I didn’t find The Speaker to be as good as The Reader but it was no less enjoyable.  Sefia and Archer have escaped the Guard and back on the run.  They soon run into more impressors and just like what Sefia did for Archer, they rescue the kidnapped boys.  Soon they embark on a campaign to track down the other impressors and free their kidnapped boys using their fighting skills and Sefia’s book.  Things start out well but it becomes apparent that the violence starts to take over and everyone starts to wonder if Archer is the one the Guard has been looking for.  Also Sefia is dealing with the knowledge of the involvement of her parents with the Guard and the red war.  Just like in the The Reader, we get side story that is related.  In the first book it was the apprentice librarian and assassin that ended up being Sefia’s parents in their youth.  This one is the apprentice politician who is tasked with murdering his king so the next phase of the red war can commence. Unlike the subplot that was evident from the beginning as important, this seemed to be more of a distraction from the narrative.  I’m still not sure why it took so much real estate in this book except it started to mirror Sefia and Archer’s story of trying to change their destiny for the people they love.  I guess only time will tell how it will play out in upcoming books.  I just wished we got to spend more time with Captain Reed and crew then this other story line. I still loved this book.  It wasn’t as good as the original but it was damn entertaining and I’m even more invested in Sefia and Archer’s story.