Marcus Sedgwick : The Swordhand and The Kiss of Death

It didn't click at first.

But then, isn't it always with Marcus Sedgwick's work?

I read The Kiss of Death first, therefore any connections of Peter with the lores of the Shadow Queen was lost. Besides, Peter didn't show up until at the near 10 pages or so. It started with Marko, and the adventure he reluctantly chose to embark.

I noticed there's a certain pattern in Marcus Sedgwick's works, at least in what I've read so far. I can't really explain it because the words are jumbled up in my brain, like a lot of things I understand but cannot put into words.

Obviously I need to work on my vocabularies.

Regardless of that, the warm light of comprehension and familiarity is soothing to a bookworm's heart. Like a nightlight to a child who's afraid to sleep in the dark.

I'd love to collect the rest of his work. Blood Red Snow White, Revolver, The Dark Flight Down, The Foreshadowing, Witch hill, Floodland, The Book of Dead Days, etc etc.

It was after finishing The Swordhand that I understand how Peter came to be. Marko and Sorrel was indeed lucky to have encountered him.

I felt a mixture of pride, sadness, and another of which I couldn't quite put a finger on at the journey which Peter had gone through in order to put an end to the wicked Shadow Queen. 

Pride, that he'd not let down those he loved.

Sad, that he'd continued without them by his side.

At first Sofia was just a name in the Kiss of Death. After Swordhand, it was with startling realization that both Sofias in the books were the same person.

I feel sad for Peter.

But not much, since they got to be together in the end. After the Shadow Queen is vanquished and the sword lies at the bottom of the sea, where Marko deemed it appropriate for it's resting place.

As the opening line had said,

"Death can come in many forms, but in Venice, death comes by water.",

isn't it?