Review: The Hound of Greyvor (Silver Sights #2) by W.J. Long III
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I picked up the first book in The Silver Sights Saga about two years ago, I had no idea just how much the story would click with me. There are several elements in the prequel that come together to create a fascinating universe and narrative! I knew upon finishing the story that I wanted more from the world and characters.
So, when I started this sequel, I was very excited! While I admit that the plot went in a different direction than what I expected, I was still captivated by it and wanted more!
Before I go into any of that in further detail, I want to cover some general thoughts I have on the story.
Thoughts
So, as I said earlier, this story went in a different direction than I thought it would. I was worried about that at first, but I still ended up becoming heavily invested in the plot despite that. I love that I can see how the narrative is further fleshing out the world established in Children. This means a lot of different elements are expanded upon and done so in ways that kept me hooked!
I also want to give a quick mention to the writing, as I noticed something of a tonal shift with this story compared to the prequel. I was surprised to see a more serious mood and tone in this installment. That said, I think this change was both appropriate and effective. I’ll talk about it more in the writing section.
Now that I’ve gotten those thoughts out of the way, let’s discuss the characters!
Characters
Claude DiSilva
Claude’s arc is handled in a much more serious way that – at first – felt somewhat perplexing compared to that of the first book. As I continued, though, it became clear why this was the case. The events of this narrative put him through one situation after another, and it’s hard not to get invested in his struggle to cope with all of it at once. Seeing him deal with all that is thrown his way is both gripping and moving.
Aside from Claude himself, I also really enjoyed how his passenger was expanded upon. The information divulged about it was interesting, and I like that the events of the story help show more of its personality, rather than just telling the reader what it is like. In the prequel, we got a taste of its character, but it was still a rather unpredictable element at the time. Seeing the role it plays here – along with what we learn about it – left me even more invested in its character arc than I was before!
That said, I think that’s all I have on Claude. Let’s talk about Vision next.
Vision
Vision continues to be one of my favorite characters in this series. Seeing her navigate life as a teenager feels like a natural progression from the first book and her growth since that time is obvious. I was somewhat worried before starting this story that the main conflict would make her difficult to sympathize with. However, the narrative very much roots her side of the conflict in understandable desires that make it easy to get behind the person she is growing up to be and what she wants out of her life.
The relationships at the core of her arc are captivating, too. Seeing her relationship with Claude and how it has evolved over time is probably one of my favorite aspects of this series. The events of this story explore both their characters in ways that made me think about their choices throughout the story and the reasons for those decisions.
With that said, I think that’s all I have on characters. Let’s talk about the story’s structure next.
Structure
This sequel continues the structure set up with Children, but certain elements are expanded upon to flesh out the world even more. This time around, we meet some interesting new characters that further expand the world of the story. These characters add more depth to the overall universe while introducing compelling arcs to follow throughout the narrative. This includes interesting conflicts while fleshing out certain elements from the prequel along the way because we’re also still following Claude and Vision’s arcs.
I will admit that, with the alternating viewpoints, the chapters covering the Crowns were not that easy to follow. This issue may just be me, because I have had difficulty following the politics in different types of stories before. However, seeing the results of these chapters helped me understand how it was all coming together, so this issue didn’t stick around for long.
Anyway, I think that’s all I have on the structure. Let’s move on to the writing.
Writing
So, I want to start with the elephant in the room here. I think the pacing of this story is greatly improved from the prequel. The speed and flow of events is kept up for a significantly longer length of time than in the last book. While the pacing does slow down a bit toward the end, it took so much longer for me to notice because I was so invested in what was unfolding. There is more of a snap to the writing this time and that helped keep me engaged with the story.
As I mentioned in my general thoughts, there is a more serious tone in this story than that of the previous installment. While the prequel was rather dark, it was also very comedic. Here, while there are still effective comedic elements, the overall mood and tone are much more serious and dramatic. This helps underscore the emotional impact of the plot on the characters. I often found myself commenting on how heavy these more serious moments felt, but I was also moved by them at the same time.
Well, I think that’s everything I have to say about this story. Let’s wrap this review up.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this! The plot is gripping, the characters are likable, and the writing is once again beautiful! In this case, I think this sequel is just as strong as the first book! I love that it not only connects to its predecessor very well but expands upon previously established elements in organic ways.
I was hooked by the story very early on and found myself rooting for both new and old characters alike. Because of this, I will be giving this story four stars. All in all, I am very excited to see where this series goes next!
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