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A Conjuring of Assassins (Chimera Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Cate Glass (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 112 ratings
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A Conjuring of Assassins is Cate Glass's second adventure with the Chimera team, a ragtag crew who use their forbidden magic for the good of the kingdom.

Romy and her three partners in crime—a sword master, a silversmith, and her thieving brother—have embraced their roles as the Shadow Lord's agents, using their forbidden magic to accomplish tasks his other spies cannot.

Now, the Shadow Lord needs them to infiltrate the home of the Mercediaran Ambassador and prevent him from obtaining information that would lead to all-out war with Cantagna's most dangerous enemy.

To succeed, they will have to resurrect long-buried secrets, partner with old enemies, and once again rely on the very magics that could get them sentenced to death.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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  1. Book 2 of 3
    Chimera
  2. Print length
    455 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Tor Books
  6. Publication date
    February 4, 2020
  7. File size
    8289 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for An Illusion of Thieves:

"An Illusion of Thieves drew me in with its clever, resourceful heroine and delightful supporting cast, and kept me turning pages with forbidden magic, intrigue, and a smart and daring magical caper. I can’t wait for more!” ―Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

"A treat of a story that starts off with a bang, and builds to a superb finish. Characters, setting, tension, Glass delivers that rare read that delivers on all counts." ―Janny Wurts

"Intrigue and skullduggery abound in this great new read, full of misfits, betrayal, forbidden sorcery, and unexpected friendships." ―Curtis Craddock

"Political intrigue, deceit, and forbidden talents...with a Mission Impossible vibe." ―Booklist

"Very tense and twisty [with] a world that feels broad and deep and believable... seriously compelling." ―Locus

About the Author

CATE GLASS was born and raised in Texas, and now resides in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies with her husband and three sons. She is the author of the Chimera novels (which begin with An Illusion of Thieves).

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07QMHK2VG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books (February 4, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 4, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 8289 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 455 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 112 ratings

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Cate Glass

Cate Glass

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
112 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Adrienne Kania
5.0 out of 5 stars Illicit Magic Triumphs Again!
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Once again, Cate creates a world of intrigue that surprises the reader with the ending, although there's plenty of clues that hint at more than a third book. The story unfolds within a week with the Chimera undertaking another impossible task from il Padrone. The character development of the main players and world building is really in book one, with the introduction of Teo adding a delicious shift to the magic. I'm looking forward to reading more about him in future novels. The major confrontation reminds me of grand opera, which might make for a better stage adaptation than cinema should Cate be offered that opportunity. Truly, add Cate Glass and Carol Berg to your list of favorite authors and read everything penned by them as a gift to yourself.
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Brian Uri
4.0 out of 5 stars A tasty morsel of a story
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2020
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(There are no major spoilers in this review).

A Conjuring of Assassins is the second book in the Chimera series by Carol Berg, writing under the pen name, Cate Glass. (I reviewed Book One, An Illusion of Thieves, and gave it 5 stars). The author delivers a satisfying, self-contained story that can be appreciated on its own, but doesn’t push the overall series forward in a significant way.

Book Two picks up immediately after the grand caper in Book One, with Romy and her friends recruited to solve a tangled political problem by using their particular talents. The first 20% of the book is peppered with plenty of gentle recap, which will be great if Book One isn’t fresh in your mind but more irritating if you’re reading them back-to-back. There’s an overreliance on coincidence to introduce new story elements, such as Placidio the swordsman running afoul with the Pizotti family, Romy’s encounter with a familiar lawyer, or the discovery of an injured man in the fog.

Once the characters begin their new assignment in earnest (around Chapter 6), the book finds its stride and will keep you hooked until the end. The heist storyline is centered more around political intrigue and influence this time, adding a well-executed layer of interest above simply stealing a MacGuffin. I have always appreciated the way that this author builds suspense in a central mystery by methodically dropping hints and reminders of key questions until the master plan becomes clear to the reader -- this approach works particularly well in the Chimera series.

The characters (both new and old) are well-written although they don’t evolve much beyond their starting points. Granted, this makes tons of sense when you consider that the entire book takes place in roughly a week, but the characters sometimes toe the line between being interesting in their own right and treading water as mere plot ciphers.

More noticeable is the fact that the world-building takes a backseat in this outing. This is a fun “heist of the week” story that takes place in Cantagna -- the intricate foundation of societal structure, mysticism, and beliefs that the author established in Book One is no closer to culmination by the end. I would have appreciated a few more breadcrumbs to keep me invested. For example, we see the “sniffers” in action many times, but are no closer to understanding their predicament or means of detection. Romy’s visions of antiquity are obviously telegraphing something about future books, but the reveals relegated to the final pages of Book Two offer more questions than answers.

With calibrated expectations, there is a lot to love in A Conjuring of Assassins. This is a tasty morsel of a story that acts as a refreshing palate cleanser in between volumes of your favourite byzantine epic fantasy. Read it for the well-choreographed caper plot that doesn’t fall back on a trite, neverending succession of backstabs to surprise. Read it for the main characters that realize they are made stronger through their trust and friendship and the supporting characters that are too delightfully complex to label as pure villains. Just don’t be surprised if you reach the end and are left wanting, like a mid-season episode of Alias!
3 people found this helpful
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K.
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book in the series
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2021
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Deep, gritty, intelligent, twisting, exciting. Cate Glass's second book in the Chimera series is another great read. For more of her books, check out Carol Berg as Cate Glass is her pseudonym.
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SAMK
5.0 out of 5 stars Even better than the first book
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2020
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Lots of intrigue, carefully twisted plots and a dose of intense action makes this book a marvelous read. Enough hints to the first adventure to catch up anyone who starts here but do go back and enjoy the mastery that is Chimera.
One person found this helpful
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M. J. Kennedy
4.0 out of 5 stars Sara Glass is Carol Berg light
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2022
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This series feels like Carol berg without all the pain and suffering . It’s a lighter version of her early work . I think that’s why she uses a different name . The characters r interesting and the story is easy to follow. If u miss Berg this now is as good as it gets. She’s 74 and I think she can’t let her characters suffer as much as when she was younger. It’s a fun read
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K. L. Amen
5.0 out of 5 stars A rollicking adventure in a great setting!
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2020
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This second installment in the series is better than the first one, and I can't wait for #3!
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Whimsical Dragonette
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent magical adventure
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2020
Plot: 5 stars
Characters: 5 stars
Writing Style: 4 stars
Cover: 5 stars
Enjoyment: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars

This was a thoroughly enjoyable heist/adventure story. I'm glad that I listened to the audiobook of book 1 (An Illusion of Thieves) before reading this book because I breezed through all the pronunciations that would have tripped me up otherwise.

I loved getting more of the members of the Chimera, as well as seeing them growing in their confidence in their magic and intrigue. Teo was a fascinating addition and I can't wait to read more of his story and how he is tied to the Antigonean Bronze from the first book. I also would love it if Romy and Placidio developed a romantic relationship as well as a working partnership - the seeds of it are there, and I think they would suit well. Romy needs something to take her mind off of her former relationship with Allesandro. I am very glad that Romy's relationship with Neri is less fraught, though he is still impulsive and tends to leap without looking first. We are getting a taste of Placidio's closely guarded secrets, and I anticipate him opening up further in future books. I also eagerly await the reveal of more of the secrets of magic in this world.

I like the cover and think it fits well with the cover of the first book, and because I was used to the more formal writing style, it didn't bother me as much as in the first book.

All in all, it was an excellent adventure and I can't wait for more!

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity to read and reveiw ths ARC
One person found this helpful
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LJK
4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing characters
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2021
Cate Glass delivers another satisfying read. Her characters have a diverse set of talents and personalities that keep reader interest and move the action forward. I look forward to the release of the next book to find out how they solve the nest caper.
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Top reviews from other countries

DAK
5.0 out of 5 stars Good characters, intriguing story, entertaining read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
Recommend read the first Chimera book before this one as much of the stories characters and motivations are in that volume.
This story continues on immediately from the ending of the first book. If you read that you are very likely to want to read this second one as well and will be pleased that you did so.
An interesting fantasy world, good mix of characters and development. Found it hard to put down which is always a good sign of well crafted writing.
Looking forward to the next instalment!
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HPBrickhead
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book 2
Reviewed in Canada on February 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Argh, finished in one night, now I have to wait for next. Great book 2. Characters & world growing (& need to keep doing so). Some kissy kissy time would be nice. I'm not so enamoured of Sandro.
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Nicole (The Bibliophile Chronicles)
4.0 out of 5 stars I need the next instalment now!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
A Conjuring of Assassins is the second instalment in Cate Glass’s Chimera Series, featuring Romy and her rag tag band of magic users. Magic is forbidden in Cantagna, so when Romy and the gang become entangled in a secret plot to incite revolution, they must use all their whits and schemes to foil the plot and stop their magic being discovered.

An Illusion of Thieves was one of my favourite books of 2019. I loved the world building and the heist aspects of the story, so I was incredibly eager to pick up this second instalment. The story dives in pretty much straight where An Illusion of Thieves leaves off, dropping the reader straight into the action. The story is a fast paced one, full of magic, action and scheming, it’s the perfect read if you’re a fan of heist novels.

One of things I love most about this series are the magnificent characters – Romy, the Shadow Lord’s dismissed mistress turned scribe, Neri her rebellious younger brother, Dumond the blacksmith who does whatever he can to protect his family and Placidio the wise and mysterious duellist. They’re all fascinating each with a complex back story and I loved seeing the characters continue to grow through this second instalment. We are also introduced to a new character – the mysterious Teo who I have so many questions about – making me all the most desperate to get my hands on book three.

A Conjuring of Assassin’s is a clever tale, full of mystery and intrigue. It will have you hooked from the very beginning and this is definitely a book I found hard to put down. As a sequel it definitely did not disappoint and I am so looking forward to finding out what the gang get up to next. If you haven’t had the chance to pick up An Illusion of Thieves yet, now is definitely the time – the beautiful writing, fascinating world building and brilliant characters will make you completely fall in love with this series.
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