The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams

Some titles just don't make sense until you read them.  This was one of those books.  I stared at this book for a really long time during my reading slump trying to decide if it was worth cracking open.

I had enjoyed the first book with some slight hesitations in the nature of the characters.  Once my reading slump was over, I craved an exciting adventure story.  I felt like this would deliver just that and I had put it off for far too long.

I wasn't entirely disappointed.  This novel had the adventure story, and it even had a mildly nostalgic 80s fantasy adventure feel to it.  This was the quest of all quests for the Blackfeather Three that makes you want to swashbuckle around your living room when no one is looking.  What could go wrong?

Romance.  Not only does it not fit in these stories, each attempt at interjecting it into the story just falls flat.  All of the scenes feel forced and like the novel is trying to appease some editor by throwing it in there during the last round before publishing.  

And we'll just ignore the atrocious amount of editing errors -- the kind where it actually entirely changes the meaning of the story.  Fortunately, I bought it on sale otherwise I would be demanding a refund for the lack of polish presented.  

These are gallivanting mercenaries.  They get themselves into dubious situations of questionable sanity, and I enjoy reading how exactly they manage plan then fail then barely scrape through to victory.  Leave it that way.  Only 2 stars for this one and high hopes that the romance is left in the abyss.