Aurora Firedrake returns in the spellbinding sequel to The Last of the Firedrakes.
The seven kingdoms of Avalonia are crumbling and evil is spreading across the land like a plague. Queen Morgana is close to finding a way to open The Book of Abraxas and it’s only a matter of time until she uses the power trapped inside its pages to enslave the entire world.
With Avalonia growing more dangerous by the day, Aurora must travel through war-torn lands and deep into the heart of the fae kingdom of Elfi. Her goal is to find a legendary weapon infused with the last of the realm’s ancient magic—the only weapon in the world powerful enough to stop the queen.
Aurora might have survived her first battle against Morgana, but the true fight to save her kingdom and restore her throne has only just begun…
Assessment:
Plot: This plot-driven novel is well-suited for the young adult market. However, at times, the narrative can be difficult to follow. And while the plotting is fairly rote, the author manages to keep things moving and exciting.
Prose: The prose is workmanlike, except when the author writes about magic. Those scenes are crisp, descriptive, and compelling. While the prose never quite becomes florid or purple, during romantic moments it comes pretty close.
Originality: This is not a particularly original novel in terms of setting or plot. But the author's handling of magic and the behavior of those at the fae court, while not exactly unique, seemed fresh. The romantic component, on the other hand, had a paint-by-numbers quality.
Character Development: Although the characters sometimes come across as genre types, readers do get to know them pretty well. Additionally, character archetypes are less of a problem in a plot-driven novel like this.
Date Submitted: August 02, 2017
