Bound by Silver - Razor's Edge Chronicles #2 Paperback

So much fun
I'll begin by saying I'm new to this sort of novel, having previously been a devotee of 'serious literature' and English detective fiction. I'm in my fifties and educated. I met the author and thus wanted to buy the books. I have had the best time with books one and two. The plot romps right along, and the world Jeanjean creates is a fascinating and amusing invention. I enjoy the feisty young heroine, and all the creature characters. The heroine doesn't create drama for herself through idiotic choices. (No plot driven by stupidity-my pet peeve.). Truly, very enjoyable and deliciously imaginative. I enjoy it more than Harry Potter books because it's more playful, but packed with AT LEAST as much imagination. I am a fan. Just bought book three.

I was right in my suspicions that I would probably be more into this book than its predecessor. While the first book had the hefty task of setting up the series, this one was free to start playing with the broad mythology and really get into the story arc.

I did for a while think this was more of a standalone without a huge link to the first book. The ghost plotline seemed separate from the Mayak/Mundane conflict, but in the second half, the link between these two issues became clear and was actually quite tightly plotted.

I really liked the interpersonal conflicts in this one, especially between Apiya, Chai and Sarroch. Chai feeling he had something to prove, particularly to Sarroch, along with not trusting Api's feelings, and Sarroch's awkwardness at being saved by a Touched all led to great, difficult dynamics between the three of them that I really enjoyed reading. And it was fun imagining Apiya's dad doing a presentation for the Mayak.

I'm looking forward to what happens in the next book - things definitely ramped up at the end of this one and I'm really intrigued to see Apiya's role in the new order of things (watch me being way too vague in attempts to not spoil things).

Great world building
A very interesting series which I like a lot. Some good twists, in all thoroughly enjoyable. Definitely worth a read. I�m on #5 in the series now!

Fantastic!
I loved this second book in The Razor's Edge Chronicles. Apiya is such a great character.
This book is filled with action, suspense and loads of wit.
Apiya may feel like she is in way over her hear most of the time, but she is smart enough to pick up on and heed the cryptic little tidbits that Mr. Sangong drops when she tries to get information from him.
Fantasy, supernatural and a good bit of Asian mythology combine to make this book (and the whole series so far) into a winner.
Highly recommended.

The cat "Tim" is the best. Think i have the rest of his Family residing at my home.
Truly bringing out more personality for Apiya. A great addition to the series and a very engrossing read. I be loving the characters. Hard to wait for the next book in this series. Well done Ms JeanJean. Thank You!

I love the new world Celine has crafted.
It has the feel of a few different Asian countries/cultures all rolled into a single location, with a good dose of Asian superstitions thrown in. Apiya continues to struggle to find a solution to save the magical and mythical monsters of Asia from human progress, and avoid a war that may destroy humanity. As an orphan, she�s always believed her powers to be weak. As she continues to come up against powerful beings and threats, she realizes that she knows very little about her own background, and how she fits into the world of the Mayak. But does she really want to find out?
In this second book, Apiya, Chai and Sarroch need to learn how to work together. No one is all powerful, and everyone has strengths and weaknesses. If you�re new to this series, start with Touched-by-Magic. If you like this series, I think you�ll also like �The Viper and The Urchin�. A steampunk fantasy with a bit of a British Industrial Revolution feel, also by Celine.

Very enjoyable second book of a promising series
So, the newest installment of Celine Jeanjean's new Razor's Edge series is out, and the fun continues. While the first book in the series was still trying to find its tone, this one just takes up where Touched-by-Magic left off and consistently keeps its pace. Gone (well, mostly) is the slower, descriptive voice the first book started out with - which I happened enjoy - in favor of a more quickly paced, active narrative, which, I have to say, works really well. This is one of the books that put you on a journey that feels so natural and pulls you along so nicely, that you still feel like you've just started, when in fact you're almost to the end. The background, both of Apiya and the world, are being fleshed out a bit more, different threads are started and then nicely woven together, we dive in more deeply into Apiya's magic, and the world and magical system are still very enjoyable and creative. And, this book manages to bring the arc of this particular story nicely to an end - no cliffhangers here, but also to drop some very enticing and promising bits of information here and there, that make me really look forward to continue following Apiya's journey. Some nice discoveries seem to be waiting for us in the books ahead. All in all a very satisfying read, both on its own, but also as part of an interesting and promising series. Definitely recommend!

It's all about the cat!
Okay, not really, but I loved having the chance to get to know Tim- the others too of course, but really Tim- because well, he IS the cat.
All joking aside, this book felt much less rushed then the first one and I enjoyed having the chance to get to know Apiya, Chai and the emerging host of core characters a lot better, as well as seeing the world take more shape. It has also been a great deal of fun looking up all the different mythological beings you meet in this series. Some have been harder to find than others, but all in all, it has been very interesting learning about them. And not being as versed in the folklore makes guessing who is who, and what their motivations are, a little harder which also keeps it interesting. I wonder who will really turn out to be allies and who won't.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review, but purchased it as well, because, you know, Tim.

Gripping second episode of this Asian Fantasy series
This book continues the story of Apiya who lives in the island city of Panyong where Mundanes like you and me are unaware of the other residents, those who have magical powers, the Mayaks. Apriya stands between those two worlds. She is familiar with both but is different because she has been �touched� with a little magic. This is why she has been given the task of preventing war between the Mundanes and the Mayaks. Luckily, she has the assistance of the fascinating Sarroch, a Mayak whom she has only seen shifted into the body of a handsome Mundane.
While trying to work out how to carry out her mission, Apiya notices another problem. Several young Mundanes have committed suicide for no reason and she senses the presence of something supernatural which is not a Mayak. Soon she is entangled in extreme danger and no-one is going to help her. Apriya is coming of age, learning to rely on her own abilities and to protect those who are vulnerable.
The gripping story of this brave young woman also includes an intriguing question. Where did she come from and how is she able to solve problems so effectively? I was very disappointed that the story suddenly ends just when she is about to follow up a lead about her past but of course that means I will need to read the third volume of the Razor�s Edge Chronicles.

The difficult only becomes impossible once we have believed it to be so.
What we know when our story begins is the Mundanes (humanity)are destroying Mayak (magical beings) habitat by tearing down old buildings. So, some of the Mayak want to go to war in order to cull the Mundane population and stop their modern sprawl. It is a lowly Touched, Apiya, who has been given the task of making sure the war doesn't happen. She must find a solution within one year or she will be killed.
She and Chai (remember Chai?) have been brainstorming unsuccessfully on how to solve the problem. On the way to talk with him again, Apiya sees a suicide and feels a strange cold sensation. Perhaps a ghost urged the young girl to jump.
She and Chai go to the closest cemetery to see if they can find out more information about ghosts. They find tombstones and graves are being uprooted to create room for new graves. Maybe ghosts have been disturbed and are angry with the living. Who can tell Apiya and Chai about ghosts?
Apiya talks to Ilmu, the baku. Baku are Mayak who take the memories of those who about to die and they store them. Ilmu is very old and has years and years of memories stored. She tells Apiya that Mundane ghosts are a world unto themselves. They have their own kind of magic which is not linked to the Mayak.
Apiya returns to the barbershop, and at closing time, she is sweeping the floor when a human without magic walks through the spells and wards she always puts in place and enters the shop. The Mundane is surprised and excited by what he sees. This can't be happening!
After she puts a freeze spell on the Mundane, she searches his pockets and finds a small amulet of green jade. She can feel the magic coming from the stone and calls Chai who comes right over. When she removes the spell from the Mundane, he is just as surprised as when he first walks in the door. She puts him under the spell again and takes him out again, and he acts exactly the same way he does the first time he come in the shop. Perhaps something is wrong with his memory.
She calls Ilmu who comes to the shop. Ilmu tells them another baku has stolen the Mundane's memories. She thinks the other baku is probably crazy. Apiya has been looking at the amulet and wonders how it has caused all this chaos. When she 'nudges' the stone with her magic, Ilmu's true form is suddenly revealed. Whoever holds this amulet would be able to see everything in its true form. The Mayak would no longer be able to hide behind a glamour. Time to speak to Sarroch. (Remember Sarroch?)
What follows the visit to Sarroch's home is a convoluted, yet logical series of events. As the state of affairs unfold, piece by piece, all is revealed. The circumstances that she is thrown into and the things Apiya discovers are more than a Touched could possibly handle. So, why do they keep happening to her?
Here's hoping you have already read 'Touched-by-Magic' because it explains so much about the characters that inhabit the world of Bound in Silver. Apiya is a character you can't help but fall in love with. Read on.

I quick read in a fun world.
A good little story in an obviously larger series. A great read with enough action to be exciting and enough details to be interesting. This book, as are the others in the series, is written a bit odd. It feels a bit like the main character is working their story in a journal so there's a lot of her explaining situations and describing people.
As in the first book the magic still isn't explained well, I'm not sure if that's on purpose but at this point in a series I feel I should have a better grasp on things. Many other secrets/mysteries have been revealed and of course new ones brought up to be revealed in future books but the magic is still vague so I think it's just an oversight of the author's. Or perhaps the main character, who is telling the story, doesn't know how the magic works. I don't quite get that feeling but maybe that's it. We'll see if future books enlighten me as I will be reading them.

enjoyable read
I enjoyed this book and will be eagerly awaiting the next in the series. Initially it seemed to be a slower pace than the first book with more world building and looking at the issues around trying to establish peace but then everything happens so fast I could barely process it. I like that this books looks at myths and stories that are not European based and as always with this author I like the character's interactions. I will be reading this again.

Dilemma + Magic + Dog + Cat = Tons of Fun!
Book 2 advances the story of a Touched human (one with a smattering of magic) who has a mission that is way above her pay grade. That is save the Mayak (fully magical beings) from the humans who continually encroach into their space. If she fails, the result will be war.
I am absolutely in love with this series! I have no idea where this story is headed, but the adventure is tons of fun!
So, what do I love about it? The first reason is Apiya. This in-the-middle character, between humans and the Mayak, experiences the best and worst of both sides of this battle. She must forge her own path because there is definitely no existing path to follow. She is not a heroic figure, though she does do some pretty heroic things. I also like her taste in music (vocal jazz), her best friend Chai, and her dog Hunter, who is utterly devoted to her. Anyone a dog likes is a person that I like. This is almost always true.

Cats can also prove the worthiness of a character. Tim, the cat, seems to like Apiya enough to irritate her with his superiority. Tim is eminently entertaining, and can always be counted remain unflappable. (Unless he means to appear unflappable.)
The second reason I love this series is the east Asian cultural influence. Both the geographic location and the folklore are imbedded into the story. In the author's previous series, she created a city that I wanted to visit. In this series, Panong is the city that is calling to me. I dare you to read the book and not wonder what it would be like to ride a motorcycle through the streets. While Apiya looks like she is a Panong native, when she speaks with a British English accent, she proves that, once again, she is an in-the-middle character.
As with book 1, Mr. Sangong, Apiya's mentor, remains enigmatic and seemingly unhelpful, while her Touched friend Chai gets into just about a much trouble as Apiya herself.
The Mayak Sarroch is a little more helpful, but continues to distance himself from Apiya because the Touched are not worth noticing. He's going to have to notice her soon though. There is a mysterious tie between Sarroch's house and Apiya, which I found delightful. The reason for the tie is yet to be resolved. I assume this is coming in a future book.
In Bound-by-Silver, Apiya acquires a talisman that has some pretty interesting properties. It is thought to hearken back to a time when the Mayak and humans co-existed peacefully and aware of each other. Why it shows up under the current circumstances is the crux of the dilemma to be solved by Apiya in this book. While I had an idea about the motivation of the person behind the dilemma, I was surprised to learn the nature of that person. So, hint, hints, surprise and then more hints for the future.
At only 194 pages, this is a quick read and loads of fun. Read it after reading Touched-by-Magic to get the most out of it.
Thanks to the author who provided a copy of her book in exchange for my honest review

A fun second installment of this new fantasy world. I thoroughly enjoyed the development of relationships and the gradual unfurling of a fascinating new world, but just as with the first book, felt the plot of the first half was rushed. Lots going on without a lot of explanation or insight into character reactions.

I look forward to the third book!