He rides a seablood, a steed of salt and spray, born to challenge the tides. Six years ago, the wrong brother survived, and nothing will ever convince Rafi Tetrani otherwise. But he is done running from his past, and from the truth. As civil war threatens Ceridwen's tenuous rule in Soldonia, Rafi vows to fight the usurper sitting on the imperial throne of Nadaar, even if it means shouldering his brother's responsibilities as the empire's lost heir. The stolen shipload of magical warhorses offers just the edge he needs. But the steeds have been demanded in ransom by the emperor's ruthless assassin, and if Rafi hopes to raise a band of riders, he must first outwit his brother's murderer. Yet when his best efforts end in disaster, and an audacious raid sparks an empire-wide manhunt, even forging an unexpected alliance might not be enough to help Rafi turn the tides, let alone outrace the wave of destruction intent on sweeping them all away. Seas boil and jungles burn in this tempestuous second installment of The Fireborn Epic as the outcast queen, captive missionary, and royal rebel strive to unearth the mysterious power that hungers for their world.
This is book 2 of The Fireborn Epic and the series should be read in order. This book does give some background info that is pertinent to the overarching theme of fighting against the evil empire to regain their nation of Soldonia but reading the first book will give you all the nuances to the main characters and the subplots.
Ceridwen continues to grow as a leader and a warrior and I quite enjoyed the themes of bravery, courage, and leadership portrayed through her character. Rafi embraces his calling and bonding and I loved how he rises up to conquer his fear at every challenge. Jakim is such an opposite to the other two characters embroiled in war and his path and bonding are quite refreshing. Though he’s a secondary character, I loved Finnian and his steadfast support of Ceridwen. I found Sahak’s chapter at the end of both books interesting; a glimpse into the mind of one of the villains always brings a new perspective.
There is plenty of action, battle scenes, betrayal, and surprises waiting for you in this epic fantasy. The world is well-crafted and fascinating and the characters are lovable. The book is long but those who enjoy this genre will definitely enjoy this book and series. The series is not finished yet though - there is book 3 coming, which should be centered around Jakim.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest
everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We
deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15.
ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.