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Magelands Epic #2
The Severed City
It’s time for someone to pay.
Killop has escaped the dungeons of the Rahain and fled into the mountains.
All he desires is to begin his search for Daphne, but his people are crying out for a leader to free them from their chains of servitude.
Can he ignore their pleas and leave Rahain to look for the woman he loves?
Or will he stay, and lead his people in their fight for freedom before they are destroyed?
He cannot do both…
…and time is running out.
Keira lies shackled and alone, surrounded by soldiers while the smoke rises from the poisoned ruins of the city she was forced to destroy.
Condemned as a war criminal by the King of the Holdings and reviled by the rest of the world, she is a prize weapon – a tool in the hands of her Rahain captors.
But no more.
Keira knows she must escape…
…or die trying.
Killop has escaped the dungeons of the Rahain and fled into the mountains.
All he desires is to begin his search for Daphne, but his people are crying out for a leader to free them from their chains of servitude.
Can he ignore their pleas and leave Rahain to look for the woman he loves?
Or will he stay, and lead his people in their fight for freedom before they are destroyed?
He cannot do both…
…and time is running out.
Keira lies shackled and alone, surrounded by soldiers while the smoke rises from the poisoned ruins of the city she was forced to destroy.
Condemned as a war criminal by the King of the Holdings and reviled by the rest of the world, she is a prize weapon – a tool in the hands of her Rahain captors.
But no more.
Keira knows she must escape…
…or die trying.
486 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2019
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Christopher Mitchell
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I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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About Me
I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 10, 2022
I read the first two books of this series because the ebooks were free on Kindle Unlimited.
I guess I’ve been spoiled by reading the masters of fantasy like Robin Hobb, China Mieville, Diana Gabaldon, Philip Pullman, Juliet Marillier at her best, George R.R. Martin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Elizabeth Hand, Andrzej Sapkowski, Octavia Butler, Gene Wolfe, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lev Grossman, Lewis Carroll, Theodore Sturgeon, etc.
This is solid, but not exceptional.
Pros:
1. Solid story and world building.
2. Lots of action.
3. The women take no garbage from anyone.
4. Easy to follow ( except that the 5 races are a bit confusing at first). Easy to follow is welcome after all the trendy stories I’ve been reading that have opaque, incomprehensible prose and twenty seven confusing plot twists in a single paragraph.
5. Believable.
Cons:
Some of the Pros are also Cons.
1. The prose is utterly utilitarian and pedestrian. I can’t remember a single memorable line.
2. There’s not much originality or creativity on display here. Standard epic fantasy with warfare between races, people trying to stop the evil conquerors, mages helping the war effort, and blah blah..
3. The characters are barely distinguishable from each other. They’re mostly slight variations of types. A bit cartoonish. Example: nearly all the women take no garbage and most curse profusely (except for Daphne). Kellach Brigdomin seems to be a standin for Scotland or Ireland, so the women from there are mostly the loud, outspoken, take no prisoners types like Scotch or Irish ladies.
4. We get few inner views of our characters, and no deep dives into them. Example: Why is Killop a leader? Why does he love who he loves? Is another character (who shall remain nameless because the spoilers aren’t working in the app on this device) a psychopath or just a practical woman who sees no point in dwelling on the past? All unanswered questions.
5. The characters spend most of their time on the following activities: killing (well, ok, they’re at war); drinking, smoking, drugging, cursing (as in every other word an obscenity), vomiting. Rinse, repeat.
Yawn….
6. Almost no humor.
AUDIO READER: Cad Delworth’s reading was cartoonish, but this was quite appropriate to the material and injected some much needed humor into it. Example: all the Sanang (a war like and primitive race descended from apes) have what sound like Eastern European accents. The reader’s funny accents made it easier to distinguish the characters and their races from each other.
OVERALL VERDICT: Ok, but not compelling enough for me to continue reading after two books.
I guess I’ve been spoiled by reading the masters of fantasy like Robin Hobb, China Mieville, Diana Gabaldon, Philip Pullman, Juliet Marillier at her best, George R.R. Martin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Elizabeth Hand, Andrzej Sapkowski, Octavia Butler, Gene Wolfe, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lev Grossman, Lewis Carroll, Theodore Sturgeon, etc.
This is solid, but not exceptional.
Pros:
1. Solid story and world building.
2. Lots of action.
3. The women take no garbage from anyone.
4. Easy to follow ( except that the 5 races are a bit confusing at first). Easy to follow is welcome after all the trendy stories I’ve been reading that have opaque, incomprehensible prose and twenty seven confusing plot twists in a single paragraph.
5. Believable.
Cons:
Some of the Pros are also Cons.
1. The prose is utterly utilitarian and pedestrian. I can’t remember a single memorable line.
2. There’s not much originality or creativity on display here. Standard epic fantasy with warfare between races, people trying to stop the evil conquerors, mages helping the war effort, and blah blah..
3. The characters are barely distinguishable from each other. They’re mostly slight variations of types. A bit cartoonish. Example: nearly all the women take no garbage and most curse profusely (except for Daphne). Kellach Brigdomin seems to be a standin for Scotland or Ireland, so the women from there are mostly the loud, outspoken, take no prisoners types like Scotch or Irish ladies.
4. We get few inner views of our characters, and no deep dives into them. Example: Why is Killop a leader? Why does he love who he loves? Is another character (who shall remain nameless because the spoilers aren’t working in the app on this device) a psychopath or just a practical woman who sees no point in dwelling on the past? All unanswered questions.
5. The characters spend most of their time on the following activities: killing (well, ok, they’re at war); drinking, smoking, drugging, cursing (as in every other word an obscenity), vomiting. Rinse, repeat.
Yawn….
6. Almost no humor.
AUDIO READER: Cad Delworth’s reading was cartoonish, but this was quite appropriate to the material and injected some much needed humor into it. Example: all the Sanang (a war like and primitive race descended from apes) have what sound like Eastern European accents. The reader’s funny accents made it easier to distinguish the characters and their races from each other.
OVERALL VERDICT: Ok, but not compelling enough for me to continue reading after two books.
May 26, 2019
I received an ARC from the author.
Bonus points: the book starts with a description of the races and the geographical areas they're from, which is a useful reference and reminder when coming back to the series.
We left off with some pretty heavy shit in the last book: the gruesome genocide of an entire city. I was pleased to return to Keira's POV, and was not disappointed that we're thrown back into the action with her dramatic escape. It's typical of her to go from contemplating suicide to dark humour and general badassery in the space of a few paragraphs. All she needed was a spark. Problem is, she's now wanted by pretty much everyone as a war criminal after being coerced into burning the Rakanese city.
Killop, devastated by false news, funnels his anger into his new cause: leading a slave rebellion against the Rahain. As the fire mage's brother, it's up to him to atone for the shame she brought on her people. Also, the author seems to love making his love life as complicated as possible. Meanwhile Daphne, pregnant with his child, travels with Laodoc, Shella and Sami to give evidence of the genocide to the Holdings king. Retaliation will have to wait, however, as a more immediate threat arrives.
The Sanang High Chief Agang is trying to rebuild a great, prosperous nation, but his lords are bent on revenge against the Holdings who have invaded their lands for four years. To keep his position as leader, Agang sends his army to invade the Holdings - a one-off retaliation to appease his lords, or so he hopes. But the lack of loot forces him to march on Plateau City and lay seige to it.
Behind it all, is a hint of something - or someone - guiding events. The Creator who sees all and speaks to people's minds, the church's mysterious dealings, the war god sending prophetic dreams to Agang... There is more to it than meets the eye, and it feels as though the characters are pawns in someone's game.
As in the previous book, there is plenty of worldbuilding as new places and people are introduced, like the titular Severed City. Morality is grey - I should probably be disgusted with Keira, and yet I find it easy to overlook her crimes. Almost every character has blood on their hands and it's hard to say that anyone, or any race, can really claim a moral high ground.
The author doesn't shy away from depicting the horrors and reality of humanity: cruelty, betrayal, opportunism, bigotry and slavery. Even when working together, deeply held feelings of disgust for one another can't be completely buried. From the insults the Kell, Lach, Brig and Domin tribes hurl at each other, to the 'monkey', 'frog' and 'snake' slurs, the divisions between races are clear. Yet slowly, some are learning to look past the differences, and act with kindness and compassion. Or at the very least, form unlikely alliances out of necessity.
After the revelations at the end, I can't wait to see where the characters go from here.
Bonus points: the book starts with a description of the races and the geographical areas they're from, which is a useful reference and reminder when coming back to the series.
We left off with some pretty heavy shit in the last book: the gruesome genocide of an entire city. I was pleased to return to Keira's POV, and was not disappointed that we're thrown back into the action with her dramatic escape. It's typical of her to go from contemplating suicide to dark humour and general badassery in the space of a few paragraphs. All she needed was a spark. Problem is, she's now wanted by pretty much everyone as a war criminal after being coerced into burning the Rakanese city.
Killop, devastated by false news, funnels his anger into his new cause: leading a slave rebellion against the Rahain. As the fire mage's brother, it's up to him to atone for the shame she brought on her people. Also, the author seems to love making his love life as complicated as possible. Meanwhile Daphne, pregnant with his child, travels with Laodoc, Shella and Sami to give evidence of the genocide to the Holdings king. Retaliation will have to wait, however, as a more immediate threat arrives.
The Sanang High Chief Agang is trying to rebuild a great, prosperous nation, but his lords are bent on revenge against the Holdings who have invaded their lands for four years. To keep his position as leader, Agang sends his army to invade the Holdings - a one-off retaliation to appease his lords, or so he hopes. But the lack of loot forces him to march on Plateau City and lay seige to it.
Behind it all, is a hint of something - or someone - guiding events. The Creator who sees all and speaks to people's minds, the church's mysterious dealings, the war god sending prophetic dreams to Agang... There is more to it than meets the eye, and it feels as though the characters are pawns in someone's game.
As in the previous book, there is plenty of worldbuilding as new places and people are introduced, like the titular Severed City. Morality is grey - I should probably be disgusted with Keira, and yet I find it easy to overlook her crimes. Almost every character has blood on their hands and it's hard to say that anyone, or any race, can really claim a moral high ground.
The author doesn't shy away from depicting the horrors and reality of humanity: cruelty, betrayal, opportunism, bigotry and slavery. Even when working together, deeply held feelings of disgust for one another can't be completely buried. From the insults the Kell, Lach, Brig and Domin tribes hurl at each other, to the 'monkey', 'frog' and 'snake' slurs, the divisions between races are clear. Yet slowly, some are learning to look past the differences, and act with kindness and compassion. Or at the very least, form unlikely alliances out of necessity.
After the revelations at the end, I can't wait to see where the characters go from here.
May 19, 2019
ONE HEART POUNDING ADVENTURE!!!
OH MY! Man, talk about down and dirty. A rollercoaster of unexpected events and surprising mishaps catapults all of your spinning emotions bursting into play smoothly. Christopher came blazing through with this pulse racing, action packed, hard hitting, page turning thrill ride with a nerve racking storyline and pulse pounding plot that propels this bad boy to life beautifully. Trials and tribulations, along with a few bumps, bruises and scrapes draw you in so deep you feel as though you're there with them. The characters are authentic, receptive and so realistic with depth and individuality they blend and flow along fluidly. The scenes are written with such realism it makes a perfect backdrop for this amazing high octane treasure. Amazing job Christopher, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
OH MY! Man, talk about down and dirty. A rollercoaster of unexpected events and surprising mishaps catapults all of your spinning emotions bursting into play smoothly. Christopher came blazing through with this pulse racing, action packed, hard hitting, page turning thrill ride with a nerve racking storyline and pulse pounding plot that propels this bad boy to life beautifully. Trials and tribulations, along with a few bumps, bruises and scrapes draw you in so deep you feel as though you're there with them. The characters are authentic, receptive and so realistic with depth and individuality they blend and flow along fluidly. The scenes are written with such realism it makes a perfect backdrop for this amazing high octane treasure. Amazing job Christopher, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
June 9, 2019
Lots of action! The second book in this series doesn’t not disappoint. The tale just keeps getting better.
April 20, 2020
Great book
Now armies are coming against each other and the king of the Holdings wants to be Emperor of the world.
Now armies are coming against each other and the king of the Holdings wants to be Emperor of the world.
April 7, 2020
The Severed City is the second book in Christopher Mitchell's Magelands epic. It picks up directly where the last book left off. We gain a better understanding of Keira, the fire mage and her motives. She is reunited with Kylon not long after escaping her captivity. We get to follow her and her unlikely troop of 'leftovers' while they are either making a splash in the combined war effort or trying to keep things low key and escape.
Killop meanwhile has taken lead as chief of the Severed City. His goal at first is simply to free his people but he makes some unlikely allies along the way. His character arch seems to shift the most in this book as he seems to loose the kind heart we've seen before. You can't overly fault him in this as he's been lied to about something huge.
Daphne travels to Plateau City where she's given a royal pardon for her past actions. Ladoc is with her for awhile as is our water mage. Not everyone seems to be welcoming though and there is a bit of drama in her home estate. Nothing's easy, especially her pregnancy.
With the five races in this world we gain a better understanding of the forest dwellers. I was surprised at how severe they were. Not all of them came across this way but they showcased more savagery than the other races this time. In general this story doesn't shy away from the ugliness of war or how people find themselves doing things they couldn't even imagine themselves capable of.
There's quite a bit of setup and foreshadowing happening. Most notably wondering who's really pulling the strings. You can't help but feel almost everyone is being manipulated and I can't wait to see who's really the chess master.
If you live a good fantasy epic then give Magelands a try. You will need to read book one otherwise you'll be lost.
I received an advanced copy of this story and am leaving a voluntary and honest review.
Killop meanwhile has taken lead as chief of the Severed City. His goal at first is simply to free his people but he makes some unlikely allies along the way. His character arch seems to shift the most in this book as he seems to loose the kind heart we've seen before. You can't overly fault him in this as he's been lied to about something huge.
Daphne travels to Plateau City where she's given a royal pardon for her past actions. Ladoc is with her for awhile as is our water mage. Not everyone seems to be welcoming though and there is a bit of drama in her home estate. Nothing's easy, especially her pregnancy.
With the five races in this world we gain a better understanding of the forest dwellers. I was surprised at how severe they were. Not all of them came across this way but they showcased more savagery than the other races this time. In general this story doesn't shy away from the ugliness of war or how people find themselves doing things they couldn't even imagine themselves capable of.
There's quite a bit of setup and foreshadowing happening. Most notably wondering who's really pulling the strings. You can't help but feel almost everyone is being manipulated and I can't wait to see who's really the chess master.
If you live a good fantasy epic then give Magelands a try. You will need to read book one otherwise you'll be lost.
I received an advanced copy of this story and am leaving a voluntary and honest review.
December 17, 2023
I loved the 2nd book in this series whereby we find an uprising by the four other races against the Rahains who had dominated them and treated many of them as below them apart from enslaving so many to do their dirty work in the mines and mountains. Kellop wants to go in search of Daphne but gets lied to by Kylon who tells him she is dead, so instead he takes over the role of chief for the Kallach Brigdomin, he starts off by freeing many slaves from the camps of the Rohain but he is out to seek vengeance for what had been done to him and his sister. Keira the fire mage had been used to wipe out the Rakanese refugees in their thousands, and was now wanted for the crime by all the other races, and the King of the Holdings said she was to be executed. An alliance is formed whereby all four races agree for once to fight to take down the oppressors. There are big battles fought in this book, a great uprising with rebel forces fighting side by side with the military as well as the freeing of many enslaved people. King Guilliam even follows Leodoc's treatise for leadership and makes him a councillor once again. However not everything is as it seems and it looks like the Holdings King and Church leaders who believe in the creator, have plans of domination themselves, and the other three races have done their dirty work and taken down the only race who held them at bay. I am dying to read book 3, I love Shella and her loyalty towards Daphne, I also love Keira and her dirty mouth and rough demeanour, as she takes no BS from anyone especially men who hate and look down on women. I look forward to seeing how the baby of Daphne and Kellop will develop considering her great and unusual powers. This is a great epic series not to be missed full of magical powers as well and great battle scenes.
May 21, 2019
This book is awesome!
It starts right at the point where the other stopped - which is great, I don't like when books just "skip" events - this makes the story more realistic to the reader.
I don't know why, but somehow Keira is always my favorite, even when she is not "good"... I guess that's it, she is not "good" and that makes her a real and relatable character. Nothing is just "black and white" and is in that grey area that Keira thrives.
Once again the author did it. He created new worlds and introduced new people and scenarios. That was very captivating to me, being always discovering new things made me want to read more and more. I'm very glad that this book starts with a description of the different races and their homes, this is a great aid for the reader to come back and check some details about the charaters that may have been forgoten.
I am very excited to read the next book and be able to see more of this characters and where the story is going to lead.
P.S.: I don't know if I'm being influenced by the recent (oh boy, so recent!) ending of Game of Thrones, but I've been noticing some GoT vibes in the overall story - the first book brought to us a little bit of a "mad queen", a burnt city - although this story was written before that (I love it!).
** I received an advance review copy of this book - This is my honest (and non paid) review of "The Queen's Executioner" **
It starts right at the point where the other stopped - which is great, I don't like when books just "skip" events - this makes the story more realistic to the reader.
I don't know why, but somehow Keira is always my favorite, even when she is not "good"... I guess that's it, she is not "good" and that makes her a real and relatable character. Nothing is just "black and white" and is in that grey area that Keira thrives.
Once again the author did it. He created new worlds and introduced new people and scenarios. That was very captivating to me, being always discovering new things made me want to read more and more. I'm very glad that this book starts with a description of the different races and their homes, this is a great aid for the reader to come back and check some details about the charaters that may have been forgoten.
I am very excited to read the next book and be able to see more of this characters and where the story is going to lead.
P.S.: I don't know if I'm being influenced by the recent (oh boy, so recent!) ending of Game of Thrones, but I've been noticing some GoT vibes in the overall story - the first book brought to us a little bit of a "mad queen", a burnt city - although this story was written before that (I love it!).
** I received an advance review copy of this book - This is my honest (and non paid) review of "The Queen's Executioner" **
January 17, 2022
"It wasn't her fault. The lizards made her do it." What a compelling beginning for a book!
This second novel lived up to the ample promise of the first volume in the series.
Keira is a really interesting character, and I'm glad we got more insight into her as the story progressed. I felt the story was a little more bogged down in its politics than the first book, which was so smooth and compelling in how it treated its politics, but still, a very enjoyable read. I did miss the focus on slavery as an ethical and political issue.
Rich characterization and smooth, clear writing kept things moving even when the worldbuilidng got a bit too dense. The childbirth scene was absolutely phenomenal. i loved the way the author took the time to clear up so many misconceptions about healthy childbearing!
I think the first volume was a little more enjoyable for me, both because of the issues it happened to focus on and because it was more plot driven, but I'm definitely diving in for book 3 with eagerness!
This second novel lived up to the ample promise of the first volume in the series.
Keira is a really interesting character, and I'm glad we got more insight into her as the story progressed. I felt the story was a little more bogged down in its politics than the first book, which was so smooth and compelling in how it treated its politics, but still, a very enjoyable read. I did miss the focus on slavery as an ethical and political issue.
Rich characterization and smooth, clear writing kept things moving even when the worldbuilidng got a bit too dense. The childbirth scene was absolutely phenomenal. i loved the way the author took the time to clear up so many misconceptions about healthy childbearing!
I think the first volume was a little more enjoyable for me, both because of the issues it happened to focus on and because it was more plot driven, but I'm definitely diving in for book 3 with eagerness!
May 22, 2019
Keira is still imprisoned forced into complacency by the Rahain on threat of her brother's life, Killop is the head of escaped Kellack Brigdomin(selected to be their chief), Daphne is at Plateau City with Killop's child and the new threat of church fanatics, and Shella will always be feisty Shella who is plagued with loss and contempt for the Rahain.
The sequel to The Queen's Executioner promises to dive more into the magelands, introducing the Sanang and their peculiar brand of leadership, not forgetting the mystery as to what their dark mages could actually do. This book was simply spectacular and nurtured its characters masterfully to the point that I am emotionally invested in all their outcomes.
The sequel to The Queen's Executioner promises to dive more into the magelands, introducing the Sanang and their peculiar brand of leadership, not forgetting the mystery as to what their dark mages could actually do. This book was simply spectacular and nurtured its characters masterfully to the point that I am emotionally invested in all their outcomes.
April 20, 2020
Just as good as the first book, if not better. I like how morally grey the characters are, depicting how people justify war and invasion. Interesting to meet even more players such as the people from Sanang and the mage-priests of Holdings. So, so good.
Two things that I’d like to add though. First, I wish the Kindle version has a map, because I like maps and I’m bad at imagining distances and layouts. The phyical copy might have it. but its just a bit annoying that the Kindle version does not.
Second, I miss having Shella doing more in the limelight. She’s feisty and I love her POVs. Hopefully, I get to see her more in the coming book.
Anyway, a fantastic second installment.
Two things that I’d like to add though. First, I wish the Kindle version has a map, because I like maps and I’m bad at imagining distances and layouts. The phyical copy might have it. but its just a bit annoying that the Kindle version does not.
Second, I miss having Shella doing more in the limelight. She’s feisty and I love her POVs. Hopefully, I get to see her more in the coming book.
Anyway, a fantastic second installment.
June 16, 2019
Book 2 in the series is even better than book 1! I couldn't put this down. The characters become more complex and developed, which I didn't even think was possible. They are forced to make choices without seeing the whole picture and the results of those choices have real consequences. The story flows smoothly and time flies by when reading this. I highly recommend it to all fantasy lovers and believe that this may someday be as epic as Lord of the Rings.
I received an advanced copy and am leaving my honest review. I am not affiliated with anyone involved with this book.
I received an advanced copy and am leaving my honest review. I am not affiliated with anyone involved with this book.
November 15, 2022
The Magelands Epic: The Severed City (Book 2), my twenty-second read from prolific author Christopher Mitchell. 488-pages of epic fantasy. When I want to read epic fantasy, I first look for author Christopher Mitchell. With 34 books written over 3 series, I need to get going & read more Christopher Mitchell books. “I received a free Audible copy of this book and am re-reading it & voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Next up The Magelands Epic: Needs of the Empire (Book 3). (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
March 5, 2023
Summary: Heavy going at times but interesting premise, massive scope of each nation and interesting characters within it it got better and better
Plotline: So many threads all independent and still maturing, but the plot is there and slowly comes to the fore.
Premise: Huge and feels like an experiment by some higher beings
Writing: Heavy at times, but excellent characters and descriptions
Ending: Sad. Much more to come.
Pace: Never a dull moment!
Plotline: So many threads all independent and still maturing, but the plot is there and slowly comes to the fore.
Premise: Huge and feels like an experiment by some higher beings
Writing: Heavy at times, but excellent characters and descriptions
Ending: Sad. Much more to come.
Pace: Never a dull moment!
June 25, 2021
Fantastic
I have to say that there was a spot of this book that made me so angry that I put it down for a full 24 hours. I was unsure of the motivation of that particular “lie” shall we say to not spoil it. I am so happy I pushed past it. This series is amazing and I am so happy I found it!
I have to say that there was a spot of this book that made me so angry that I put it down for a full 24 hours. I was unsure of the motivation of that particular “lie” shall we say to not spoil it. I am so happy I pushed past it. This series is amazing and I am so happy I found it!
July 29, 2021
I read Book 1 last year, so my memory of the plot and characters was a little shaky, but I still managed to follow along. I don't recommend reading Book 2 without a refresher of Book 1, though!
I really enjoyed the political intrigue and the worldbuilding in this one. Seems to be a solid entry in the series.
I really enjoyed the political intrigue and the worldbuilding in this one. Seems to be a solid entry in the series.
June 17, 2019
I’ve really enjoyed this series. It’s well written and great characters. Love the author Christopher Mitchell. He has done a wonderful job on this series and I highly recommend. (I received this book as an arc and am leaving a voluntary honest review)
June 30, 2019
The Severed City(Magelands Epic #2) by Christopher Mitchell this is book number two in this awesome series. I highly recommend this story to everyone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
February 23, 2020
Yep, That's EPIC alright.
Wow! Wpic really is the right word for these books. They are huge in scope and scale. The world building is outrageous in both expanse and detail. I bloody love it!
Wow! Wpic really is the right word for these books. They are huge in scope and scale. The world building is outrageous in both expanse and detail. I bloody love it!
Read
March 9, 2022Very good series.
Heavy drinking and smoking various weeds for narcotic and stimulant effect. Profanity, frequent F-bombs. Great world-building, solid character development, plenty of action.
Heavy drinking and smoking various weeds for narcotic and stimulant effect. Profanity, frequent F-bombs. Great world-building, solid character development, plenty of action.
June 1, 2019
Action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Great to see the characters developing through their stories and the scene-setting is second to none. Can’t wait for the next instalment!
November 27, 2020
...and the fantastical, political shenanigans continue!
December 31, 2022
4 1/2 stars
December 29, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Can't wait to start the next.
October 11, 2019
Initially I wondered why Kylon told Killop that Daphne is dead and that he saw her being buried. Is it because she is of a different race or that he wants Killop to stay and lead the rebels? Kylon loves Keira beyond reason so you would think he could identify with Killop's passion regarding Daphne. (I've just started reading this so I hope to find out the motive eventually)
So, we do find out why Kylon lied. His motive was to keep Killon with the rebels as he felt Killon was the only one who could unite and lead them. That's fine and dandy but I don't agree with how he did it. Killon should have been able to choose his own destiny and not be manipulated. He probably could have been guilted into staying. (I realize I act like these situations and people are real but to me that points to how well this story is written)
The story is becoming more complex as new characters are introduced and we delve deeper into their personalities and beliefs. Agang Garo is considerably fleshed out as we follow his pursuit to become king of Sanang. As with most political maneuverings, not all of his subjects see eye to eye with him and he is accused of selling out his nation for personal gain.
Daphne and Shella become close friends during Daphne's pregnancy. That reminds me that I wonder if Shella's sister, the self-pronounced queen, really died. She was alive when last encountered and her death has been assumed, not verified. (I take this back since I had forgotten she had ingested the poisoned water so was well on her way to death when last seen)
I will admit that I did get somewhat burned out on all of the battles. I know they're relevant to the storyline but I just sort of lost interest as there were so many.
The only spelling error that I noticed is using the word passed instead of past in a couple of places. This is nothing compared to a lot of the books I read. Overall a great read and I'm on to book three.
So, we do find out why Kylon lied. His motive was to keep Killon with the rebels as he felt Killon was the only one who could unite and lead them. That's fine and dandy but I don't agree with how he did it. Killon should have been able to choose his own destiny and not be manipulated. He probably could have been guilted into staying. (I realize I act like these situations and people are real but to me that points to how well this story is written)
The story is becoming more complex as new characters are introduced and we delve deeper into their personalities and beliefs. Agang Garo is considerably fleshed out as we follow his pursuit to become king of Sanang. As with most political maneuverings, not all of his subjects see eye to eye with him and he is accused of selling out his nation for personal gain.
Daphne and Shella become close friends during Daphne's pregnancy. That reminds me that I wonder if Shella's sister, the self-pronounced queen, really died. She was alive when last encountered and her death has been assumed, not verified. (I take this back since I had forgotten she had ingested the poisoned water so was well on her way to death when last seen)
I will admit that I did get somewhat burned out on all of the battles. I know they're relevant to the storyline but I just sort of lost interest as there were so many.
The only spelling error that I noticed is using the word passed instead of past in a couple of places. This is nothing compared to a lot of the books I read. Overall a great read and I'm on to book three.
June 18, 2021
Title:
“We came to your aid because we believe you’re here to ....free the slaves.”
That summarizes the motive of one of the 5 people’s involvement in the war that is the center stage of this book. This book has an excellent preface giving the history of the 5 peoples. We are thus prepared to enter right into the story from where Vol. 1 left off. Woven around the scaffolding of the resistance to the Rakanese that develops to a war, are the lives of people from the other 4 peoples (Holfast, Kellach, Sanaog, Rahain). We see how each people has suffered under the Rakanese, and also the tendency for many to exhibit racial prejudice. The theme of a “creator” is a slim thread that is occasionally seen, but who that is and what his plan is, is not clear. We are given a few clues at the end, that make it seem that this creator is not necessarily a benevolent being who wants the best for all of his creation, but we are not quite certain of this. How this particular storyline will work out cannot be guessed at this point, raising anticipation for the next volumes. This is an action-packed story, that is difficult to put down. I am eager to see what the author has planned next for us.
I received a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary, and I have no financial relationship with either the author or publisher
“We came to your aid because we believe you’re here to ....free the slaves.”
That summarizes the motive of one of the 5 people’s involvement in the war that is the center stage of this book. This book has an excellent preface giving the history of the 5 peoples. We are thus prepared to enter right into the story from where Vol. 1 left off. Woven around the scaffolding of the resistance to the Rakanese that develops to a war, are the lives of people from the other 4 peoples (Holfast, Kellach, Sanaog, Rahain). We see how each people has suffered under the Rakanese, and also the tendency for many to exhibit racial prejudice. The theme of a “creator” is a slim thread that is occasionally seen, but who that is and what his plan is, is not clear. We are given a few clues at the end, that make it seem that this creator is not necessarily a benevolent being who wants the best for all of his creation, but we are not quite certain of this. How this particular storyline will work out cannot be guessed at this point, raising anticipation for the next volumes. This is an action-packed story, that is difficult to put down. I am eager to see what the author has planned next for us.
I received a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary, and I have no financial relationship with either the author or publisher
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