Tomb of the Khan

My first experience with this series was a positive one, as I saw these teenagers head into 1860's New York City to experience the draft riots. We saw these characters experience many different roles and opinions on the Civil War for the time, and I thought it was a very good way to show history to teenagers overall. With the second installment, I think this work is good, although it tends to be more set up for the finale than I would like.

When it comes to the characters, we get some more information about them based on their reaction to certain events, such as how they react to being in the Animus, and how they feel about helping the Assassins or Templars. Some of these characters like it or dislike it for differing reasons and this makes for varied characterization, compared to what we had in the last book.

Another strength is how the scenes transition between the modern day and various historical time periods. The transitions were smooth, and I was never lost between time periods or switching characters, which could be easily done if not handled well. The action is, again, written well, with the different characters both having their various strengths and weaknesses. I found myself getting attached to all the characters in this book, both those teenagers who were in the Animus and their historical relatives.

Then there is the weakness of this book: the plot. While it is not anything terrible, there is the issue that it is just a book designed to set up the events of the third novel. Other than the reader seeing how the characters attempt to get the second Piece of Eden, nothing else happens that is of major consequence here. This can make the reader wonder why they read a 300 page book when the good stuff is saved for the final installment.

Also, for all that I say we get in terms of character development in this book, we really do not get that much. Most of the time, characters are reacting to cliched ideas that I have seen better done in other books. It did not bother me as much as it could have, considering I would rather have some development than none. I just ask the reader to keep in mind that is a more action focused book series than character driven one.

Overall, I would say that this book was good, but not as good as the last book. As I finished the novel, I was a little dismayed that this final book was where all the good things were about to happen. Still, I would say this was solid, for a second installment. I give it a three out of five.