"We know that Murdano flights for human dominance, even if it means destroying all other species. And we know that if Kazar prevails, he will do no better. Fools, both! Do they not understand that every creature is connected to all others. Do they imagine that annihilating some species and enslaving others will not spread sickness and despair through all living things." Grendwallif (Natite)
"For too long our leaders have rules with lies and deceptions. The people - the common folk who farm and fish and make things with their hands - are never consulted, merely controlled. I would change that, Byx. But nothing is possible without truth. Truth is everything." Khara
How wonderful to re-enter the world of the dairne Byx and her faithful friends especially wobbyk Tobble and felivet Gambler along with their human companions Khara and Renzo.
"My strong, loyal, fierce friends. How I love them all! I've lost count of the times they've kept my spirits high on our quest to find more diarnes."
While I do love and admire Byx my favourite character is Tobble:
"Tobble, you are a wise young wobbyk. In any war, it is good to have someone ask the hard questions, the ones that defy easy answers."
In my post about Endling Book One - The Last I said:
"Byx is convinced she is not the last. There must be other
dairnes somewhere. But how will Byx find the others? Who will help her? And can
she trust her companions?"
All these questions apply to this second installment. As the story opens the group of friends are heading towards an island called Tarok. The difficulty is that this is a moving island and it will be difficult to locate and difficult to access. Once again there are so many dangerous places and creatures to navigate - under ground, in caves, through horrible "forest like" places and under the sea. My paperback copies of this series do not contain maps but I suspect there are maps in the hardcover editions. I saw this map on the trailer.
Back in 2018 when I read Endling Book One - The Last this second installment was 130 days away. This is why I often struggle with reading series. Having loved the first book I am keen to read the second but by the time I can obtain it, so much time has passed I feel my memory of book one, along with my enthusiasm to continue the story has often waned. There was no need to worry this time. Katherine Applegate included enough plot details to refresh my memory and she also makes this second story so utterly thrilling I was once again swept up into this amazing world. I especially loved the changes in Byx herself as she grows in confidence and the crafting of relationships between these disparate individuals. When Byx finally talks to Tobble, acknowledging Tobble has been feeling rejected and unwanted now that Byx has found Maxyn (another Dairn), I sighed with happiness when Byx says to Tobble:
"Don't ever doubt that you are my dearest friend."
"We spent the night near the beach in a small grove of dendro trees. I went in search for wood for a fire, as the serrated yellow dendro fronds create too much smoke when they burn."
"Those are hotwort elms ... sturdy as they come."
"we'd begun to think about dinner. Tobble, having noticed a scraggly bush whose leaves he claimed would enhance the flavour of our meal, had scrambled to the top of a dune."
Here is an interview with Katherine Applegate by Mr Schu. Listen to an audio sample from Chapter Two.
Click these review quotes for more plot details OR better yet just grab the first two books in the Endling series and READ them!
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