"The 3rd Tairen Soul installment is a suspenseful and mesmerizing read"
With her debut novel LORD OF THE FADING LANDS, C. L. Wilson
instantly established herself as a "must read" author. With
each successive book in this series the reader is drawn
deeper into Rain and Ellysetta's world. One cannot help but
immediately yearn for the next installment. The third and
latest, KING OF SWORD AND SKY is a suspenseful and
mesmerizing read to be savored slowly and carefully as its
complex plot unfolds. Rain is taking Ellysetta home to Fading Lands, where they
hope she can find the answer to save the tairen from
extinction. Ellysetta's father Sol and her younger sisters,
the twins Lillis and Lorelle travel with them, although they
will remain in Teleon at the edge of the Fading Lands as Sol
had promised his wife Lauriana before she died. Upon leaving her family behind to the protection of Kieran
and Kiel, Ellie, Rain and their company which includes the
former dahl'reisen, Gaelen vel Serranis, enter the Faering
Mists which admit only the worthy into the Fey kingdom. To
everyone's surprise Galen passes through quickly while Ellie
and Rain take so long that everyone begins to worry.
Ellysetta bears two mage marks, signs of domination by Vadim
Maur, High Mage of the Eld. Ellie and Rain
finally emerge but doubts have sprung up among some of the
more influential members of the Fey including several
members of the Massan (governing body) as to their fitness
to rule the Fading Lands. The tairen, however, have no
doubts and soon Ellie finds herself in Fey'Bahren where she
attempts to discover what is ailing the unborn tairen within
the five remaining eggs. Should they die, it would mean the
end of both the Tairen and Fey races. In this dire situation
some hope and joy is taken from the fact that for the first
time in centuries a Fey woman, the Shei'dalin Marissya, is
with child due to Ellysetta's wine and keflee induced carnal
weave, woven at the state dinner in Celieria. Ellie also
heals a huge number of rasa (Fey warriors on the brink of
losing their souls) who immediately swear allegiance to her. In the meantime Rain must prepare the Fey for war against
the Eld and as Gaelen had spent his years in exile fighting
on the Eld borders, Rain appoints him as chatok at the
academy to teach the warriors how to effectively fight
against the Mages. This further divides the loyalty of the
Fey, as many believe that honor once lost cannot be restored. Ellysetta soon discovers that the unborn tairen are
physically healthy but are dying nonetheless. They are being
attacked but she does not know why or by whom. All of her
research in the Fey library and each attempt to heal them
have proved futile. Another egg is taken. Her last hope is
to obtain the information she needs from the Tairen Eye, the
great Oracle that had sent Rain vel'En Daris, Tairen Soul
and Feyreisen of the Fading Lands on a quest to Celieria to
find her, their supposed savior. But the vision shown by the
Eye only serves to divide Rain's people further as a
mage-claimed Ellie is shown as the destructive force which
destroys them all.
There are those among the doubters who believe the
Marissya's conception had fulfilled Ellysetta's part in the
Eye's initial prophesy, but Ellie perseveres and when she
finally discovers what is ailing the unborn kitlings, shock
sends her back haring back to the Eye. But the answer it
provides will test the loyalty of their
people even further. The Eld are on the borders, war is
inevitable, Rain's kingdom is divided - Who will prevail?
Vadim Maur's scheme is beyond horrifying, however Ellysetta
is simply amazing! Although she has, as yet, been unable to
find her inner tairen or to bond wholly with Rain she is
strong and loyal and will stop at nothing to save the pride
and their fey kin whether she risks her own soul or breaks
every law in the land to do so, and she will stand be her
truemate's side come hell or high water. Will she be able to
fight the growing darkness inside her or will the Eye's
prophesy come to pass? Tune in as the saga continues with
QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS in June of 2009.
Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch
Posted November 11, 2008
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A Novel of the Fading Lands
**2008 PEARL NOMINEE - BEST SCIENCE FICTION OR FANTASY** **A PNR Staff Top Pick** Returning to the Fading Lands with his Celierian truemate, Rain discovers a dissension among the most powerful members of his own council. As the Eld plot their next deadly strike, Ellysetta struggles to master her powerful magic and discover how to save the tairen, while Rain confronts open challenge to his rule and prepares to lead the Fey army to war.
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