An ancient prophecy. A magic sword on which pivots the fate of Gods and mortals alike.Hounded by the undead, the reborn elvic Prophet and his rescuers must escape the ravaged Babese Sultanate at all costs.Captured and broken, the Witchson struggles just to stay alive in the savage and tropical Goblin Isles lest his soul be eternally damned in the Nether.Prince Saul Aodhson confronts a skittering … Nether.
Prince Saul Aodhson confronts a skittering menace as old as time in the icy north of Fjelburg, in a vale lined with the bones of fallen Highlanders.
Lost in the endless rainforest of Shala’Hyddin, Princess Palasia Bab will find her destiny, and other worlds, in the Ashlands.
Ghost ships and Sea Serpents prowl the oceans, the First Flame is trapped, and the realm of the Fae is in danger of destruction at the hands of an army of Demons …
The battle for Maradoum has begun.
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Whereas in the first book the author was still searching for his voice and the right way in which to use it to tell this story, in this second book of his series he seems to have found it. Gone is the nervous frenzy of non-stop fighting and running. There’s still lots of both activities, but there’s also more resting area’s where the story is told and where we get to know some of the backgrounds of situations, circumstances, living conditions of the various humanoid races that live on Maradoum.
The protagonists aren’t rigid but through the interaction with others as well as through circumstances and events happening to them, they’re allowed to develop and grow. So, it can happen that someone who’s not very likeable at the start, is more sympathetic by the end of the book (or vice versa). Nighal and Palacia are the best examples of this phenomena. Palacia starts out as a vain spoiled brat without any sense of reality, though she’s not mean or evil as her brother was when we met him in the first book. But necessity brings out the best in her and she becomes a better and morally stronger person than she would have become otherwise. The opposite can be said about Witchson, he’s presented as a victim in the beginning but he becomes worse and more evil than his enemies in a very short time. On the other hand, is the elf that’s been rescued a rather ungrateful bastard, he refuses to lift a finger in order to defend himself or a member of their group.
I ask politely for a better map. She’s absolutely gorgeous, but with all the names blotted out, she’s not of much use, is she? It’s a beautiful piece of art so let it be of use. I’m crap at guessing or figuring out where things take place by the few clues in the text.
Just as in the first book, you fall immediately into the action of the story as soon as you start reading. The surviving members of the multiracial gang of rescuers and protectors of the elf-prophet are still running from the Thaksir when they reach a dangerous mysterious rainforest. When the undead hordes surround them, princess Palasia, the street orphan Bala and initially also Riton (bodyguard) get separated from their travelling companions and must try to find their own way to Jungle town, a coastal town where a ship is waiting for them. After 3 or 4 weeks they’re rescued by the 4-armed king of a variety of intelligent, sentient, talking apes. The king tells the princess about an age-old prophesy that says that a red-skinned someone (like herself with severe sunburns?) must liberate the god of fire who will bring doomsday to the world. And without much thinking Palacia travels for weeks on end towards the volcano where Sutr is held captive by a dragon. Of course, it’s not all that easy. But the princes strikes a deal with the god that’s beneficial for both parties.
After months of travelling through the forest, the rest of their party reach Jungle town. But the Thaksir zombies reach it about the same time and in the end, the group manages to flee with their ship. But even at sea, they’re not safe for their pursuers.
Nighal Witchson is the greatest enigma in this book. In the previous one, he was a loyal servant of Gastar, the god of the Nether and fled Justiquaa on a ship. We find him here shipwrecked and made a captive by a tribe of Goblins (blue, fish-like humanoids). He’s upset that the leader has taken his Netherhound calling spike, so he must know that his dreams of standing up against Gastar are false. Little by little the tribe start trusting the sorcerer and they even accept him in their clan. What is really going on, what’s being planned? He appears to be friendly and nice but in the past, there were times you felt sorry for him as well.
And then there’s Saul, the highland prince. He spends the winter in the most northern fortress commanded by one of his older brothers. There’s also a third brother already present in the fort that guards the only pass through an impenetrable mountain range. The Wildesvin, boar people, have come to the fort for midwinter celebrations when an endless stream of giant spider/crab hybrid monster swarm in their endless millions from that pass.
I received a free ARC from the author and this is my honest review of it.
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Secrets of the Ashlands: An Epic Fantasy Novel (Convent Series Book 2), my second read from author Ross C. Hughes. I was given a review copy of Secrets of the Ashlands (Convent Series Book 2) & since I’d gotten this book back in November of 2019 I wanted to read it first, I’m glad I did. 491 pages of enjoyment, but reads longer due to the detail & development of the story. I look forward to reading more from this author, In fact my next read is Chronicles of Maradoum (#1). (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).