Jennifer Fallon - The Demon Child
Overview:
Genre: Fantasy
Stars: 4 out of 5
Contains: mild sex and violence, rape
Author's Website: Jennifer Fallon
My thoughts: This is a highly enjoyable series. For those that have wondered, my online name, Kalianah, comes from these books! I really enjoyed this series, especially all the bits with Adrina and Damin! I recommend it :)
The Books:
"Medalon" - Published 2000
Medalon is a small country, nestled between Fardohnya and Hythria, rule with an iron fist by the Sisters of the Blade. The Harshini, a magical race who used to rule Medalon, and their demons are believed to be extinct. R'shiel Tenragan, daughter of the First Sister, and her half-brother Tarja find themselves caught up in the political infighting amongst the Sisters of the Blade. When their mother's scheming becomes too much to bear, they flee the Citadel and their lives take a turn neither could ever have imagined. Meanwhile, far south in Hythria, Brak, a Harshini outcast, is called on to find the demon child, the half-human child of the dead Harshini King, Lorandranek.
"Treason Keep" - Published 2001
Near death from the wound received at Joyhinia's hand, Brak makes a deal with Death to save R'shiel, as Tarja and the Defenders with their unexpected Hythrun ally, Damin Wolfblade, move north to defend Medalon from the Kariens. In faraway Fardohnya, an alliance is made with Karien, sealed by the marriage of Princess Adrina to Prince Cratyn of Karien, setting in motion a chain of events that will affect the future of every nation on the continent. In the meantime, R'shiel returns to the Citadel to confront the Sisters of the Blade. Before she is free of them she must face her nemisis and somehow find the strength to deny a god.
"Harshini" - Published 2001
Medalon has surrendered to Karien and Tarja is once more an outlaw. The Defenders are scattered and their only hope for aid is Damin Wolfblade and the vast army of Hythria. But Damin has his own problems; The High Prince is dead and he must fight off a usurper to secure his throne and lift the siege on his capital, before he can think of aiding Medalon. R'shiel has finally accepted her destiny, and is searching for answers, but time is running out. The Harshini king is weakening and cannot hide Sanctuary for much longer. She must defeat Xaphista soon, or the Harshini will be destroyed.
Jennifer Fallon - The Second Sons
Overview:
Genre: Fantasy
Stars: 4 out of 5
Contains: mild sex and violence
Author's Website: Jennifer Fallon
My thoughts: This is a wonderful series. I felt, at times, that I wanted to knock some of the characters heads together, which is a sure sign of getting too involved! Even though I did guess what would happen at the very end, it was still an emmensly enjoyable series, and I recommend it.
The Books:
"Lion of Senet" - Published 2002
Due to Belagren, High Priestess of the Shadowdancers, who sacrificed a child of royal blood, the Age of Shadows has been banished. Ranadon's two suns shine brightly, and there is no night. When a volcanic eruption rocks the sea between the Kingdom of Dhevyn and the powerful mainland kingdom of Senet, a mysterious sailor is shipwrecked on the small island of Elcast. His rescue brings together Dirk Provin, second son of the Duke of Elcast, Kirshov Latanya, second son of the Lion of Senet, Alenor D'Orlon - heir to the throne of Dhevyn, an angry and rebellious young woman named Tia Veran, and an orphaned acrobat known as Marqel the Magnificent. But the badly wounded sailor is not what he seems. His arrival on Elcast stirs up old hatreds, exposes old lies, unravels old secrets and sets in motion a chain of events that will eventually change the world.
"Eye of the Labyrinth" - Published 2003
Kirsh, now married to Alenor, is discovering that the Queen's Guard is nothing like he imagined, and turns to Marqel for comfort, but his obsession could end up costing him his life. Marquel decides that she quite likes the luxurious life at court, and is determimined to do whatever is necessary to stay - including murder. The Lion of Senet has finally accepted that Dirk will not return to Avacas willingly, so, with the help of the High Priestess, he sets about driving him out into the open with a series of atrocities so dreadful that even Dirk cannot ignore them. Desperate to expose Antonov and Belagren's lies, Dirk and Tia travel to the ruins at Omaxin, in the hope of uncovering the truth about the Age of Shadows. But in Omaxin, Dirk will discover a truth he didn't bargain for and be forced to make a decision that will mark him forever as a traitor.
"Lord of the Shadows" - Published 2003
Marked as a traitor by his own people and distrusted by his new allies, Dirk Provin walks a dangerous tightrope of political intrigue as he tries to find a way to expose the truth about the second sun. In Dhevyn, hurt and angry over Kirsh's continuing affair with Marqel, Alenor embarks on a course of action that could ruin everything, and in the Baenlands, convinced Dirk has betrayed them, Tia Veran sets out to do something about it.
Jennifer Fallon - The Hythrun Chronicles
Overview:
Genre: Fantasy
Stars: 5 out of 5
Contains: mild sex
Author's Website: Jennifer Fallon
My thoughts: Honestly, this is Fallon's best series so far. A friend of mine said her writing just gets better and better, and with the release of this series, I definitely agree! Marla's son, Damin, is the Damin Wolfblade from the Demon Child trilogy (in case you hadn't worked that out) and Marla herself is a wonderful character, and truly an inspiration! I'm sure that she and Adrina will get along just fine... ;)
The Books:
"Wolfblade" - Published 2004
Marla Wolfblade, princess of Hythria, is determined to restore her family to its former power and glory. But Hythria is a fiercely patriarchal society, and Marla knows power may only be gained through a man. Narrowly avoiding an arranged marriage to the King of Fardohnya, she instead marries Laran, Warlord of Krakandar Province, and gives birth to a son. Damin is named heir to the throne of Hythria by his uncle, the dissolute High Prince. Settling in to life as the wife of a warlord, Marla believes the future of her family is secured but there are forces in the land that do not want the house of Wolfblade restored. Can Marla protect her son and her family, and stop the conspirators?
"Warrior" - Published 2005
Marla Wolfblade is effectively ruling Hythria in her brother's name, and ruling it well. The country is stable, there is peace and prosperity and even her nemesis, Alija Eaglespike, High Arrion of the Sorcerers' Collective, appears to have given up on her attempts to have her own husband elevated to the throne, but the surface calm belies the turmoil underneath. Marla has more immediate problems to deal with - she must decide who will be given the honour of fostering her son, Damin, arrange marriages for her stepchildren, and find something useful to do with her fractious and rebellious daughter, Kalan. The problems really start, however, when she brings into the family the orphaned daughter of her third husband, Luciena Mariner, who has secretly been primed by Alija Eaglespike to kill her son, Damin Wolfblade, the first chance she gets. Meanwhile, Brakandaran the Halfbreed arrives in Krakandar, demanding Wrayan Lightfinger help him rescue a child with magical ability from Fardohnya, in order to make up for a dreadful crime he has committed but which he refuses to discuss. And in Fardohnya, King Hablet waits for his opportunity to put an end to the Wolfblade line and will use anything, including all out war, to achieve his goal.
"Warlord" - Published 2004
Marla Wolfblade's world has been shattered by the death of both her beloved court'esa and her husband, but as she plans to take her revenge against Alija Eaglespike, the woman who forced Elezaar to betray her, a foolish deal she made years ago with the Assassins' Guild comes back to haunt her. Marla suddenly finds herself facing a new adversary in the dangerous and enigmatic assassin, Galon Miar, who may or may not be on her side. Meanwhile, Fardohnya is massing for an invasion of plague-ravaged Hythria and Damin Wolfblade must find a way to defeat the countless Fardohnyans with a much smaller army, his hands tied by tradition, politics and his foolish uncle, the High Prince of Hythria, who decides to lead the army to victory himself. Even if they survive the Fardohnyan invasion, back in Krakandar, Mahkas has sealed the city against his nephew's return and Starros wakes up to discover his soul has been sold to the God of Thieves to save his life. It will take another tragedy, even more heartbreaking than the death of his beloved Leila, and a theft on an unprecedented scale, before Krakandar will be free of Mahkas Damaran's insanity, and Damin Wolfblade can finally take his rightful place as Warlord.
Jennifer Fallon - The Tide Lords
Overview:
Genre: Fantasy
Stars: 3 out of 4
Contains: Unread
Author's Website: Jennifer Fallon
My thoughts: I was disappointed with "The Immortal Prince" - I'm not convinced that she'll be able to go anywhere unpredictable with the series; this book read like a set-up book and whilst she may surprise me (she does tend to get better as she goes on) I'm not currently too impressed.
The Books:
"The Immortal Prince" - Published 2007
When a routine hanging goes wrong and a murderer somehow survives the noose, the man announces he is an immortal. And not just any immortal, but Cayal, the Immortal Prince, hero of legend, thought to be only a fictional character, a figure out of the Tide Lord Tarot, the only record left on Amyrantha of the mythical beings whom the part-animal, part-human Crasii believe created their race.
Arkady Desean is an expert on the legends of the Crasii. At the request of her childhood friend, Declan Hawkes, the King's Spymaster, she is sent interrogate this would be immortal, hoping to prove he is a spy, or at the very least, a madman.
Set the task of proving Cayal a liar, Arkady's own web of lies, and that of her husband and the King's Spymaster will start to unravel. Nothing is really as it seems around Cayal, the Immortal Prince - the lies seem plausible, his stories improbable and truth more than any of them bargained for.
"The Gods of Amyrantha" - Published 2007
Arkady is in exile in Ramahn, the repressive Torlenian capital, where she makes some unexpected friends and some powerful enemies, all of whom seem bent on using her to wreak vengeance on each other.
Back in Glaeba, the King's Spymaster, Declan Hawkes, has recruited the canine Crasii, Warlock, to spy on the Tide Lords attempting to steal the Glaeban throne. Warlock, desperate to get back to his pregnant mate, is forced to witness an unthinkable crime.
But things are not going smoothly for Declan, either. The Empress of the Five Realms and her family have turned up in Caelum, and Jaxyn Aranville wants any opposition to his plans for the Glaeban throne out of the way. That includes fabricating charges against Arkady's husband, Stellan Desean, the Duke of Lebec, which are likely to bring her down, too.
And in the stark deserts of Torlenia, Cayal meets up with the enigmatic Tide Lord, Lukys, who convinces him he's found a way for the tormented immortal to die. All he has to do is convince some of the other Tide Lords to help him. But with eight thousand years behind him in which to make enemies, that's not going to be easy...
"Palace of Impossible Dreams" - Published 2008
Branded and sold into slavery in Senestra, Arkady holds out little hope of being rescued. In order to survive, she to turns her new owner, Dr Cydne Medura for help, but as she discovers the truth about him, she learns it may end up costing them both their lives.
Back in Glaeba, Jaxyn's plans for the crown hit a snag, when he realises the one man who can challenge him for the Glaeban throne, Stellan Desean, the former Duke of Lebec, has sought asylum in neighbouring Caelum. With the Empress of the Five Realms and Tide Lords, Tryan and Elyssa on his side, he may well succeed in bringing Jaxyn down.
Meanwhile, as Warlock fights to save his pups from Elyssa's twisted notions of kindness and the chameleon Crasii, Tiji, finds some unexpected friends, Declan Hawkes, struggling to come to terms with his shocking transformation, leaves Glaeba to look for Arkady.
His search will take him to the very ends of Amyrantha, from the steaming Senestran Wetlands to the frozen wastes of Jelidia and the Palace of Impossible Dreams. Along the way he will find a reluctant ally - Cayal, the Immortal Prince.
"The Chaos Crystal" - Published 2009
The Tide Lords have gathered in Jelidia and learn that in order for Cayal to die, they must open a rift to another world. Before they can do this, however, they must find the Chaos Crystal that brought them to this world.
As they set off in search of it, they head to Glaeba, where Arkady has been captured by Jaxyn. She escapes and flees to Caelum to find Stellan, where she runs into Warlock and his family and learns that Elyssa, Warlock's cruel immortal mistress, knows the location of the Chaos Crystal.
With every immortal on Amyrantha searching for the crystal, the stakes are very high. And when they find it and finally open the rift, only two questions remain... Will Cayal finally be able to die? And where will the rift take the survivors?