A solid sequel in which Kirin, Maya and Asvin deal with the consequences of their decisions in The Simoqin Prophecies and face new threats to their world. This book is an interesting and complex sequel to The Simoqin Prophecies. Kirin, Maya and Asvin all face new sets of challenges in this novel - some of them external, some of them internal. As the new Dark Lord, Kirin has to deal with the fact that although he wants to end the war, his rakshas don't, and Kirin has to wrestle to make difficult choices.
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A love triangle between Maya, Asvin and Kirin, which began in The Simoqin Prophecies, grows more complex in The Manticore's Secret as Asvin and Maya begin to fall in love. Meanwhile, a shapeshifter named Red falls in love with Asvin, and this complicates matters not only from the standpoint of romance but because Red is a part of a secret council that is dedicating to battling the forces of evil.
A new menace arrives in the form of three ravians - ironically, the same race that Kirin belongs to - who plan utter domination. Once again our protagonists must find a way to defeat these threats and save themselves, their friends, and their world.
The witty parodying gets even better in The Manticore's Secret, the spoofs ranging from popular music groups to more literary references. The characters become more grey and morally ambiguous as they are forced to make difficult choices - which I will not reveal here, as it would give away key plot details. The novel also introduces a colorful new cast of characters, including the Manticore himself, who are brilliantly drawn and add a lot of flavor to the novel. It is satisfying to see our protagonists grow and develop from the first book, and to see a novel that does a good job of balancing the comedy with a serious study of character, history and storytelling.
Best part of story, including ending:
I loved that it was more morally ambiguous than The Simoqin Prophecies.
Best scene in story:
Again it's the ending that I love best, when Red saves Kirin as he is about to die. It makes the victory more communal than just an individual victory for him, and gives Red a chance in the spotlight.
Opinion about the main character:
I didn't like how Asvin became a bit shallow and arrogant in this novel.
