Rise of Fire

January 15, 2017
A fantasy conclusion brings romance and intrigue.Luna and Fowler are an unlikely pair: she's the heir to the murdered former king and queen of Relhok, and he's the usurper's son. Nonetheless, they've fallen in love in the Stygian darkness of the time of the eclipse. Even after they fight free of the repulsive dwellers in the quagmire of the tunnels beneath the marsh, freedom is out of their grasp. With Fowler dramatically dying from a poisoned wound, they are taken prisoner by Prince Chasan of Lagonia. Like Fowler, Chasan is entranced by Luna of the milky white skin and pale freckled cheeks; unlike Fowler, Chasan has no idea that Luna is completely blind. It's an unsurprising deficiency on his part, as Luna has nigh-magical senses (she's an excellent shot with a bow and arrow, confidently firing into a melee without ever hitting an ally). The turgid love triangle, in a setting of villainous rulers, human sacrifice, and grotesque torments, follows predictable patterns--except, perhaps, that it only takes two volumes to bring the star-crossed lovers together instead of the usual three. In a world full of darkness, blindness acts as an overwrought metaphor more than a real condition: Luna's internal monologue is not at all that of someone who's been blind since birth, while Fowler thinks of how "Luna look[ed] normal, fully sighted, but I knew Luna was anything but normal." Skip it. (Fantasy. 12-13)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 10 Up-This sequel picks up dramatically right where Reign of Shadows left off. As Luna and Fowler attempt to escape the kingdom of Relhok, they are attacked by beasts known as dwellers, leaving Fowler with potentially fatal wounds. In what seems like a bit of good fortune, a group of men find them and promise to guide them to a physician in the nearby city. The pair discover too late, though, that the men belong to the rival kingdom's royal guard. Luna and Fowler are separated and must overcome trials of court politics, forced engagements, and threats on their lives before they can reunite. Jordan's writing speeds the story along at a strong pace, with rarely a break in the action. On occasion, the narrative moves at such a fast clip that conflicts are resolved before tension can build. In addition, many major plot threads are never fully developed; perhaps they will be further explored in the next book in the series. Still, readers will enjoy watching the protagonists go through the trials and tribulations of royal court drama.

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