Title: The Shining Citadel (The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles #2)
Author: A. L. Butcher
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy
Book Blurb:
In a dark world where magic is illegal and elves live as slaves, a desperate elf and her human companion seek aid from the mysterious sorcerer, Archos and his lady, the sorceress Dii’Athella. Hoping to unearth the secrets of the Shining Citadel, lost for centuries in the mists of magic and time, they begin a dangerous and arduous journey. Could these secrets change the lives of an oppressed people or will such information bring about a worse fate?
Yet all is not as it first appears for the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters watch from afar and one man’s obsession leads to a deadly trap. Avarice and betrayal are everywhere; who can be trusted? Creatures long thought dead rise in the darkness and forgotten magic burns with a bitter flame.
Who makes the rules in this game of intrigue and lies? Shattered beliefs and unwelcome truths abound in an adventure filled with magic, passion, greed and revenge.
18+ rating - contains scenes of both sex and violence.
Extra warning - contains elves!
My Review:
The saga of Erana continues in this enchanting book. The author has created a dark world that soars with striking detail. The reader is drawn quickly into the tale of the sisters and the moral question as to what would you do to save the life of someone you love? Would you betray even yourself?
As part of the Erana series this book stands alone as a solid read and also is an excellent part of the whole that carries the story forward. The exciting final battle brings some success and leaves, of course, more unanswered questions. It leaves the reader wanting more.
Fans of Games of Thrones and Lord of the Rings will love this book. This Erana series cries out to be made into a television series.
If I have one problem, it is with the extreme detail of the 'bad guys' doing evil to the good but when the good take down the baddies - it is brief and unfulfilling. To put up with Hendrick being the biggest scum bag I have seen in a long time was bothersome. To have this piece of trash snuffed out without at least a paragraph of him suffering and seeing how much it hurt him and how destroyed he felt was needed.
My Rating: 4 stars
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Author Biography:
A.L. (Alexandra) Butcher is the British author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles fantasy series, and several short stories in the fantasy and fantasy romance and horror genres. She is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet and a dreamer. When she is grounded in the real world she likes science, natural history, history, mythology and monkeys. She has a background in history and politics which are sometimes reflected in her work. Her books have been described as 'dark and gritty' and her poetry as evocative.
A Splendid Salmagundi was awarded the best anthology for Indie Book Bargains 2012.
Social Media Links:
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/DarkFantasyBeyondTheStorm
Reviewed by: Mr. N