Synopsis
William and Baldric were successful in trekking across the uncharted lands of the elves. After reaching the Viridian Veil and warning Lord Thinduill of Dadro’s deceit, they thought their journey had come to a close. But in truth, it had only just begun—and the more they descend into the battle for Cellagor’s fate, the more they’ll learn about their own mysterious pasts.
Preceding their arrival to the Veil, Avolin’s visions revealed that William and Baldric were tied to the Book of No Quarter. Upon learning this, Lord Thinduill insisted they accompany him to the elven capital of Leof Ealdwin.
Meanwhile, Rhan is no more, and its ashen remains mark the beginning of a new age. Arnion’s sacrifice may have altered the fate of Cellagor, but his father’s resolve continues to be tested. In the north, houses have reunited once again, and the Braxi army slowly encroaches on the Unspoken Border. Talfryn remains the last standing house to refuse Dadro’s rule—but they must rekindle old alliances if they mean to survive further bloodshed.
Word of Dadro’s victory over the elves continues to spread across the realm. Thousands have sworn their fealty to him, and whispers of a promising union linger on the horizon. But war does not come without its price. Dadro’s brother has yet to recover from the Battle of Rhan, and the pyromancer Aleister’s treachery remains unseen. With his ambitions still unknown, neither side is safe during this ushering in of a new age.
Review
This book is the second instalment in the series and follows on from A Sea of Cinders. It’s a fantasy series with a classic fantasy vibe that at times reminds me of LotR but the author has made it their own in every way.
The world building in this book expands on things a lot from the first novel. There are wars, intrigue, politics, elven beasts, magic both good and evil as well a host of different character POV’s.
One thing the author does well with the writing is making everything so easy to follow. The plot is both complex but also never difficult to wrap your head around. The writing style is easy to fall into for a beginner fantasy reader. There are quite a few point of views given and the author made each one have purpose and depth to add to the world and the story. This is a hard thing to balance and I think the author has done this well here. My favourite points of view were of course the main trio, as well as Krea and her brother Rowan. I loved how badass Krea was, and her strength and passion.
I remember loving the banter and relationships in the first book and there is plenty more of that here. The characters have clearly grown in the story and the friendship between Baldric, William and Gus continues to be great to read. It’s nice to see something so wholesome, and the found family vibe is strong.
The action is well written too and was another highlight for me. The pacing was steady throughout the book and action was sprinkled in on lots of great occasions. Coupled with the character journeys, it was a really nice read.
I loved my time with this book. Thanks to the author for the review copy.
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