Book Review: Assassin by Tui T. Sutherland (Wings of Fire Winglets #2)

 

A Deathbringer novella, interesting. Will this change my mind on his character? Let's find out. Spoilers ahead.

Deathbringer is being raised by his mother Quickstrike as the best future assassin for the NightWings. During a test mission, Deathbringer must face a terrible loss, and decide whose orders he will follow from now on: those of his superiors, or those of his heart.

So, yeah, in my main-arc Wings of Fire reviews, I've made it very clear I don't like Deathbringer too much. His personality not being my favorite aside, he is simply way too old to be dating Glory, as she is still a teenager when they meet and he is already decently into his adulthood. Did this book change my mind on him?

Well, in a way. If this book was to be the only introduction to Deathbringer I'd have, I'd definitely like his character a whole lot more. He was enjoyable in this book, and I liked how loyal and inventive he was, despite how young he is and of course the terrible things he must do. However, it's still the execution of him in the main-arc books that stops me from liking him. 

Even the uncomfortable age gap between him and Glory aside, I just never liked his personality. Tui tries to pass him off as charming and I just do not see him that way. Usually she's great at writing characters, but with Deathbringer in the main-arc books I'll have to pass. That said, I will give her some brief praise for writing him decently in this book. He didn't have his whole "charmer" personality yet over here, just a whole lot of loyalty to Quickstrike.

I also liked seeing the relationship between Quickstrike and her son. Similar as with Belladonna and Sundew, these two don't really see one another as family, but much more as a commander/mentor and subject/apprentice-type relationship. I just always think these are very interestingly written. Though I wouldn't call Quickstrike an A+ mother, I still was sad when she died.

This is definitely a big step up from the last Winglet, which I didn't like all that much. Deathbringer's personality in the main series still brings this novella down a peg, but for what it is, I did like the backstory we got.

Rating: 4/5