Review: Blackwatch by Jenna Burtenshaw (Wintercraft #2)

Title: Blackwatch by Jenna Burtenshaw

Published: June 26^th, 2012 by Greenwillow Books

Source: Library

Format: Hardcover

Challenge(s): Support Local Library

Grade rate: A

“Deliver Kate Winters and be spared."

Kate is the one person gifted enough to work the magic held in the ancient book of "Wintercraft." And everyone wants her, either to lock her up or to use her as the ultimate weapon. Her rare power is being able to walk freely through the veil between life and death, and she cannot control it.

Hunted by the Blackwatch--the elite assassins of the enemy--and by her own people, Kate flees deep into tunnels beneath the graveyard city. And she is still inextricably linked to the murderer and traitor Silas Dane, who has crossed the ocean and walked straight into the enemy's hands.

As the Blackwatch closes in, Kate and Silas will face terrors that only they can keep from destroying Albion. And time is running out.

"Those who wish to see the dark, be ready to pay your price.

My Review

This was awesome!  Can you see me jumping up and down? The Wintercraft series is a fantasy extravaganza of amazing characters that find your way to the heart. 

My review of Shadowcraft, first book in the series, can be found here.  Blackwatch keeps the same title as its UK counterpart and I’m glad for that.  This book picks up where Shadowcraft left off.  Silas is on the run from the High Council and Kate and her faithful friend Edgar are hiding in the underground city under Albion.  Silas thinks that by leaving Kate behind, she will be safer, the opposite is true and now she is an easy prey to all sort of bad things and people.  Kate has very strong powers, but she is not trained and is, in essence, a danger to others.

I love to visit again with these characters.  I can’t help but be sorry for Kate, her lack of knowledge and resources puts her in constant danger.  Edgar continuous to be a rock for Kate, and I like that he is so down to earth and has a great sense of humor.  Silas is not, by any means, a likeable character, but I can’t help but like him nonetheless.  In Blacwatch Silas falls unwillingly into Dalliah Grey’s hands and this has terrible consequences.  Dalliah is a truly awful villain and she is very strong with the veil, but not as strong as Kate is. 

The plot of Blackwatch is really good.  I never saw any of the twists and turns coming.  The imagination of this world and the complexity of the underground city, of the past visions Kate keeps having, of the machinations of the veil are all remarkable.  The ending was a true cliffhanger.  I emailed Ms. Burtenshaw to ask when the Legacy (book #3) will be published in the US and she gracefully wrote back to say that it won’t be until next year.  I don’t think that can wait that long, I’ll probably get the UK version that just came out.  

About the cover: I really like this cover. The play of dark colors and the light beyond the horizon. A city far away and a man (Silas?) walking toward it. 

Have you read this series?  Do you like fantasy?