Court of Wanderers (Reaper #2) by Rin Chupeco
Remy Pendergast and his royal vampire companions return to face an enemy that is terrifyingly close to home in Rin Chupeco’s queer, bloody Gothic epic fantasy series for fans of Samantha Shannon’s The Priory of the Orange Tree and the adult animated series Castlevania.
Remy Pendergast, vampire hunter, and his unexpected companions, royal vampires Lord Zidan Malekh and Lady Xiaodan Song, are on the road through the kingdom of Aluria again after a hard-won first battle against the formidable Night Empress, who threatens to undo a fragile peace between humans and vampires. Xiaodan, severely injured, has lost her powers to vanquish the enemy’s new superbreed of vampire, but if the trio can make it to Fata Morgana, the seat of Malehk’s court—dubbed “the Court of Wanderers”—there is hope of nursing her and bringing them back.
En-route to the Third Court, Remy crosses paths with his father, the arrogant, oftentimes cruel Lord of Valenbonne. He also begins to suffer strange dreams of the Night Empress, whom he has long suspected to be Ligaya Pendergast, his own mother. As his family history unfolds during these episodes, which are too realistic to be coincidence, he realizes that she is no ordinary vampire—and that he may end up having to choose between the respective legacies of his parents.
Posing as Malek and Xiaodan’s human familiar, Remy contends with Aluria’s intimidating vampire courts and a series of gruesome murders with their help—and more, as the three navigate their relationship. But those feelings and even their extraordinary collective strength will be put to the test as each of them unleashes new powers in combat at what may be prove to be the ultimate cost.
Published 2 April 2024 | Publisher: Simon & Schuster | RRP: AUD$19.99
Buy it at: Dymocks | Booktopia | A&R | Abbey’s | QBD
My Blurb (3.5 / 5 stars)
A Court of Wanderers was a surprised eARC offer from the published via Edelweiss. While I’m familiar with the author (I’ve read a couple of her books), I didn’t know she had these new duology on vampires! I quickly downloaded book 1, Silver Under Nightfall, and fell in love!
I really feel, however, that I didn’t really need a book 2. The whole villain thing must be resolved, of course, but the romantic relationship was pretty much settled in book 1. And I Ioved the suspense; the slow burn; so sweet! And as much as I loved meeting Remy, Malek, and Xiodan once again, there wasn’t that burn from book 1. Things were progressing between them and ended very sweetly but let’s just say, the action is a bit lacking here.
The one thing I really liked in this novel is the bit at the ending on Remy’s parents. I did enjoy finding out the background and how it all went down at the end. Overall, a fun read and a very satisfying ending to the duology.
My thanks to Simon & Schuster for ecopy of book via Edelweiss in exchange of my honest thoughts
About the author
Rin Chupeco is a nonbinary Chinese Filipino writer born and raised in the Philippines. They are the author of Silver Under Nightfall and several speculative young adult series, including The Bone Witch, The Girl from the Well, The Never-Tilting World, and Wicked as You Wish. Formerly a graphic designer and technical writer, they now write fiction full-time and live with their partner and two children in Manila.
Tien's Blurb 