The Invisible Ring by Anne BishopMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I knocked off this book in just over half a day and was pretty sure that I didn’t have anything much to say about it. But strangely, I keep thinking about the details of the plot, so perhaps I will write a quick note.
Yes, this series is cheesy and soap-opera-like, but Bishop has some worthwhile messages on the nature of relationships. Force and punishment don't build loyalty. Neither does rewarding brutality. If you want to get loyalty from those around you, you must treat people (especially those you are responsible for) with kindness and respect. Honour is silver and can eventually turn to love, which is gold. To be respected, you must act honourably. As the old saying goes, you can catch more flies with sugar than with vinegar.
I find I'm quite uncomfortable with some of the role reversals in this series. The patriarchy has been programmed into me from childhood and it's difficult to shake. It feels so strange to have men in the subservient role, secretly working against the unfair rule of brutal women and supporting those who govern well. It makes me really think hard about my own assumptions, which I'm finding very interesting. Also, I can see the roots of such series as Black Dagger Brotherhood and other paranormal series.
Book number 409 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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