Rogue by Julie Kagawa (Talon Saga #2)

Ember Hill, former Talon trainee, has fled the dragon organization after she learned about their dark secrets. Now on the run with rogue dragon Cobalt and his crew, Ember is learning firsthand that the life of a rogue dragon is dangerous, with the threat of death around every turn. Ember wants to save Garret, the soldier who helped her escape the Order of St. George and now faced death for his actions. However, freeing Garret will mean breaking into a St. George compound, a nest of heavily armed guards who hate dragons like herself.

On the other front, Dante Hill is rising in the ranks of Talon despite his young age. The only thing bothering him is his wayward, rebellious sister, who has fled the organization who raised them both. Convinced that Ember is misguided and just needs to see reason, Dante works to do everything in his power to bring Ember back into the fold. He'll hunt her to the ends of the Earth if he has to. Ember, however, might prove too dangerous to the organization. With resourceful, trained people like Cobalt and Garret on her side, the Hill sister is working to uncover Talon's secrets as both the Order of St. George and Talon are hot on her tail.

Ember isn't playing by Talon's rules anymore, and she's becoming a serious badass. She is still the hopeful, compassionate girl who thinks that there's a chance she can save her brother, and she would do anything to help Garret. Similarly, she's still a hothead and a bit reckless, risking her own safety to help the people around and jumping into things too fast. It's important to keep in mind that her fiery behavior is on the behalf of the people she cares about, and her willingness to put so much on the line proves how caring and devoted to her friends she is. However, Ember is a lot more mature and has to face tough problems. At one point in the book, she has to kill, and she is haunted by the experience of taking something else's life. Ember is slightly shaken by what she had to do, but she also becomes a bit tougher and more capable of harming others. It's not a skill she's proud of, but Ember needs it if she wants to survive.

Garret has also changed. He's still trying to get used to the fact that Ember is a dragon, but he cares for her regardless of what she is and would never want him to be hurt. He has no regrets about his betrayal because he now sees that the Order is as corrupt as its enemy. Garret does feel guilty about turning his weapons on the soldiers he trained with, but when it's either him or them, he has to make a choice. Like Ember, he's harder now, but he'd do anything to keep he people cares about, mostly her, safe.

In Talon, there were two POVs, Ember's and Garret's. In Rogue, there are four. Ember and Garret again have a part, and now so do Cobalt and Dante. I enjoyed this because I could get to know their characters better. Cobalt doesn't want to see innocent people get hurt, and he doesn't have Talon's ruthlessness and willingness to kill anyone who gets in their way. Cobalt is protective of Ember, and he's also jealous of the bond she has with Garret. Cobalt is very careful and plans his every move with the utmost care to ensure he doesn't get caught, and the rogue is the brains of the group. I can admire his intelligence, but I also sympathize with him for always having to be on the run and never having the chance to live a normal life.

Now for Dante. See, I personally dislike Dante. He betrayed his sister and is working with Talon to catch her. However, I have to keep in mind that that is the way he was raised, and Dante isn't like his sibling. Some people are made to rebel, and Ember is too curious and brave to sit around without asking tough questions. Dante? Not so much. He's willing to go along with whatever Talon wants. Don't get me wrong - Dante cares for his sister. He thinks that he's doing what's best for her. In any case, Dante values loyalty and craves approval from Talon, doing everything he can to please them. Why? Is it because Talon can offer a dragon like him safety and the resources to fight against the Order? Does he crave power? Those are probably part of the answer, whether Dante realizes it or not. You have to remember that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, and even though he thinks he's doing the right thing, Dante has become one of the story's greatest villains.

Kagawa never lets me down. Rogue had all the action of Talon plus a generous helping of suspense and more romance. There were plenty of hair-raising twists, and the fast-paced plot was intricate and complex. The extra POVs allowed me to get more in touch with the characters and learn more about what was happening in different parts of the story without giving too much away. I loved to see the world of Talon and its real, strong characters develop in Rogue.The ending of the book left me on the edge of my seat! This is a great fantasy series for any fan of nonstop adventure and magic. Rogue was creative and enrapturing. 5/5 stars!

I just learned about two books I can't wait to see. The Iron Warrior, the last book in The Iron Fey, is being released on October 27, and the Talon Saga's thrid book, Soldier, is on its way!

#dragonsandunicorns #juliekagawa #fantasy #rebellion #warandmilitary