Leah's Reviews > First Rider's Call

As with my review of the first book in the Green Rider series, this is based on my second reading of the book. And once again, my initial review of four stars stands, but this comes after much debate, because my four stars for First Rider's Call is very different than my four stars for Green Rider. This is one of those times at which I truly wish there were a way to rate a book with four and a half stars, because First Rider's Call honestly deserves it.

Between books, Britain developed as a writer, and it shows. There is more complexity in the phrasing, the storyline flows together much more smoothly and overall, First Rider's Call is just a more cohesive book. Above all, Karigan is increasingly self-aware, which makes her a more sympathetic and compelling heroine. She is serves a dual purpose in this novel: she is both the vehicle of her own story and that of Sacoridia's history, which for me is a large part of what makes First Rider's Call my favorite book in the series. Britain did a lot of world building in this novel, exploring the past of both the Green Riders and of Sacoridia itself, and both histories are equally fascinating. The link between past and present, conveyed through Karigan's communication with Lil Ambriodhe, is interesting and often amusing. Her occasional reluctance to accept her role as heroine makes her all the more realistic. Suffice it to say this: when I finished the first book, I liked Karigan as a character. By the time I finished the second, I was genuinely rooting for her.

The plot is less straightforward in FRC than in Green Rider. There's not always the sense of a driving villainous force in this one, but rather varying degrees of antagonism, and I actually liked it. For a whole series, it would get tiresome, but for one book, particularly one which delves into the history of a world like this one does, it works extraordinarily well. I like the fact that Karigan does not fully know what she is facing until well into the book, perhaps only one hundred pages from the end. My main complaint is that (view spoiler)[Mornhavon is dealt with rather swiftly. They suddenly decide to go to Blackveil and come up with a plan almost on the spot, (hide spoiler)] which admittedly is revealed as being kind of flimsy by Karigan herself, but still... it leaves a bit to be desired. Still, this is a minor complaint.

The element that I think I love most about the Green Rider series is the cast of characters. The various personalities present in the Rider Corps are varied and interesting: Tegan, the playful prankster, Ty, the meticulous perfectionist, Yates, the insatiable flirt, Captain Mapstone, the ever-rigid voice of reason, etc. They are all likable and interesting, and they extend beyond mere caricatures. The characters, even the less-developed ones, all have subtleties to their personalities that make them real. Britain is also not afraid to kill off characters when necessary, which, while painful for the reader, to me is the mark of a good author. They are not simply discarded with carelessness to its effect, but some of them do die senselessly, as is true in real life. I felt the loss a reader should feel at the death of each rider.

Overall consensus: First Rider's Call is a great sequel, better, in my opinion, than the first. I enjoyed it immensely, and plan to continue with my reread of the series.