Book Log 2015 #45: The Golden Princess by S.M. Stirling

A battle against Haida raiders and an unexpected remnant of the Church Universal and Triumphant results in the deaths of the High King of Montival and the Emperor of Japan. Now it is up to the two new leaders, both young women in their early 20s, to avenge their fathers and secure this part of the world from further incursion.

They do this by talking. To each other, to leaders of other groups, to their subordinates. They talk a lot. As do the subordinates, who are still wondering if their new leaders are up to the task (less so with the future High Queen of Montival, who now carries the sacred sword her father did, but apparently now tailored to her). I found myself wishing for more songs about elves and overheated descriptions of horse tack, as that usually came with battle scenes.

Speaking of swords, it turns out that this series of Emberverse books will be about another sword quest, as the Japanese were in the former US looking for a sword which is apprently in Palm Springs or a similar desert location in what was California.  I feel like we've done this before.

This is also the first book in the series (I think) that didn't have an appearance by an original character. There were mentions, but no actual dialogue. There weren't even that many appearances by second generation characters. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I do wonder if the transition is being rushed a bit.

Still, in for a penny, in for a pound. I'm a book behind in the series, which I'll eventually get to.