Having read the first of Anderson’s books, Of Demon Kind, I could not wait to read the follow up!  I enjoyed the second just as much as the first. All the great characters are back; Lorn, Lililara, Sorell with even more added. I enjoy being able to see how my character friends have been doing since I last checked in.  

Five years later, things are working out well in Jior.  Through teamwork and fairness, the castle and city have been rejuvenated far beyond what it had been under King Kullorn . The people living there are happy and it is as close to Utopia as one could find. Unfortunately in the five years since Lorn has returned to Jior, the disgruntled greedy King Koran and the ego-maniacal Bower, the King of Skogur, have been plotting revenge.

There are several things I like about these books.  One is that the struggle between good and evil is not so black and white.  The right answers are not clearly drawn in the cement. Struggle is real, mercy is real, and being a better person than your enemy can be hard.  Two is the thought provoking theme of can good come out of evil? I do not mean that there is a silver lining to everything, I literally mean can evil produce good.  Third is that Anderson does a fabulous job of writing descriptions. She is so good that I put myself into the story, I hear the wings spread, the air flow through them in flight, the rustle of leaves while searching for the enemies scouts, the smell of sickness – sometimes I would rather not be that involved!  Fourth there is a time when in relationships you have to set aside your own ego so that you can trust others and ask for help. This is beautifully done in the books and the endeavor is authentic.

So, do yourself a favor and read these books- even if you do not like fantasy, check them out. I think you will find them to be a treat.