesSorry but I just got bogged down in Cast in Deception. The joy of this series for me has been the interesting plots and ideas. It seems to me that she has finally run out of ideas and I was frankly bored and I could not actually manage to finish the book. This is a first with this author and this series. It seems to me that she has gone the way of Laurell Hamilton lots of boring chat about nothing particularly interesting. Thats it I am not reading any more of this series I loved most of the books but even though this was only £1.99 I feel that I have wasted my money. and I feel grouchy about it. She keeps mentioning that K is human with a short life span unlike the other immortals maybe she should move her life on. We still have no real idea about her marks neither has the relationships with Severn, or Nightingale have not progressed. The early books were full of such interesting ideas that have been sadly lacking in the last few books and This one was not worth reading. which is a shame becasue I did love the series.

I loved this series but the sum total of what actually happened in this book could have been covered in 4 chapters. So many long conversations and unnecessarily descriptions without anything actually happening ! I struggled to finish the book , it didn't add anything to the series as a whole and it felt like the author has run out of ideas.

One of my favourite series and this latest book does not disappoint. It won’t be easy for new readers to start with this one. It’s not game of thrones but the politics is just as deadly here. This series has one of the best versions of dragons I have ever read. Powerful, deadly, honourable, immortal and able to take human form as well.

Another good read in this series, the mix of Dragons, seemingly immortal people and ordinary humans and how they interact with each other is really good, looking forward to getting another book