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Sylph #2
Falkenherz
Die junge Lizzy wird von skrupellosen Sklavenhändlern entführt und in das ferne Wüstenreich Meridal verschleppt. Dort soll sie in einem Harem den Kriegern des Landes dienen. Mit List und der Hilfe neuer Freunde gelingt es Lizzy anfangs, sowohl von den Kriegern als auch von den Wächterinnen des Harems unbehelligt zu bleiben – aber mit jedem Tag wird ihre Situation aussichtsloser. Sie weiß nicht, dass ihr Vater Leon und der Gestaltwandler Ril, ihre heimliche Liebe, bereits unterwegs sind, um sie zu retten. Doch bei ihrer Ankunft geraten die beiden Männer sofort in tödliche Gefahr – denn Meridals Krieger sind eine nahezu unaufhaltsame Macht, und sie haben ihre Augen und Ohren überall …
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2010
22 people are currently reading
599 people want to read
About the author
L.J. McDonald
13 books190 followers I first started writing in 1986, when my grade ten English teacher read some of my poetry and said that I had talent. I was so floored at the concept that I started writing short stories. My parents weren't quite so thrilled that I was doing something that took my away from my schoolwork, so I arranged to write a novel for two school credits, thereby turning writing into homework. Those two credits resulted in the creation of the novel Cure for the Phoenix, which I haven't read in over twenty years and which will likely not see the light of day. Even now I remember it as being quite clichéd, though my husband likes it.
I did make some attempts to get published over the years, and almost made it at one point, but other things were on my mind. To me, not submitting was easier than dealing with rejection slips, so I stopped trying. I did still keep on writing though. It's true that for writers, it's a compulsion. I just never considered the idea that anyone other than my husband would want to read any of it.
That changed when I picked up a book titled Moongazer by Marianne Mancusi. It had an ad in it for the Shomi Romantic Fantasy Novel Writing Contest, where the winner would get a guaranteed publishing contract in Canada and the United States. I mentioned it to my husband and he nagged me until I entered the first three chapters of The Battle Sylph in March of 2008. Sometime after that, I was wandering the Shomi site and found a link to a page detailing what features the judges were looking for. Other than my book being fantasy, I hadn't done a single thing on the list and figured I must have lost. My husband said, okay, wait for them to confirm that, then ship it out to the next company. You're not hiding for the next twenty years this time.
So, time passed, and the contest closed. The day after the winner was chosen, I was emailed by someone at Shomi who did confirm that, yes, I'd lost the contest, but the head Editor liked my three chapters so much he wanted to see the rest of the book. So I had a minor heart attack and sent it in. I then heard nothing until November 2008, when I was contacted by Chris Keeslar, Senior Editor for Dorchester Publishing, asking if the book was still available. I said yes, as were the four sequels. A week later, he bought the first three books in the series and I had another near heart attack. I also decided I needed an agent.
It's a lot easier to find an agent when you submit emails with subject lines that read "I have a guaranteed publishing contract for three novels - need an agent". Within a month, I'd signed with Michelle Grajkowski with the Three Seas Literary Agency, and the rest, hopefully, will be happy history for everyone.
I did make some attempts to get published over the years, and almost made it at one point, but other things were on my mind. To me, not submitting was easier than dealing with rejection slips, so I stopped trying. I did still keep on writing though. It's true that for writers, it's a compulsion. I just never considered the idea that anyone other than my husband would want to read any of it.
That changed when I picked up a book titled Moongazer by Marianne Mancusi. It had an ad in it for the Shomi Romantic Fantasy Novel Writing Contest, where the winner would get a guaranteed publishing contract in Canada and the United States. I mentioned it to my husband and he nagged me until I entered the first three chapters of The Battle Sylph in March of 2008. Sometime after that, I was wandering the Shomi site and found a link to a page detailing what features the judges were looking for. Other than my book being fantasy, I hadn't done a single thing on the list and figured I must have lost. My husband said, okay, wait for them to confirm that, then ship it out to the next company. You're not hiding for the next twenty years this time.
So, time passed, and the contest closed. The day after the winner was chosen, I was emailed by someone at Shomi who did confirm that, yes, I'd lost the contest, but the head Editor liked my three chapters so much he wanted to see the rest of the book. So I had a minor heart attack and sent it in. I then heard nothing until November 2008, when I was contacted by Chris Keeslar, Senior Editor for Dorchester Publishing, asking if the book was still available. I said yes, as were the four sequels. A week later, he bought the first three books in the series and I had another near heart attack. I also decided I needed an agent.
It's a lot easier to find an agent when you submit emails with subject lines that read "I have a guaranteed publishing contract for three novels - need an agent". Within a month, I'd signed with Michelle Grajkowski with the Three Seas Literary Agency, and the rest, hopefully, will be happy history for everyone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
March 31, 2012
Mentioned at Badass Hidden Gems..
http://badassbookreviews.com/badass-h...
Not often can I fall in love with a second in a series book and like it more than the first in the series but that is what happened here (and the 1st book was a 5 star, that makes this technically a 6 star?). The book was so good, I missed dinner with the family, read it straight through the night. The book has everything and I can't wait for book #3. I highly recommend reading book #1 (The Battle Sylph) before reading this book and then prepare to spend every minute totally swept up in the story.
http://badassbookreviews.com/badass-h...
Not often can I fall in love with a second in a series book and like it more than the first in the series but that is what happened here (and the 1st book was a 5 star, that makes this technically a 6 star?). The book was so good, I missed dinner with the family, read it straight through the night. The book has everything and I can't wait for book #3. I highly recommend reading book #1 (The Battle Sylph) before reading this book and then prepare to spend every minute totally swept up in the story.
August 18, 2011
The more I read of this series, the more I like it.
Six years have passed since the events of The Battle Sylph, but the transition feels seamless. Solie is still queen of what is now known as Sylph Valley. Heyou (**cringe**) is still at her side. Lizzie, Leon's daughter, is now 18 years-old. She is still in love with Ril, her father's battle sylph. But he closed himself off to her emotionally after he was injured at the end of the last book. And she believes he has no feelings for her beyond friendship.
Of course, she's wrong. Completely, utterly, wonderfully wrong. When Lizzie is kidnapped by slavers, Ril joins her father and Justin (a young suitor of hers) on a mission to find her. Ril is the only one who can track her, because years ago, he imprinted himself on her in secret. He made her his master out of his love for her.
The slavers put Lizzie in a harem for battle sylphs who need an outlet. But when none of them wants her, she discovers that it is because they see her as mated to Ril. And when the two of them are reunited, it's just spectacular.
The world-building in this series is just enthralling. The sex and sexual tension are awesome, but the book is also wonderfully romantic. There is plenty of action, great secondary characters, and impressive continuity. Ril is a fantastic tortured hero... and I have such a weak spot for those (especially when they're done right.) My only niggling complaints are the same ones I had for the last book... dumb names for the sylphs and the youth of the heroines. Even aging Lizzie six years, leaves her only at 18. These are not YA books... would it kill the author to make the girls 20 or 21?
Again, these complaints are small ones. I really, really enjoyed this book --and I love this series. Almost 5 stars.
Six years have passed since the events of The Battle Sylph, but the transition feels seamless. Solie is still queen of what is now known as Sylph Valley. Heyou (**cringe**) is still at her side. Lizzie, Leon's daughter, is now 18 years-old. She is still in love with Ril, her father's battle sylph. But he closed himself off to her emotionally after he was injured at the end of the last book. And she believes he has no feelings for her beyond friendship.
Of course, she's wrong. Completely, utterly, wonderfully wrong. When Lizzie is kidnapped by slavers, Ril joins her father and Justin (a young suitor of hers) on a mission to find her. Ril is the only one who can track her, because years ago, he imprinted himself on her in secret. He made her his master out of his love for her.
The slavers put Lizzie in a harem for battle sylphs who need an outlet. But when none of them wants her, she discovers that it is because they see her as mated to Ril. And when the two of them are reunited, it's just spectacular.
The world-building in this series is just enthralling. The sex and sexual tension are awesome, but the book is also wonderfully romantic. There is plenty of action, great secondary characters, and impressive continuity. Ril is a fantastic tortured hero... and I have such a weak spot for those (especially when they're done right.) My only niggling complaints are the same ones I had for the last book... dumb names for the sylphs and the youth of the heroines. Even aging Lizzie six years, leaves her only at 18. These are not YA books... would it kill the author to make the girls 20 or 21?
Again, these complaints are small ones. I really, really enjoyed this book --and I love this series. Almost 5 stars.
October 22, 2010
EXCELENT READ! ENTERTAINING! FUNNY!
This series was brilliantly written. The Fantasy, the romance, the paranormal, it has it all and it is astounding. Another fast turning page read that you can’t put down.
In the first book The Battle Sylph, Leon and his battle sylph Ril were a major part of the story. We know that both are great warriors and assets to the queen and are very loyal.
In this story, six years later after the Sylph Valley is created, Leons daughter "Lizzy" who is now 18 and is dying to get out of the whelms of her parents rule and find her true love. Lizzy has one boy "Justin" who has an interest in her, a boy whom she once pecked kissed when she was 16 and of course a man she was interested in "Ril" who majorly kissed her that same night when she was 16. Lizzy just wanted to get away and figure things out and decide what she wanted in life.
Little did Lizzy know how her life would change? Lizzy and two other female friends take off to a city beyond the mountains to explore unguided that is until Justin shows up. Her friend Loren (tramp in heat) started flirting with some pirates on a doc and next thing they know all chaos breaks out and they end up kidnapping Lizzy. Justin doesn't even try to save her, he runs off instead like a cowed down dog with his tail tucked between his legs.
Mean while, Leon and Ril are on their own mission in another city stopping them from bringing other sylphs over or interfering before the intended master tries to kill the female sacrifice. Of course as it goes, Leon and Ril end up killing the entire priest and rescuing the girl and the new sylph. Little did they know they were heading into another adventure to rescue Lizzy when they got home?
Leon, Ril, and Justin end up on a journey of a life time to rescue Lizzy, the story is amazing. All the characters are amazing but my favorite is Leon. He is such a hero and an honorable man that keeps his promises. It is going to be interesting to see where the 3rd book takes off.
This series was brilliantly written. The Fantasy, the romance, the paranormal, it has it all and it is astounding. Another fast turning page read that you can’t put down.
In the first book The Battle Sylph, Leon and his battle sylph Ril were a major part of the story. We know that both are great warriors and assets to the queen and are very loyal.
In this story, six years later after the Sylph Valley is created, Leons daughter "Lizzy" who is now 18 and is dying to get out of the whelms of her parents rule and find her true love. Lizzy has one boy "Justin" who has an interest in her, a boy whom she once pecked kissed when she was 16 and of course a man she was interested in "Ril" who majorly kissed her that same night when she was 16. Lizzy just wanted to get away and figure things out and decide what she wanted in life.
Little did Lizzy know how her life would change? Lizzy and two other female friends take off to a city beyond the mountains to explore unguided that is until Justin shows up. Her friend Loren (tramp in heat) started flirting with some pirates on a doc and next thing they know all chaos breaks out and they end up kidnapping Lizzy. Justin doesn't even try to save her, he runs off instead like a cowed down dog with his tail tucked between his legs.
Mean while, Leon and Ril are on their own mission in another city stopping them from bringing other sylphs over or interfering before the intended master tries to kill the female sacrifice. Of course as it goes, Leon and Ril end up killing the entire priest and rescuing the girl and the new sylph. Little did they know they were heading into another adventure to rescue Lizzy when they got home?
Leon, Ril, and Justin end up on a journey of a life time to rescue Lizzy, the story is amazing. All the characters are amazing but my favorite is Leon. He is such a hero and an honorable man that keeps his promises. It is going to be interesting to see where the 3rd book takes off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2011
~* 4.5 Stars *~
Happily Addicted to Sylphs
It was meant to be nothing more than a small taste of freedom, a tiny rebellion against overprotective guardians, and a chance for a girl on the cusp of womanhood to stretch her wings a little. Eighteen-year-old Lizzy Petrule and her friend Loren slipped away from the group who traveled to Para Dubh from their home in Sylph Valley and headed to the docks. They wanted to see the ocean. Lizzy was unaware of the danger, of the nature of some of the people who do business at the waterfront of the much larger, harsher kingdom. Loren's water sylph Shore whisked Loren away from the large, scary man she'd been flirting with moments before he lunged for them both. Lizzy, not having a sylph, wasn't so lucky.
When Leon Petrule and the battle sylph Ril returned from the queen's mission, Solie pulled Leon aside to break the news that his daughter had been taken by slavers from a distant kingdom. The battle sylphs she had sent out to find Lizzy had come back with a bit of information on the kidnapper's likely destination, but empty-handed. Heartbroken and with little hope on how to find her, Leon returns to his family to mourn.
Sensing his master's misery, Ril races to the family's side, and when he finds out Lizzy has been taken, he digs down deep, to the proof of a secret he's held close to his heart for years. He's loved Lizzy since he watched her being born. She saved him from the madness of seeing his master kill the woman he'd come through the gateway to claim and since then he's waited for her to grow, to mature. He'd wanted her to be his queen, but Solie ascended instead. He nearly killed himself making Lizzy his master.
And he can find her.
Leon, Ril, and a young man named Justin travel south to the edge of the world, to a kingdom of unimaginable size and power, with thousands of sylph, several hundreds of which are the deadly battle sylphs. They go to find Lizzy and bring her home. They go because they love her. They go...and what they find, what they experience, what they risk, and what they lose will change their lives forever.
~*~
I have a confession to make. I'm an addict. It's horrible, I know, but it's true. I can't get enough. I'm completely hooked on battle sylphs. It's not an easy addiction to have, either, as you get the oddest looks when you finally do the responsible thing and try seek help. No one seems to understand quite what you're talking about and people start whispering to each other and pointing at you when they read the little questionnaire thingie you filled out at the doctor's office. Can't imagine why. And hello...rude!
Alas, I fear I'm doomed to the ravening madness of utter fangirlness. I, of course, blame my sylph dealer, L.J. McDonald. It's all her fault. How dare she create this unique, breathlessly original world and populate it so deftly with these amazing, tortured creatures who would do anything for the love of a woman? How could she be so callous to her innocent readers by spinning such dastardly epic tales of slavery, hatred, fear, and murder, of the battle against tyranny and oppression, and the equality of women in a society that views them as chattel? Does she have no conscience? That much awesome storytelling just isn't legal!
This particular kick-ass, gut-wrenching book prominently featured the two most intriguing characters from the first book among its ensemble cast. Adviser and enforcer for the queen, Leon Petrule and his battle sylph Ril, the broken warrior, have a relationship defined by a complex mix of conflicting emotions. Their master/battler history is brutal and tragic, and even six years after Leon's awakening to the true nature of the battle sylph and his understanding of what he did to the battler he loves, their relationship is still a quagmire of cautious partnership and long-remembered pain. For me, it's the most brilliant aspect of both books so far.
That doesn't mean I didn't love the storyline of this book, of course. It started out with some genuinely humorous moments, and became more and more serious as the book progressed, and I found myself utterly captivated by what I was reading. By the time Leon, Ril, and Justin got to Meridal you couldn't have pried my Kindle from my hand with a crowbar, and you would've been wise to watch your back had you even tried.
McDonald has an impressive ability to make irredeemable actions somehow forgivable, and irredeemable characters ultimately lovable. Lest we forget, the reason Leon Petrule, one heck of a protagonist, has a battle sylph at all is because he brutally, if expediently, slaughtered a young woman years ago. To say his past is checkered is oversimplifying to the nth degree. He so deeply regrets his actions, and feels such remorse over not only what he did to the girl, but the effect it had on Ril, that he remains sympathetic. With even the tiniest miss in his character development, his past atrocity would have been an ultimate deal breaker for me. It's testament to McDonald's mad skills that it is not.
Not every single aspect of the world and this book was quite as rosy. While I wasn't nearly as put off by Lizzy as I was by Solie in the first book, she still wasn't my favorite character, and I'm still not fond of how young the lead female characters have been in this series. Lizzy's immaturity, naivety, and ignorance, and the brutal consequences of all three, frustrated me not because it wasn't well written, but because I flat out don't like damsels in distress. I thought her character functioned better as a symbol than an actual person in this book, though I can't help but be thrilled for her and Ril.
As in the first book, my pleasure with the ensemble cast and my love for the storyline far outweighs my minor grievances. Eapha and Tooie were fantastic, and the paired up group of battle sylph and their loves among the concubines was a delight in both character and story. And I just can't say enough about Leon and Ril, though I thought Justin was a toss. His involvement occasionally seemed contrived and heavy-handed. I missed the characters I became so fond of in the previous book who weren't included, or were included in this book only briefly, but the strength of the story and the new characters thoroughly entertained.
I'm hooked on this series. Completely, irrevocably hooked. I'd caution readers about one thing, though. This series is considered by some to be fantasy romance. I can understand why, but I disagree. Yes, there was a relationship between Solie and Heyou in the first book, and yes, there is one between Lizzy and Ril in this one, but while the development and evolution of those two relationships may be the driving force behind the story that's written in each case, the actual forming and evolution of those relationships are strictly ancillary plot threads that remain on the fringes of a layered plot full of action and suspense. If you go in expecting or wanting a more traditional romance arc, you could be disappointed. For my personal tastes, it's a plus, because like I said, both Solie and Lizzy were very young in age and in action, and seemed closer to little girls than grown women - so much so in parts that I had to force myself not to think about their age. Having a major romance plotline with them in the lead roles wouldn't have appealed to me.
This book, on the other hand, did appeal to me. It gave me the perfect hit of sylph love. For an addict such as myself, we live for those hits. The good news is that the next opportunity to satisfy my addiction will be out in a few weeks, with the third book in the series, Queen of the Sylphs set to release mid-September in paperback (according to Amazon.com) and late September for the Kindle (according to the publisher). The best news is I have an ARC of QotS that was provided to me courtesy of Dorchester Publishing and NetGalley.
Just...um...ignore my girly squeal and shimmy of pleasure.
I am resolute in my determination not to cave to the sylph withdrawal, however, and to hold off reading and reviewing QotS until closer to the release date. Who knows how long it'll take to get my next fix after what I'm sure will be QotS delight? I must manage my battle sylph addiction! I can do this. I'm strong willed! I will not give in!!
*Glances at her Kindle, pursing her lips and muttering under her breath*
I'm gonna fold like wet cardboard.
~*~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Happily Addicted to Sylphs
It was meant to be nothing more than a small taste of freedom, a tiny rebellion against overprotective guardians, and a chance for a girl on the cusp of womanhood to stretch her wings a little. Eighteen-year-old Lizzy Petrule and her friend Loren slipped away from the group who traveled to Para Dubh from their home in Sylph Valley and headed to the docks. They wanted to see the ocean. Lizzy was unaware of the danger, of the nature of some of the people who do business at the waterfront of the much larger, harsher kingdom. Loren's water sylph Shore whisked Loren away from the large, scary man she'd been flirting with moments before he lunged for them both. Lizzy, not having a sylph, wasn't so lucky.
When Leon Petrule and the battle sylph Ril returned from the queen's mission, Solie pulled Leon aside to break the news that his daughter had been taken by slavers from a distant kingdom. The battle sylphs she had sent out to find Lizzy had come back with a bit of information on the kidnapper's likely destination, but empty-handed. Heartbroken and with little hope on how to find her, Leon returns to his family to mourn.
Sensing his master's misery, Ril races to the family's side, and when he finds out Lizzy has been taken, he digs down deep, to the proof of a secret he's held close to his heart for years. He's loved Lizzy since he watched her being born. She saved him from the madness of seeing his master kill the woman he'd come through the gateway to claim and since then he's waited for her to grow, to mature. He'd wanted her to be his queen, but Solie ascended instead. He nearly killed himself making Lizzy his master.
And he can find her.
Leon, Ril, and a young man named Justin travel south to the edge of the world, to a kingdom of unimaginable size and power, with thousands of sylph, several hundreds of which are the deadly battle sylphs. They go to find Lizzy and bring her home. They go because they love her. They go...and what they find, what they experience, what they risk, and what they lose will change their lives forever.
~*~
I have a confession to make. I'm an addict. It's horrible, I know, but it's true. I can't get enough. I'm completely hooked on battle sylphs. It's not an easy addiction to have, either, as you get the oddest looks when you finally do the responsible thing and try seek help. No one seems to understand quite what you're talking about and people start whispering to each other and pointing at you when they read the little questionnaire thingie you filled out at the doctor's office. Can't imagine why. And hello...rude!
Alas, I fear I'm doomed to the ravening madness of utter fangirlness. I, of course, blame my sylph dealer, L.J. McDonald. It's all her fault. How dare she create this unique, breathlessly original world and populate it so deftly with these amazing, tortured creatures who would do anything for the love of a woman? How could she be so callous to her innocent readers by spinning such dastardly epic tales of slavery, hatred, fear, and murder, of the battle against tyranny and oppression, and the equality of women in a society that views them as chattel? Does she have no conscience? That much awesome storytelling just isn't legal!
This particular kick-ass, gut-wrenching book prominently featured the two most intriguing characters from the first book among its ensemble cast. Adviser and enforcer for the queen, Leon Petrule and his battle sylph Ril, the broken warrior, have a relationship defined by a complex mix of conflicting emotions. Their master/battler history is brutal and tragic, and even six years after Leon's awakening to the true nature of the battle sylph and his understanding of what he did to the battler he loves, their relationship is still a quagmire of cautious partnership and long-remembered pain. For me, it's the most brilliant aspect of both books so far.
That doesn't mean I didn't love the storyline of this book, of course. It started out with some genuinely humorous moments, and became more and more serious as the book progressed, and I found myself utterly captivated by what I was reading. By the time Leon, Ril, and Justin got to Meridal you couldn't have pried my Kindle from my hand with a crowbar, and you would've been wise to watch your back had you even tried.
McDonald has an impressive ability to make irredeemable actions somehow forgivable, and irredeemable characters ultimately lovable. Lest we forget, the reason Leon Petrule, one heck of a protagonist, has a battle sylph at all is because he brutally, if expediently, slaughtered a young woman years ago. To say his past is checkered is oversimplifying to the nth degree. He so deeply regrets his actions, and feels such remorse over not only what he did to the girl, but the effect it had on Ril, that he remains sympathetic. With even the tiniest miss in his character development, his past atrocity would have been an ultimate deal breaker for me. It's testament to McDonald's mad skills that it is not.
Not every single aspect of the world and this book was quite as rosy. While I wasn't nearly as put off by Lizzy as I was by Solie in the first book, she still wasn't my favorite character, and I'm still not fond of how young the lead female characters have been in this series. Lizzy's immaturity, naivety, and ignorance, and the brutal consequences of all three, frustrated me not because it wasn't well written, but because I flat out don't like damsels in distress. I thought her character functioned better as a symbol than an actual person in this book, though I can't help but be thrilled for her and Ril.
As in the first book, my pleasure with the ensemble cast and my love for the storyline far outweighs my minor grievances. Eapha and Tooie were fantastic, and the paired up group of battle sylph and their loves among the concubines was a delight in both character and story. And I just can't say enough about Leon and Ril, though I thought Justin was a toss. His involvement occasionally seemed contrived and heavy-handed. I missed the characters I became so fond of in the previous book who weren't included, or were included in this book only briefly, but the strength of the story and the new characters thoroughly entertained.
I'm hooked on this series. Completely, irrevocably hooked. I'd caution readers about one thing, though. This series is considered by some to be fantasy romance. I can understand why, but I disagree. Yes, there was a relationship between Solie and Heyou in the first book, and yes, there is one between Lizzy and Ril in this one, but while the development and evolution of those two relationships may be the driving force behind the story that's written in each case, the actual forming and evolution of those relationships are strictly ancillary plot threads that remain on the fringes of a layered plot full of action and suspense. If you go in expecting or wanting a more traditional romance arc, you could be disappointed. For my personal tastes, it's a plus, because like I said, both Solie and Lizzy were very young in age and in action, and seemed closer to little girls than grown women - so much so in parts that I had to force myself not to think about their age. Having a major romance plotline with them in the lead roles wouldn't have appealed to me.
This book, on the other hand, did appeal to me. It gave me the perfect hit of sylph love. For an addict such as myself, we live for those hits. The good news is that the next opportunity to satisfy my addiction will be out in a few weeks, with the third book in the series, Queen of the Sylphs set to release mid-September in paperback (according to Amazon.com) and late September for the Kindle (according to the publisher). The best news is I have an ARC of QotS that was provided to me courtesy of Dorchester Publishing and NetGalley.
Just...um...ignore my girly squeal and shimmy of pleasure.
I am resolute in my determination not to cave to the sylph withdrawal, however, and to hold off reading and reviewing QotS until closer to the release date. Who knows how long it'll take to get my next fix after what I'm sure will be QotS delight? I must manage my battle sylph addiction! I can do this. I'm strong willed! I will not give in!!
*Glances at her Kindle, pursing her lips and muttering under her breath*
I'm gonna fold like wet cardboard.
~*~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
July 27, 2010
this book is the second of the serie
. The first one I classify as YA, this one no! There is no teenager story here... and the things get ugly!So, after The Battle Sylph (Solie and Heyou love story) The Shattered Sylph will tell the Ril and Lizzi sweet story.
Ril is the complete oppose of Heyou... but there is a motive... while Heyou was a funny and young Battle Sylph, Ril suffer a lot being Leon Battle Sylph slave. So he can't be as Heyou... and he isn't!
In two words Ril is a tormented hero. Annnnnd... I LOVE IT!
All Battle Sylph are enthusiastic lovers, and don't think twice if a woman want to sleep with them. Ril? No, never! Don't sleep with womans and don't has a lover... why? He is a tormented hero!
You will see on the first book that he is in love (deeply in love, that's why he don't want a lover). Do you think that when Lizzi became a woman, as on this book, he would say in her face "Yo, baby! You, yeah you! I love you, let's get naked and go to bed now!" . No... he never tell her how much he love her, and obviously suffer.. a lot! Why? He is a tormented hero!
All Battle Sylphs has huge powers, being able to change shape, send a blast of energy, fly, kill anyone in seconds... and Ril? No... he can do little or nothing after his injures (the last battle of the first book). Why this happen to him? Simple, because he is a tormented hero!
Another thing. This book is violent...
not something that your reaction is:
but more like:
But, maybe you forgot that Ril is a tormented hero, so yeah... when he get angry he spill blood (and guts, brain, bones etc etc...). After reading some parts I saw that he should be called Blood Sylph, not Battle Sylph... but, what the hell! The guy was formidable!
5 stars... and the thing I love most on this book?
Ril is a tormented hero!
August 13, 2010
Ahh I had the most epic review written and my bloody computer decided that NOW was the time to shut down for an automatic update! *grumbles*
*ahem*
Anyway.
The second installment in this series (the first being The Battle Sylph), Shattered Sylph picks up four years after we left off...
I do love me a tortured hero, and let me tell you, Ril is tortured in spades.. He was drawn to this world under the pretext of finding a queen (mate) only to be forced to witness her brutal murder and was subsequently forced into slavery for several years. He only managed to escape madness by falling in love with Lizzy when he watched her being born (now now people, settle down, it's not squicky, I promise!) He always wanted to take her as his queen and lover (not always the same thing mind you) as soon as she was old enough (and, er, after he'd hopefully by then killed her father, who is the man who murdered his queen and was therefore bound to)..
Wellll as you may have figured out by reading the first book, things didn't quite work out that way (hence the spoiler warning lol) -- he was bonded to a different queen, and was able to taste freedom for only a short time before being horribly injured in the epic battle at the end of Battle Sylph, which left him broken, weakened, and unable to change forms or fight without great pain.. This makes him pretty much useless as a battle sylph since it's their purpose in life to, er, battle..
So anyway, physically weakened and feeling generally worthless, he of course doesn't feel he's worthy of Lizzy and backs off from her (disregarding her own feelings on the subject of course)..
Then lo and behold, Lizzy gets herself kidnapped by slavers who wisk her off halfway around the world and sell her into a harem for a buttload of other (enemy) battle sylphs (whom I can't help but picture in my head as some of the creatures from Monsters, Inc., thanks to the fact that my children insist on watching that movie every. single. day. But I digress).
Soooo it's up to Ril, Leon (his "master" to whom he's still bonded since bonding is for life, but has rescinded all orders and set him as free as is possible with a sylph), and this stupid punk kid Justin who's got the hots for Lizzy to go rescue her.
Some readers have complained that what happens to Lizzy is completely unbelievable, in that she manages to escape the worst of what could have potentially happened to her. I say this is Romancelandia and I for one have no problem with setting aside my disbelief and allowing this type of thing... If I wanted to read a story where my heroes and heroines were unable to escape horrific and/or irreversible damage, I'd read a non-fiction story or some chick-lit. As it is, I was glad that things worked out as they did.
My one true regret from this novel was that 89 had to be destroyed. I don't think I've ever, in the history of reading novels, felt so much compassion for a villain -- a rapist and murderer especially! My heart just broke though from the very short glimpse into his mind and reasoning, and I really wish that he'd been somehow incapacitated or whatever and given the chance to bond in the end with the new Queen and maybe have a chance at redemption. I understand why that couldn't happen (and really, the poor guy was crazy as a soup sandwich so it was probably an act of mercy in the end to kill him off), but I'm such a sucker for a tortured hero that I think he was redeemable.
Anyway.
As with the first book in the series, I say any fan of The Princess Bride or Stardust would thoroughly enjoy these novels.
Uber-Solid 5 Stars (and I can't wait for the next one in November)
*ahem*
Anyway.
The second installment in this series (the first being The Battle Sylph), Shattered Sylph picks up four years after we left off...
I do love me a tortured hero, and let me tell you, Ril is tortured in spades.. He was drawn to this world under the pretext of finding a queen (mate) only to be forced to witness her brutal murder and was subsequently forced into slavery for several years. He only managed to escape madness by falling in love with Lizzy when he watched her being born (now now people, settle down, it's not squicky, I promise!) He always wanted to take her as his queen and lover (not always the same thing mind you) as soon as she was old enough (and, er, after he'd hopefully by then killed her father, who is the man who murdered his queen and was therefore bound to)..
Wellll as you may have figured out by reading the first book, things didn't quite work out that way (hence the spoiler warning lol) -- he was bonded to a different queen, and was able to taste freedom for only a short time before being horribly injured in the epic battle at the end of Battle Sylph, which left him broken, weakened, and unable to change forms or fight without great pain.. This makes him pretty much useless as a battle sylph since it's their purpose in life to, er, battle..
So anyway, physically weakened and feeling generally worthless, he of course doesn't feel he's worthy of Lizzy and backs off from her (disregarding her own feelings on the subject of course)..
Then lo and behold, Lizzy gets herself kidnapped by slavers who wisk her off halfway around the world and sell her into a harem for a buttload of other (enemy) battle sylphs (whom I can't help but picture in my head as some of the creatures from Monsters, Inc., thanks to the fact that my children insist on watching that movie every. single. day. But I digress).
Soooo it's up to Ril, Leon (his "master" to whom he's still bonded since bonding is for life, but has rescinded all orders and set him as free as is possible with a sylph), and this stupid punk kid Justin who's got the hots for Lizzy to go rescue her.
Some readers have complained that what happens to Lizzy is completely unbelievable, in that she manages to escape the worst of what could have potentially happened to her. I say this is Romancelandia and I for one have no problem with setting aside my disbelief and allowing this type of thing... If I wanted to read a story where my heroes and heroines were unable to escape horrific and/or irreversible damage, I'd read a non-fiction story or some chick-lit. As it is, I was glad that things worked out as they did.
My one true regret from this novel was that 89 had to be destroyed. I don't think I've ever, in the history of reading novels, felt so much compassion for a villain -- a rapist and murderer especially! My heart just broke though from the very short glimpse into his mind and reasoning, and I really wish that he'd been somehow incapacitated or whatever and given the chance to bond in the end with the new Queen and maybe have a chance at redemption. I understand why that couldn't happen (and really, the poor guy was crazy as a soup sandwich so it was probably an act of mercy in the end to kill him off), but I'm such a sucker for a tortured hero that I think he was redeemable.
Anyway.
As with the first book in the series, I say any fan of The Princess Bride or Stardust would thoroughly enjoy these novels.
Uber-Solid 5 Stars (and I can't wait for the next one in November)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2011
Ril’s first memory of this world was seeing the man known to him as Master and later as Leon. kill his adolescent queen before his very eyes. As a Battle Sylph bound to a human, he was compelled to obey Leon's every command. For many years Ril was bound to the form of a large red tailed hawk, unable to speak or walk as a man. He hated Leon with an unholy fury, but Ril held no animosity towards females. Hearing Leon’s wife cry out in pain, Ril rushed to her side. It was this night that Ril met Lizzy, Leon’s oldest daughter. At the moment of her birth, Ril knew she was his. Injured in a battle, Ril is permanently crippled and now has pulled away from Lizzie, who is now blossoming into a mature woman. Hurt and angered by Ril’s distance, Lizzy becomes closer to Justin, who intends to wed Lizzie. When Lizzie is abducted by pirates and sold as a harem slave, Leon and Ril must mend their differences and come together to find a daughter and a mate.
I read this book immediately after The Battle Sylph, so Ril’s devastating injuries were still fresh in my mind, as was his enduring love of Lizzie. I will admit that Ril was one of my favorite battlers. He was the most damaged of the three I became attached to in the first book. This book is several years in the future and their sylph valley is growing and starting to realize it’s potential. There are still many, many roadblocks, and more than enough enemies. The majority of the story takes place in a foreign land. Forcing the men looking for Lizzie into close quarters at times. There are a lot of attitude adjustments and forgiveness needed before things can be made right.
There are a ton of new elements added to the series both in the valley and abroad. It kept me turning the pages even though I was desperately in need of sleep. This author has the ability to keep you glued to the pages to the detriment of even your health. This series is JUST that compelling. I was swigging expresso and Red Bulls with ibuprofen just to keep my eyes open. I had to make sure Ril would be OK. I was that heavily invested. I truly did not believe the first book could be improved upon. It was. This book was a more intense but easier read because I knew so many of the players and where they had been. I defy you to read these books and not be effected. It is not a possibility.
April 23, 2010
Shattered Sylph continues the story after Battle Sylph. It's six years later and Sylph Valley has come into its own, but the titled character Ril is still crippled and while still more than human, he's nowhere near a match for the other Sylphs. The story is shared among the leads Ril, Lizzy and Lizzy's father Leon after Lizzy is kidnapped and enslaved in a foreign land. When it seems that there is no way to find out where Lizzy's been taken, Ril uses a hidden bond between them to track her and Ril and Lizzy's father (and Ril's master) Leon set off to rescue Lizzy.
I liked Shattered Slyph so much better than McDonald's first slyph book - which was fine but which I didn't like as most reviewers - though I think the reason that I liked this one so much may have been that Battle Slyph did a really good job of establishing McDonald's world and establishing characters who carried over to this book. I loved the leads (Lizzy, Ril and Leon), and the romance and characters had a lot more depth than the starring pair in the first book.
I also found the land of Lizzy's imprisonment here to be quite interesting, it is heavily Sylph centric and the slavers have their mastery of the Slyph down to a cruel art - but fortunately even though the enslavers have refined the commands that the Sylph's are bound to obey over the centuries our hero sylph and master are smart enough to find a wee bit of wiggle room and once that's found the final resolution was quite satisfying.
I liked Shattered Slyph so much better than McDonald's first slyph book - which was fine but which I didn't like as most reviewers - though I think the reason that I liked this one so much may have been that Battle Slyph did a really good job of establishing McDonald's world and establishing characters who carried over to this book. I loved the leads (Lizzy, Ril and Leon), and the romance and characters had a lot more depth than the starring pair in the first book.
I also found the land of Lizzy's imprisonment here to be quite interesting, it is heavily Sylph centric and the slavers have their mastery of the Slyph down to a cruel art - but fortunately even though the enslavers have refined the commands that the Sylph's are bound to obey over the centuries our hero sylph and master are smart enough to find a wee bit of wiggle room and once that's found the final resolution was quite satisfying.
October 25, 2019
4.5*
Ah, the world of sylphs.
The Shattered Sylph brings us back to characters we got to know in The Battle Sylph only this takes places 6 years later and little Lizzy is now 18 and also the FL of the book. While Ril takes the ML's place and Leon is their main support character...kinda.
Basically, while we did get small parts with my dear Solie & Heyou and also Mace, the book featured Lizzy, Ril & Leon as leads.
So if one has not read The Battle Sylph, I think it's actually possible to read The Shattered Sylph as a stand-alone 'cuz biggest plot points are mentioned so you'd know what goes on.
But of course, I'd say one MUST read #1 before #2, not just because of the chronological order or being familiar with events/people...but simply because #1 is a damn fabulous book! I LOVE it!
The Shattered Sylph
* It also has the same charm & appeal as the first book
* It also has the same fantastic world and setting which gets expanded and is just as amazing (even if not glamorous at all, but dark, but then again... The Battle Sylph was no walk in the park either, so all's as it should be)
*One of the differences between the books is that The Shattered Sylph was not as abundant with it's characters - was more focused on the 3 leads, but then again...the plot here has a more narrow storyline, not as broad and in need of the introductory part as #1 had to do...so - makes sense
* Another difference is that the feel of the book was also with less of the delightful elements that #1 had and more...mature, but again...the characters here are different, so it's only obvious they would be different and gives us different emotions/impressions. Moreover, their stories are different.(so may different's XD
Heyou & Solie were the youth & delight of The Battle Sylph, whereas Lizzy & Ril both have gone/are going through the darker part of their journey and so they really don't have the time/opportunity for any giddiness, besides - Ril is older and Lizzy being abducted to aorgy/rape "pleasure" harem...yeah, makes sense The Shattered Sylph is more adult/mature/serious in it's feel.
The Shattered Sylph
It has the excitement of a captivating and unique world setting along with a great plot and it's masterful wording.
It has all the appeal of the sylph world we got to know and presents to us a different side of it.
Lizzy & Ril's story is one we wanted and one we got.
Also, kudos to L.J. McDonald for not doing what feels like majority of nowadayslessthanstellar authors definitely would have done just to have everything play out happily to please the readers (or smt like that).
Nuh-uh, life is not 100% happiness and neither are book endings.
Now, not that it wouldn't have been nice...but...in my eyes it might have slightly lessened the value of the book and what it can give us aside from entertainment. Because Sylph books aren't just entertainment, they hold greater value as well.
I am, however, 100% satisfied with how The Shatter Sylph did go.
Now, I was as vague as possible not to spoil anything, and read this only after you've read the book for it does spoiler the ending
The Shattered Sylph is a remarkable kick-ass fantasy romance book that I most definitely recommend to read :D
After you've read the first one of course ;D
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Book #1 review: The Battle Sylph
Ah, the world of sylphs.
The Shattered Sylph brings us back to characters we got to know in The Battle Sylph only this takes places 6 years later and little Lizzy is now 18 and also the FL of the book. While Ril takes the ML's place and Leon is their main support character...kinda.
Basically, while we did get small parts with my dear Solie & Heyou and also Mace, the book featured Lizzy, Ril & Leon as leads.
So if one has not read The Battle Sylph, I think it's actually possible to read The Shattered Sylph as a stand-alone 'cuz biggest plot points are mentioned so you'd know what goes on.
But of course, I'd say one MUST read #1 before #2, not just because of the chronological order or being familiar with events/people...but simply because #1 is a damn fabulous book! I LOVE it!
The Shattered Sylph
* It also has the same charm & appeal as the first book
* It also has the same fantastic world and setting which gets expanded and is just as amazing (even if not glamorous at all, but dark, but then again... The Battle Sylph was no walk in the park either, so all's as it should be)
*One of the differences between the books is that The Shattered Sylph was not as abundant with it's characters - was more focused on the 3 leads, but then again...the plot here has a more narrow storyline, not as broad and in need of the introductory part as #1 had to do...so - makes sense
* Another difference is that the feel of the book was also with less of the delightful elements that #1 had and more...mature, but again...the characters here are different, so it's only obvious they would be different and gives us different emotions/impressions. Moreover, their stories are different.
Heyou & Solie were the youth & delight of The Battle Sylph, whereas Lizzy & Ril both have gone/are going through the darker part of their journey and so they really don't have the time/opportunity for any giddiness, besides - Ril is older and Lizzy being abducted to a
The Shattered Sylph
It has the excitement of a captivating and unique world setting along with a great plot and it's masterful wording.
It has all the appeal of the sylph world we got to know and presents to us a different side of it.
Lizzy & Ril's story is one we wanted and one we got.
Also, kudos to L.J. McDonald for not doing what feels like majority of nowadays
Nuh-uh, life is not 100% happiness and neither are book endings.
Now, not that it wouldn't have been nice...but...in my eyes it might have slightly lessened the value of the book and what it can give us aside from entertainment. Because Sylph books aren't just entertainment, they hold greater value as well.
I am, however, 100% satisfied with how The Shatter Sylph did go.
Now, I was as vague as possible not to spoil anything, and read this only after you've read the book for it does spoiler the ending
The Shattered Sylph is a remarkable kick-ass fantasy romance book that I most definitely recommend to read :D
After you've read the first one of course ;D
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Book #1 review: The Battle Sylph
June 2, 2010
This is the second book in the Sylph series by L.J Mcdonald. Ever since I found out that Ril would be the hero of the second book, I have been anticipating his story. The book starts off a few years after the events from The Battle Sylph where the inhabitants of the free sylphs and humans have built up their settlement. However, the tranquillity does not last long when Lizzie – during a trip at a local trading port – gets kidnapped by slavers and is transported to a desert kingdom to become a sex slave for enslaved Battle Sylphs. Ril – the Battle Sylph who was hurt badly and permanently damaged in the last book – goes with Lizzie’s father Leon, and Lizzie’s wannabe suitor Justin across the great ocean to follow and save her from the slavers. But they all end up changing things irrevocably.
I loved Ril’s character from The Battle Sylph and I found that this book was even better than the first. I felt it was tighter in plot and even though the pace was slower, it concentrated more on the development of the romance which was something that the first book didn’t focus on enough for me. It was also good to explore the wider world and the new setting which was a stark contrast of the Sylph and human settlement. And the rich and exotic land of Meridel was a perfect contrast to the small valley human/Sylphs settlement. I especially loved the Gladiator type setting, and how different the Sylphs were treated in this environment compared to other kingdoms. It showed how torturous and twisted it was for the sylphs and human slaves, and in many ways it was a harsher life compared to what the Battle Sylphs in the previous book faced – since this was for entertainment purposes. It also felt more epic in scope and the aftermath I feel will definitely have repercussions for future generations as well as neighbouring kingdoms.
I thought that Lizzie’s character was slightly more developed than Solie, and that helped to strengthen and establish the romance between her and Ril. I also loved that Ril wasn’t fully healed from the previous events in the first book, and it was a permanent thing which was interesting to see because I half expected that he would be somehow healed. And again, L.J Mcdonald again surpasses tropes and expectations which I was happy to see because it gave Ril’s character more depth. Shattered in mind and in body from the previous book, Ril did not think he was worthy of Lizzie – even though he imprinted himself on her as a child. Although I am not a fan of the imprinting/Soul Mates trope, L.J Mcdonald’s take does work and fits into the world-building and it did not appear icky or forced in any way. It was also a good point to have her other potential suitor Justin as a contrast and rival to Ril’s imprinting – although Lizzie never had any strong feelings for him, but I found that this trope was well done.
My only gripe is Justin’s character. I found his character pretty whiny and annoying. His role in the latter part of the book became redundant – especially since a lot of focus was set on him in the story, but towards the end of the plot it fizzled out and was ignored. I was kind of disappointed because it felt the tension and hate he had with Ril was leading up to something, but nothing happened and it was anti-climatic. Maybe this plot point might be resolved or explored in the next book.
I think The Shattered Sylph was a great follow up in the Sylph series, and its expands the world that is vibrant and colourful, but also brutal and violent that helped to build up an epic like tone. I eagerly look forward to the next book – which from the sounds of it, features a hilarious couple – but also the repercussions and fallout which will affect all of the Sylphs.
I loved Ril’s character from The Battle Sylph and I found that this book was even better than the first. I felt it was tighter in plot and even though the pace was slower, it concentrated more on the development of the romance which was something that the first book didn’t focus on enough for me. It was also good to explore the wider world and the new setting which was a stark contrast of the Sylph and human settlement. And the rich and exotic land of Meridel was a perfect contrast to the small valley human/Sylphs settlement. I especially loved the Gladiator type setting, and how different the Sylphs were treated in this environment compared to other kingdoms. It showed how torturous and twisted it was for the sylphs and human slaves, and in many ways it was a harsher life compared to what the Battle Sylphs in the previous book faced – since this was for entertainment purposes. It also felt more epic in scope and the aftermath I feel will definitely have repercussions for future generations as well as neighbouring kingdoms.
I thought that Lizzie’s character was slightly more developed than Solie, and that helped to strengthen and establish the romance between her and Ril. I also loved that Ril wasn’t fully healed from the previous events in the first book, and it was a permanent thing which was interesting to see because I half expected that he would be somehow healed. And again, L.J Mcdonald again surpasses tropes and expectations which I was happy to see because it gave Ril’s character more depth. Shattered in mind and in body from the previous book, Ril did not think he was worthy of Lizzie – even though he imprinted himself on her as a child. Although I am not a fan of the imprinting/Soul Mates trope, L.J Mcdonald’s take does work and fits into the world-building and it did not appear icky or forced in any way. It was also a good point to have her other potential suitor Justin as a contrast and rival to Ril’s imprinting – although Lizzie never had any strong feelings for him, but I found that this trope was well done.
My only gripe is Justin’s character. I found his character pretty whiny and annoying. His role in the latter part of the book became redundant – especially since a lot of focus was set on him in the story, but towards the end of the plot it fizzled out and was ignored. I was kind of disappointed because it felt the tension and hate he had with Ril was leading up to something, but nothing happened and it was anti-climatic. Maybe this plot point might be resolved or explored in the next book.
I think The Shattered Sylph was a great follow up in the Sylph series, and its expands the world that is vibrant and colourful, but also brutal and violent that helped to build up an epic like tone. I eagerly look forward to the next book – which from the sounds of it, features a hilarious couple – but also the repercussions and fallout which will affect all of the Sylphs.
November 29, 2011
Absolutely outstanding read! This series only gets better and better. There's a little bit of romance, a little bit of paranormal, a little bit of urban fantasy and a whole lot of action. I never once found myself bored with the storyline or the characters.
This basically picks up 6 years after The Battle Sylph left off. YOU ABSOLUTELY WILL HAVE HAD TO READ THE FIRST BOOK in order to understand the dynamics of the story and the relationships between characters. You will be lost in the first chapter if you don't, but seeing as that is also a kick ass story, there's no downside to that.
Without giving too much away, and that would be easy enough to do, this is mostly about Ril and Lizzie but it's also about Ril and Leon too. The love the two pairings share for each other, one romantic and one of brotherhood, is rich and deep and at times makes you both sigh at how profound it is and tear up because you wish you had the same. Ril's devotion to Lizzy is profoundly romantic but it's Leon's love for his daughter and for Ril that is the real story here. Leon is "old and almost washed up" at 47 but he's giving it everything he's got as if he were a 21 year old in his prime, and the experience he brings to the table when it comes to finding Lizzy and defeating the ones who have taken her is ultimately what saves the day for all.
5 stars and absolutely a recommended read!
This basically picks up 6 years after The Battle Sylph left off. YOU ABSOLUTELY WILL HAVE HAD TO READ THE FIRST BOOK in order to understand the dynamics of the story and the relationships between characters. You will be lost in the first chapter if you don't, but seeing as that is also a kick ass story, there's no downside to that.
Without giving too much away, and that would be easy enough to do, this is mostly about Ril and Lizzie but it's also about Ril and Leon too. The love the two pairings share for each other, one romantic and one of brotherhood, is rich and deep and at times makes you both sigh at how profound it is and tear up because you wish you had the same. Ril's devotion to Lizzy is profoundly romantic but it's Leon's love for his daughter and for Ril that is the real story here. Leon is "old and almost washed up" at 47 but he's giving it everything he's got as if he were a 21 year old in his prime, and the experience he brings to the table when it comes to finding Lizzy and defeating the ones who have taken her is ultimately what saves the day for all.
5 stars and absolutely a recommended read!
July 22, 2018
I really struggled with this second book because I didn't care for the main romance.
Ril and Lizzie don't make a compelling romantic couple. They've been in love with each since forever, and once they admit it, they know they're going to be together. There's no emotional turmoil, even though Ril made Lizzie his master when she was a child and has been in love with her since the day she was born (which is creepy and never really commented upon). Even her dad accepts the relationship quickly.
I think my biggest issue with this book is just that Ril and Leon's relationship is by far the most compelling. I shouldn't want hero and the heroine's dad to be together, but I do. I sometimes forget that Leon has a wife he loves because Ril is by far the person he has the deepest emotional connection to. Honestly, if this story had just been about them, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
It was interesting to see how a different kingdom dealt with sylphs, but the emotional beats to this story were off.
Ril and Lizzie don't make a compelling romantic couple. They've been in love with each since forever, and once they admit it, they know they're going to be together. There's no emotional turmoil, even though Ril made Lizzie his master when she was a child and has been in love with her since the day she was born (which is creepy and never really commented upon). Even her dad accepts the relationship quickly.
I think my biggest issue with this book is just that Ril and Leon's relationship is by far the most compelling. I shouldn't want hero and the heroine's dad to be together, but I do. I sometimes forget that Leon has a wife he loves because Ril is by far the person he has the deepest emotional connection to. Honestly, if this story had just been about them, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
It was interesting to see how a different kingdom dealt with sylphs, but the emotional beats to this story were off.
November 2, 2012
Meh. Not nearly as exciting as the previous installment. Kept waiting for the story to be more about Ril, but it felt like filler for the series. And the end felt like it was missing a chapter or two, as it simply just ENDED. In fact, I turned the page and thought, "Wait. No. That was IT?!"
That being said, the story was interesting and it's still a worthwhile read. However, I felt like book 1 left us with the potential for a great story (about Ril & Lizzie) to be told, and when it happened, it was too much about the conflict and too little about the protagonists. Le sad.
That being said, the story was interesting and it's still a worthwhile read. However, I felt like book 1 left us with the potential for a great story (about Ril & Lizzie) to be told, and when it happened, it was too much about the conflict and too little about the protagonists. Le sad.
June 29, 2010
I really enjoyed this book! Just as good as the first. I like the way it follows various people around not just one person. Quite sad what was going on in Meridal, so I was glad it had a really good ending. Really good character building between Ril and Leon in this one...very touching. Looking forward to the next one.
May 15, 2011
I so look forward to her books.
May 4, 2015
Liked it QUITE A LOT!!! More for the friendship relationships then the romantic one between the MCs lol! Ending left me a leeeetle bit unsatisfied, however.
July 10, 2017
I have to admit I felt like there were a lot of parallels to Taken in this book ... so ... a lot of mixed feelings about that.
Also the fact that Lizzie is 18 (which granted is a year older than when Solie was when she had her book.)
What creeped me out a bit was how Ril "fell in love" - romantic love - with Lizzie *as soon as she was born* and then did the queen imprinting when she was 7. Guys. 7. Granted there are times when he was like "oh when she's older" but ... had he not been ~crippled one imagines he would've barely waited for her to be 16/been on her even before then?
... Ril also gets nearly killed off too many times. Damn sylph has no concept of self preservation.
In a way, Leon is more the hero than Ril, although they are tied together. [Which adds to the creepy level since Lizzie is Leon's daughter....]
so ASIDE from all that though - it's a good read. There's a lot going on, excellent world building - and the crazy branding/land of the thousand sylphs and then the harem "secret language."
I was also really glad to see Justin didn't like, try to stab Ril and end him to "get" Lizzie.
I liked the book, but I think I'm done with the series.
C
Also the fact that Lizzie is 18 (which granted is a year older than when Solie was when she had her book.)
What creeped me out a bit was how Ril "fell in love" - romantic love - with Lizzie *as soon as she was born* and then did the queen imprinting when she was 7. Guys. 7. Granted there are times when he was like "oh when she's older" but ... had he not been ~crippled one imagines he would've barely waited for her to be 16/been on her even before then?
... Ril also gets nearly killed off too many times. Damn sylph has no concept of self preservation.
In a way, Leon is more the hero than Ril, although they are tied together. [Which adds to the creepy level since Lizzie is Leon's daughter....]
so ASIDE from all that though - it's a good read. There's a lot going on, excellent world building - and the crazy branding/land of the thousand sylphs and then the harem "secret language."
I was also really glad to see Justin didn't like, try to stab Ril and end him to "get" Lizzie.
I liked the book, but I think I'm done with the series.
C
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2019
I rated the first book below three starts and swore I would not read the next book in the series. As you might guess, I did not heed my own advise. I loved Ril's story and the complexity of this book. The author has definitely improved on a lot of my problems with the first book. The characters are stronger and not as childish, even though there is still room for improvement on that front. I especially loved Leon. He is such a great character and I hope to see this author create more characters like him. Well done!
September 30, 2017
Great world building
So, I agree that this book is wordy and a bit too long. But, it's a fast read once you start and the works building is exquisite. I thought the first book in the series lacked character depth on the two main characters and I see the author does a much better job here. She excels at providing insight for the leads and supporting characters. Plus, the world and settings are described so well. I've purchased the next book and ready to immerse again.
So, I agree that this book is wordy and a bit too long. But, it's a fast read once you start and the works building is exquisite. I thought the first book in the series lacked character depth on the two main characters and I see the author does a much better job here. She excels at providing insight for the leads and supporting characters. Plus, the world and settings are described so well. I've purchased the next book and ready to immerse again.
April 24, 2019
I loved it. A tremendous amount of worldbuilding went into this work, and I look forward to many more stories set in this world. The sylphs are fascinating and charismatic. I felt so much relief by the end of the book.
July 25, 2020
It's good... Don't get me wrong, it's a good book. I just cannot get my head around the age gap... And a few dubious consent issues. However it is interesting to see such a powerful character struggle with his new disability and feelings of inadequacy.
February 27, 2018
Ril
Ms. McDonald has come up with a very imaginative world construct and unique characters. I recommend that you start this series with the first book, The Battle Sylph.
Ms. McDonald has come up with a very imaginative world construct and unique characters. I recommend that you start this series with the first book, The Battle Sylph.
May 24, 2012
Inhalt:
Fernab der Heimat stiften Leon und sein Kriegssylph Ril für Unruhe, indem sie die Beschwörungszeremonie eines weiteren Kriegssylphen stören und somit ein junges Mädchen vor dem sicheren Tod bewahren und den beschworenen Sylphen statt an einen böse, ranghohen Adligen, an sie binden.
Einerseits ist das gut, da ihr somit die Sicherheit auf dem Weg nach Sylphental garantiert ist – andererseits jedoch müssen Leon und Ril aufpassen, dass der neue Sylph nicht mit seiner Herrin schläft und sie somit zu seiner Königin macht. Da Sylphen sehr anhänglich sind, gestaltet sich dies als gar nicht so einfach.
Währenddessen hat sich auch Leons Tochter Lizzy auf eine Reise begeben. Gemeinsam mit den Warenhändlern hat sie sich auf den Weg ins Königreich Para Dubh gemacht. Doch anstatt zu helfen, erkundigen die 18jährige Lizzy und ihre Freundin Loren lieber die Stadt. Am Hafen treffen sie auf Seeleute, auf deren Flirtversuche Loren sofort anspringt, während Lizzy sich eher skeptisch zurückhält. Die Seeleute erkennen in Loren und Lizzy aufgrund ihrer Herkunft einen hohen Wert und nur durch die Aufmerksamkeit ihrer Sylphe kann Loren ihnen entkommen, während Lizzy in ihre Fänge gerät.
Als ihr Vater und sein Kriegssylph Ril, der Lizzy von ihrer Geburt an abgöttisch liebt, von der Entführung erfahren, machen sie sich sofort auf die Suche und stehen sich bald einem scheinbar unbesiegbaren Gegner gegenüber.
Fazit:
„Falkenherz“ ist der zweite Band der „Die Krieger der Königin“-Reihe von L.J. McDonald.
Nachdem es im ersten Band um das Schicksal der jungen Solie und ihres Sylphen Hedu, sowie der Gründung des Königreiches Sylphental ging, spielt der zweite Band 6 Jahre nach dem ersten und beschäftigt sich hauptsächlich mit Leons Tochter Lizzy, der bereits in Band 1 eine Rolle gespielt hat, und seinen Sylphen Ril.
Seit ihrer Geburt liebt Ril die älteste Tochter seines Herren. Durch die geheime Verbindung, die er geschaffen hat, als Lizzy gerade einmal 7 Jahre alt war, ist auch sie sein Meister und er hat die Fähigkeit, neben Leon auch sie immer und überall zu spüren.
Während sich Leon und Ril auf die Suche nach Lizzy machen, wird diese in einem fernen Land an grausame Machthaber verkauft, denen ihre Herkunft, entgegen der Meinung der Seeleute, vollkommen egal ist. Sie wird als Konkubine in einen Harem geschickt, um den Sylphen außerhalb ihrer Dienstzeiten beizuwohnen.
Anfangs lernt man Lizzy als leicht verspieltes Mädchen kennen, der die Regeln anderer nicht allzu viel auszumachen scheinen. Im Laufe der Geschichte entwickelt sie sich jedoch zu einer mutigen und selbstbewussten Frau. Während die anderen Frauen im Harem sich mit ihrem Schicksal abgefunden haben, wird sie von der Hoffnung gehalten, dass ihr Vater und Ril kommen werden, um sie zu retten.
Die Beziehung zwischen Leon und seinem Kriegssylphen Ril spielt in diesem Band eine sehr wichtige Rolle. Beide müssen lernen, wie sehr sie doch aufeinander angewiesen sind und wie wichtig das gegenseitige Vertrauen doch ist. Wenn man als Meister eines Sylphen immer wieder unbewusst Befehle ausspricht, ist die Grenze zur Knechtschaft nur sehr schmal.
Der Schreibstil von L.J. McDonald ist sehr flüssig und gut zu lesen. Die Seiten blättern sich schon fast von alleine um. Einige Szenen waren mir persönlich jedoch zu unrealistisch und übertrieben. Selbst wenn ein Sylph einen Stein wirft, kann dieser den Körper eines erwachsenen Mannes, der zudem eine Rüstung trägt, nicht durchbrechen!
Die Atmosphäre in „Falkenherz“ war im Gegensatz zum ersten Band eine ganz andere und manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl, etwas ganz anderes zu lesen, statt dem zweiten Band einer Reihe, von der mich der erste Band vollkommen begeistert hat.
Deswegen fällt es mir diesmal auch etwas schwer, dieses Buch zu bewerten.
Zum einen gefällt mir der Handlungsstrang insgesamt sehr gut, zumal die Geschichte rund um die Sylphen mal etwas ganz anderes ist und Abwechslung in die aktuelle Fantasyliteratur bringt.
Zum anderen war jedoch die Atmosphäre in diesem Buch irgendwie merkwürdig.
Ein Grund dafür könnte sein, dass Ril Lizzy schon ihr ganzes Leben lang liebt und sie diese Gefühle für ihn ebenfalls bereits im Teenageralter entdeckt hat. Als sie sich dann endlich kriegen, sollte man meinen, dass sie vor Glücksgefühlen und Liebe nahezu überschwemmen sollten – dies kam allerdings nicht sehr deutlich rüber. Als Leser hatte ich oftmals das Gefühl, als würde sich alles in einer Liebesbeziehung in der Welt der Sylphen nur um Sex drehen. Mir hat einfach die Romantik und das Gefühlvolle gefehlt.
Nachdem ich nun lange zwischen 3 und 4 Sternen geschwankt habe, habe ich mich nun dazu entschlossen, „Falkenherz“ trotzdem noch 4 Sterne zu geben und dem dritten Band „Schattenmacht“, der im August erscheint, noch eine Chance zu geben.
Fernab der Heimat stiften Leon und sein Kriegssylph Ril für Unruhe, indem sie die Beschwörungszeremonie eines weiteren Kriegssylphen stören und somit ein junges Mädchen vor dem sicheren Tod bewahren und den beschworenen Sylphen statt an einen böse, ranghohen Adligen, an sie binden.
Einerseits ist das gut, da ihr somit die Sicherheit auf dem Weg nach Sylphental garantiert ist – andererseits jedoch müssen Leon und Ril aufpassen, dass der neue Sylph nicht mit seiner Herrin schläft und sie somit zu seiner Königin macht. Da Sylphen sehr anhänglich sind, gestaltet sich dies als gar nicht so einfach.
Währenddessen hat sich auch Leons Tochter Lizzy auf eine Reise begeben. Gemeinsam mit den Warenhändlern hat sie sich auf den Weg ins Königreich Para Dubh gemacht. Doch anstatt zu helfen, erkundigen die 18jährige Lizzy und ihre Freundin Loren lieber die Stadt. Am Hafen treffen sie auf Seeleute, auf deren Flirtversuche Loren sofort anspringt, während Lizzy sich eher skeptisch zurückhält. Die Seeleute erkennen in Loren und Lizzy aufgrund ihrer Herkunft einen hohen Wert und nur durch die Aufmerksamkeit ihrer Sylphe kann Loren ihnen entkommen, während Lizzy in ihre Fänge gerät.
Als ihr Vater und sein Kriegssylph Ril, der Lizzy von ihrer Geburt an abgöttisch liebt, von der Entführung erfahren, machen sie sich sofort auf die Suche und stehen sich bald einem scheinbar unbesiegbaren Gegner gegenüber.
Fazit:
„Falkenherz“ ist der zweite Band der „Die Krieger der Königin“-Reihe von L.J. McDonald.
Nachdem es im ersten Band um das Schicksal der jungen Solie und ihres Sylphen Hedu, sowie der Gründung des Königreiches Sylphental ging, spielt der zweite Band 6 Jahre nach dem ersten und beschäftigt sich hauptsächlich mit Leons Tochter Lizzy, der bereits in Band 1 eine Rolle gespielt hat, und seinen Sylphen Ril.
Seit ihrer Geburt liebt Ril die älteste Tochter seines Herren. Durch die geheime Verbindung, die er geschaffen hat, als Lizzy gerade einmal 7 Jahre alt war, ist auch sie sein Meister und er hat die Fähigkeit, neben Leon auch sie immer und überall zu spüren.
Während sich Leon und Ril auf die Suche nach Lizzy machen, wird diese in einem fernen Land an grausame Machthaber verkauft, denen ihre Herkunft, entgegen der Meinung der Seeleute, vollkommen egal ist. Sie wird als Konkubine in einen Harem geschickt, um den Sylphen außerhalb ihrer Dienstzeiten beizuwohnen.
Anfangs lernt man Lizzy als leicht verspieltes Mädchen kennen, der die Regeln anderer nicht allzu viel auszumachen scheinen. Im Laufe der Geschichte entwickelt sie sich jedoch zu einer mutigen und selbstbewussten Frau. Während die anderen Frauen im Harem sich mit ihrem Schicksal abgefunden haben, wird sie von der Hoffnung gehalten, dass ihr Vater und Ril kommen werden, um sie zu retten.
Die Beziehung zwischen Leon und seinem Kriegssylphen Ril spielt in diesem Band eine sehr wichtige Rolle. Beide müssen lernen, wie sehr sie doch aufeinander angewiesen sind und wie wichtig das gegenseitige Vertrauen doch ist. Wenn man als Meister eines Sylphen immer wieder unbewusst Befehle ausspricht, ist die Grenze zur Knechtschaft nur sehr schmal.
Der Schreibstil von L.J. McDonald ist sehr flüssig und gut zu lesen. Die Seiten blättern sich schon fast von alleine um. Einige Szenen waren mir persönlich jedoch zu unrealistisch und übertrieben. Selbst wenn ein Sylph einen Stein wirft, kann dieser den Körper eines erwachsenen Mannes, der zudem eine Rüstung trägt, nicht durchbrechen!
Die Atmosphäre in „Falkenherz“ war im Gegensatz zum ersten Band eine ganz andere und manchmal hatte ich das Gefühl, etwas ganz anderes zu lesen, statt dem zweiten Band einer Reihe, von der mich der erste Band vollkommen begeistert hat.
Deswegen fällt es mir diesmal auch etwas schwer, dieses Buch zu bewerten.
Zum einen gefällt mir der Handlungsstrang insgesamt sehr gut, zumal die Geschichte rund um die Sylphen mal etwas ganz anderes ist und Abwechslung in die aktuelle Fantasyliteratur bringt.
Zum anderen war jedoch die Atmosphäre in diesem Buch irgendwie merkwürdig.
Ein Grund dafür könnte sein, dass Ril Lizzy schon ihr ganzes Leben lang liebt und sie diese Gefühle für ihn ebenfalls bereits im Teenageralter entdeckt hat. Als sie sich dann endlich kriegen, sollte man meinen, dass sie vor Glücksgefühlen und Liebe nahezu überschwemmen sollten – dies kam allerdings nicht sehr deutlich rüber. Als Leser hatte ich oftmals das Gefühl, als würde sich alles in einer Liebesbeziehung in der Welt der Sylphen nur um Sex drehen. Mir hat einfach die Romantik und das Gefühlvolle gefehlt.
Nachdem ich nun lange zwischen 3 und 4 Sternen geschwankt habe, habe ich mich nun dazu entschlossen, „Falkenherz“ trotzdem noch 4 Sterne zu geben und dem dritten Band „Schattenmacht“, der im August erscheint, noch eine Chance zu geben.
July 26, 2016
Sowohl Leon und Ril, als auch Lizzy kennen wir bereits aus dem Vorgängerband Die Krieger der Königin. Hier erschuf die Autorin eine interessante und komplexe neue Welt, von der ich nicht dachte, dass sie diese noch übertreffen könnte. Aber mit Die Krieger der Königin. Falkenherz ist ihr das gelungen und sie zeigt uns eine komplett neue Welt in der Sylphen wieder andere Aufgaben übertragen bekommen haben. Es ist interessant diese neuen Abläufe kennen zu lernen und dabei geht auch die persönliche Beziehung zu den einzelnen Charakteren nicht verloren. Vielmehr bindet die Autorin auch neue Charaktere geschickt ein und bei einigen von ihnen reichen schon ein paar wenige Absätze um sie dem Leser näher zu bringen. In Meridal werden Sylphen über Nummern definiert und es wird ihnen ein einheitliches Aussehen vorgeschrieben. Dadurch ist es zwar nicht so einfach die Einzelnen unter ihnen voneinander zu unterscheiden, aber trotz ihrer Gleichheit konnten sie sich Eigenheiten erhalten. Die Gesellschaft ist gänzlich anders aufgebaut als in Lizzys Heimat, erfährt aber hier eine unglaubliche Wende, die mich wiederum neugierig zurücklässt und mich auch wünschen lässt, dass eine Verbindung zu Meridal aufrecht erhalten wird.
War der Anfang noch eher ruhig, so hat mich der Schluss richtiggehend mitgerissen. Ein ruhiger Beginn an sich ist nichts Schlechtes, so wurden die Charaktere und ihre Geschichte dem Leser wieder in Erinnerung gerufen. Zudem erfährt man, dass seit dem Ende des 1. Teils sechs Jahre vergangen sind während derer Solie mit Hilfe von Hedu ihren ‚Stock’ festigen und ausbauen konnte. Das Kennenlernen der Gemeinschaft im neu gegründeten Sylphental hat mir dann aber doch etwas gefehlt und ich freue mich schon, wenn wir im nächsten Teil der Reihe wieder mehr von ihnen sehen. Neugierig erwarte ich die Veränderungen zu erleben, die in der Zwischenzeit vorgenommen worden sein müssen. Und wirkten Solie und Hedu im ersten Teil zum Teil noch jugendlich dürften die beiden eine ebenso unglaubliche und faszinierende Entwicklung durchgemacht haben, wie die Welt, die die Autorin erschaffen hat. Als einzigen anstrengenden Charakter empfand ich Justin, der für mich kaum Wichtigkeit hatte. Seine Rolle war nur eine kleine, aber mit seinem Auftreten hat er sich nicht beliebter bei mir gemacht. Eher das Gegenteil war der Fall und bis zum Schluss dachte ich, dass er die Aktion vermasseln könnte oder es absichtlich tun würde. Man möchte meinen, dass er ein anderes Verhältnis zu den Kriegersylphen hat, da er jahrelang mit ihnen zusammengelebt hat, aber von seinem Vater, der im ersten Teil eine entscheidende Rolle einnahm, scheint er diesen Charakterzug nicht zu haben.
L.J. McDonald entführt uns hier auf eine Gefühlsachterbahn, die es wirklich in sich hatte. In dem einem Moment fühlte man sich noch glücklich, freute sich mit den Charakteren, und bereits im nächsten war man gefühlsmäßig ganz unten angelangt, wollte weinen, schreien, toben und sich dann auch verängstigt zurückziehen. Unseren Protagonisten wird es in keiner Weise leicht gemacht und vor allem Ril hat sehr unter den Entwicklungen zu leiden. Er liegt am Boden und wird noch getreten, er wird als Ding gesehen und nicht als ein Wesen, das Gefühle haben könnte, auf der anderen Seite gibt es durchaus Menschen, für die genau er wichtig ist und die sich um ihn sorgen. Er musste in vorherigen Kämpfen viel mitmachen und ist in seiner Kraft gebrochen und auch verunsichert. Das macht ihn aber umso sympathischer und hatte man ihn nicht schon längst in sein Herz geschlossen, dann ist jetzt der richtige Zeitpunkt dafür gekommen. Mit Ril gab es hier so viele ergreifende Szenen, die dem Leser auch die Tränen in die Augen treiben und wo man am liebsten in die Handlung eingreifen möchte. Nur die Hoffnung auf ein Happy End, auf eine Heilung von Lizzy ließ mein Leserherz ruhiger schlagen. Lizzy macht ebenfalls eine emotionale Entwicklung durch. Zwar nicht in dem Ausmaß, wie es bei Ril der Fall war, aber vom Mädchen wird sie nun zu einer jungen Frau, die Ril Auge in Auge gegenüberstehen kann. Diese gezwungene Trennung und die anschließenden Ereignisse brachten die beiden noch stärker zusammen und gerne möchte ich sie wieder sehen und mehr mit ihnen erleben.
Fesselnd und spannend, atemberaubend und mitreißend – L.J. McDonald konnte mich schon längst von sich überzeugen, aber mit Die Krieger der Königin. Falkenherz hat sie ein weiteres fantastisches Buch geliefert! Lesen und genießen, kann ich euch da nur empfehlen :)
War der Anfang noch eher ruhig, so hat mich der Schluss richtiggehend mitgerissen. Ein ruhiger Beginn an sich ist nichts Schlechtes, so wurden die Charaktere und ihre Geschichte dem Leser wieder in Erinnerung gerufen. Zudem erfährt man, dass seit dem Ende des 1. Teils sechs Jahre vergangen sind während derer Solie mit Hilfe von Hedu ihren ‚Stock’ festigen und ausbauen konnte. Das Kennenlernen der Gemeinschaft im neu gegründeten Sylphental hat mir dann aber doch etwas gefehlt und ich freue mich schon, wenn wir im nächsten Teil der Reihe wieder mehr von ihnen sehen. Neugierig erwarte ich die Veränderungen zu erleben, die in der Zwischenzeit vorgenommen worden sein müssen. Und wirkten Solie und Hedu im ersten Teil zum Teil noch jugendlich dürften die beiden eine ebenso unglaubliche und faszinierende Entwicklung durchgemacht haben, wie die Welt, die die Autorin erschaffen hat. Als einzigen anstrengenden Charakter empfand ich Justin, der für mich kaum Wichtigkeit hatte. Seine Rolle war nur eine kleine, aber mit seinem Auftreten hat er sich nicht beliebter bei mir gemacht. Eher das Gegenteil war der Fall und bis zum Schluss dachte ich, dass er die Aktion vermasseln könnte oder es absichtlich tun würde. Man möchte meinen, dass er ein anderes Verhältnis zu den Kriegersylphen hat, da er jahrelang mit ihnen zusammengelebt hat, aber von seinem Vater, der im ersten Teil eine entscheidende Rolle einnahm, scheint er diesen Charakterzug nicht zu haben.
L.J. McDonald entführt uns hier auf eine Gefühlsachterbahn, die es wirklich in sich hatte. In dem einem Moment fühlte man sich noch glücklich, freute sich mit den Charakteren, und bereits im nächsten war man gefühlsmäßig ganz unten angelangt, wollte weinen, schreien, toben und sich dann auch verängstigt zurückziehen. Unseren Protagonisten wird es in keiner Weise leicht gemacht und vor allem Ril hat sehr unter den Entwicklungen zu leiden. Er liegt am Boden und wird noch getreten, er wird als Ding gesehen und nicht als ein Wesen, das Gefühle haben könnte, auf der anderen Seite gibt es durchaus Menschen, für die genau er wichtig ist und die sich um ihn sorgen. Er musste in vorherigen Kämpfen viel mitmachen und ist in seiner Kraft gebrochen und auch verunsichert. Das macht ihn aber umso sympathischer und hatte man ihn nicht schon längst in sein Herz geschlossen, dann ist jetzt der richtige Zeitpunkt dafür gekommen. Mit Ril gab es hier so viele ergreifende Szenen, die dem Leser auch die Tränen in die Augen treiben und wo man am liebsten in die Handlung eingreifen möchte. Nur die Hoffnung auf ein Happy End, auf eine Heilung von Lizzy ließ mein Leserherz ruhiger schlagen. Lizzy macht ebenfalls eine emotionale Entwicklung durch. Zwar nicht in dem Ausmaß, wie es bei Ril der Fall war, aber vom Mädchen wird sie nun zu einer jungen Frau, die Ril Auge in Auge gegenüberstehen kann. Diese gezwungene Trennung und die anschließenden Ereignisse brachten die beiden noch stärker zusammen und gerne möchte ich sie wieder sehen und mehr mit ihnen erleben.
Fesselnd und spannend, atemberaubend und mitreißend – L.J. McDonald konnte mich schon längst von sich überzeugen, aber mit Die Krieger der Königin. Falkenherz hat sie ein weiteres fantastisches Buch geliefert! Lesen und genießen, kann ich euch da nur empfehlen :)
August 20, 2025
The heroines love for her fathers battler began as a simple childhood crush. Not knowing what true love was but knowing a deep bond with the man, she tested the boundaries of their relationship. He confessed his love for her, but he loves all her sisters as well. He tells her she will be his queen but what does the really mean? Then he is injured, his mantle split in half as such he can no longer change forms without pain. From that moment, he seemed to shut himself off from her. He would play with her sisters and dote on them but with her, he was reserved and it hurt the heroine deeply. Then one day, 2 years after she shared a brief but intense kiss with the hero on the night of the festival, the heroine is kidnapped by slavers. Her beloved father and the hero are away at the time and she's put in chains and sold to a harem in a foreign land, alone and frightened that she will never see her family again. The hero has always been a bit more in touch with his humanity than most of his species. His bond with his male master is strong and emotionally. He loves the man like a father and they share a friendship as well as a master/battler connection. But the hero is still feeling like less than a man. His weakness, his inability to change without pain- these weigh heavy on him. He may love the heroine- may she was meant to be his queen as well as his mate and master, but that can't be now. She deserves a true love, someone worthy. But when he returns to find her gone, his bond- the connection he forged against nature itself, is the only thing he can track her with. The hero, the heroine fathers and a would be suitor chase after the slavers and encounter a house of horrors. Battlers, enslaved to speak no words or know true emotion. Men and women forced to either feed the battlers day in and day out in torture or be slaves to rape. He fears greatly for the safety of his love and the hero very nearly dies attempting to save his master. Now the hero finds himself among the enslaved battlers. Branded, enslaved yes but he's finally reunited with the heroine. She is beyond excited to see her love while at the same time tormented by his pain and chains. She's been safe in the harem until this point because none of the other battlers will touch a mated female but now the hero is forced to accept masters who aim to use him and the heroine for their own evil, she fears for both of their lives. The hero must learn to accept a bond that has always been true and lasting and use it to break the chains from him before he loses his love forever.
I far more enjoyed this sequel to the first in the series mainly because I found this hero to be more human in both his emotions and interactions. He was crippled and as such can no long possess the all consuming power inside of him. As such, he's been forced to become more human and use intelligence and strategy rather than brut force. His relationship with both the heroine- a woman he saw as his queen before the rising of the true queen in the previous book as well as his master Leon was complex and heavy. He loved the man who bound him, turned a blind eye to the mans faults in favor of the father and son bond between them. Leon could be possessive of his battler but only because if his love for him and his need to protect him. The hero craved the heroine with such passion but he withheld himself because of his weakness. The hero was such a lovely character because of his vulnerability and his awesome determination as well. The heroine could have been a bit of a weak little girl at times but I had to keep in mind that she was only 18. She held herself up with a lot of dignity considering and I never really disliked her, just got a bit frustrated at times. The whole story is very fantasy driven but the level of romance was heavy and was in fact the main focus of the story regardless of the many plotlines and multiple POV's of different characters. I became enraptured with this boo by the end. I was hanging on the edge of my seat to see the hero go into beast mode and just wipe out everyone who sought to do the heroine harm. This was a lovely book and one I quite enjoyed.
I far more enjoyed this sequel to the first in the series mainly because I found this hero to be more human in both his emotions and interactions. He was crippled and as such can no long possess the all consuming power inside of him. As such, he's been forced to become more human and use intelligence and strategy rather than brut force. His relationship with both the heroine- a woman he saw as his queen before the rising of the true queen in the previous book as well as his master Leon was complex and heavy. He loved the man who bound him, turned a blind eye to the mans faults in favor of the father and son bond between them. Leon could be possessive of his battler but only because if his love for him and his need to protect him. The hero craved the heroine with such passion but he withheld himself because of his weakness. The hero was such a lovely character because of his vulnerability and his awesome determination as well. The heroine could have been a bit of a weak little girl at times but I had to keep in mind that she was only 18. She held herself up with a lot of dignity considering and I never really disliked her, just got a bit frustrated at times. The whole story is very fantasy driven but the level of romance was heavy and was in fact the main focus of the story regardless of the many plotlines and multiple POV's of different characters. I became enraptured with this boo by the end. I was hanging on the edge of my seat to see the hero go into beast mode and just wipe out everyone who sought to do the heroine harm. This was a lovely book and one I quite enjoyed.
December 17, 2013
First things first: I am glad I picked up this second book. I was right in guessing that the series was going to delve further into the world and that there would be more regarding the very interesting character of Ril.
While the cover screams 'paranormal romance' this book (like the one before it) is much more. It is actually a great fantasy book with a rich history and world to share, though sadly, it would probably get lost in the sci-fi/fantasy genre books that are out there. Needless to say, McDonald certainly had a very strong voice in this one from beginning to end and did not fall back on modern slang usage to evoke unnecessary humor (a great step away from something she did in the first Sylph book).
The ideas of slavery and women's roles are still very much in the forefront and handled very well. The question of the rights of a woman and her ability to take charge of her own life are brought back to light as we are taken to a more Middle Eastern city where there are harems and women are subjugated to men's wills. The sylphs are slaves, which isn't new considering the previous book's story, but here, they are more controlled, bred and treated as fighting dogs or simply as beasts with many masters and rules set to assure there is no chance of any freedom at all. The efficiency of the slavery is scary as the sylphs are definitely a commodity and human life is not considered much better for those not born of noble or rich families. It is not too far off from our recent history and in some places where similar situations still exist.
If you are looking for some good female characters, I would say this one also fits the bill. They are very normal women placed in extreme situations and have managed to find their own bravery and working around those who would oppress them. In this way, it felt very real to me - almost biblical in the sense of these women working from the inside and in the end, their actions forcing change without having to wield the big sword. There were still some standard romance aspects to them in their love/need/lust for their men, but considering the enjoyment I felt in the reading, I can overlook that. Certainly, this book does fulfill the Bechdel test!
This book was also very exciting and I found myself very nervous for our heroes, Ril and Leon as well as Lizzy and some of the newer characters introduced. McDonald did a great job in creating the passage of time without it dragging and having suspense without losing a payoff. There was more than one time I was left wondering "How are they going to get out of this mess?"
As before, this isn't great writing, but it is a great story and its well told - I'll take that any time! It also isn't a long read if you are a decent reader which can be a double edged sword depending on how you look at it.
When it was done, I was glad, because the story was over and there was a sense of completion, but of course, I was also disappointed because... it was over! I will have to wait for the next book because McDonald did well in leaving small questions unanswered and possibilities left unfulfilled - which is what a good writer should do. Recommending this as a fun read to those that are looking for something different and fulfilling.
While the cover screams 'paranormal romance' this book (like the one before it) is much more. It is actually a great fantasy book with a rich history and world to share, though sadly, it would probably get lost in the sci-fi/fantasy genre books that are out there. Needless to say, McDonald certainly had a very strong voice in this one from beginning to end and did not fall back on modern slang usage to evoke unnecessary humor (a great step away from something she did in the first Sylph book).
The ideas of slavery and women's roles are still very much in the forefront and handled very well. The question of the rights of a woman and her ability to take charge of her own life are brought back to light as we are taken to a more Middle Eastern city where there are harems and women are subjugated to men's wills. The sylphs are slaves, which isn't new considering the previous book's story, but here, they are more controlled, bred and treated as fighting dogs or simply as beasts with many masters and rules set to assure there is no chance of any freedom at all. The efficiency of the slavery is scary as the sylphs are definitely a commodity and human life is not considered much better for those not born of noble or rich families. It is not too far off from our recent history and in some places where similar situations still exist.
If you are looking for some good female characters, I would say this one also fits the bill. They are very normal women placed in extreme situations and have managed to find their own bravery and working around those who would oppress them. In this way, it felt very real to me - almost biblical in the sense of these women working from the inside and in the end, their actions forcing change without having to wield the big sword. There were still some standard romance aspects to them in their love/need/lust for their men, but considering the enjoyment I felt in the reading, I can overlook that. Certainly, this book does fulfill the Bechdel test!
This book was also very exciting and I found myself very nervous for our heroes, Ril and Leon as well as Lizzy and some of the newer characters introduced. McDonald did a great job in creating the passage of time without it dragging and having suspense without losing a payoff. There was more than one time I was left wondering "How are they going to get out of this mess?"
As before, this isn't great writing, but it is a great story and its well told - I'll take that any time! It also isn't a long read if you are a decent reader which can be a double edged sword depending on how you look at it.
When it was done, I was glad, because the story was over and there was a sense of completion, but of course, I was also disappointed because... it was over! I will have to wait for the next book because McDonald did well in leaving small questions unanswered and possibilities left unfulfilled - which is what a good writer should do. Recommending this as a fun read to those that are looking for something different and fulfilling.
March 3, 2017
There are many good things I could say about this book, but their nnumbersfeel overwhelming just thinking about. Though, I don't think the author needs me to list them since many others reviewers have already described why her Sylph series are golden and precise, cute, clever and just cruel enought the Dhattered Sylph actually is.
So...that leaves me with only one itch and I'm going to use the occasion of this review to scratch it, mind you. (Yes, I'm going to complain).
I think the character exploration and development in this second book was not...bad overall. Even if the epilogue didn't give as much information on how things changed between them as was necessary after such a long and distracting plot. Leon and Ril were wonderfulky fleshed out, Justin, though a little...neglected, still has depth, the others characters were great too. The only character that disappointed me because of the high expectation I had about her was Lizzie.
I had high hopes about her relationship to Ril given how it was outlined in the first book: she had known the battler for eighteen years, had taught him to read and must had watched Leon dealing with Ril at their home. I don't thing her age explains her immaturity, however rare it is. In many countries around the world, woman who are eighteen are much more mature than that, and secrets, change of scenery, loss of opulance, crushes and then love usually make women mature especially fast.
Okay the adventure made her no longer innocent and let her made up her mind about who she loved, and that is character development, but it's certainly not satisfying, because...
When Ril tells her she is his master, even when orders are direly needed given his situations, when she finally has the power to change anything just by asking the right questions and giving just one or two careful orders that would help loosen his slavery, Lizzie just sits back, loves him physically, try to give warmth but ovoverall doesn't make any impact on the intrigue, doesn't take any significant choice except about herself.
Also, Lizzy seemed to have a little fixation about Ril since she was twelve, and she was shown as a very stubborn, determined and independent person, even compared to Solie who had stabbed a boy and stolen a battler. So I'd like to know how in the world she could have mellowed so much as too give up on Ril just because he ignored her, not even questionning him. I can't imagine that.
Yeah, of all the characters to reduce at the passive role of a damsel in distress...Lizzie, I'm mad.
Now though, for all of my frustration with Lizzie and the short and bland epilogue, I can't rate this wonderful book anything less than 4,5 stars! The development of Leon and Ril's ace relationship and the world building, the empowering (though somewhat naive) feminism, the writting style, the humor deserves no less. This book is one of my all times favorites and now I'm considering buying the printed version.
I just hope the author knows she has left some things to be clarified about Lizzie with Ril, and the way Ril behaves with Leon after this...because I'm certainly going to read the next books to get the conclusive points I couldn't find in this book. :)
So...that leaves me with only one itch and I'm going to use the occasion of this review to scratch it, mind you. (Yes, I'm going to complain).
I think the character exploration and development in this second book was not...bad overall. Even if the epilogue didn't give as much information on how things changed between them as was necessary after such a long and distracting plot. Leon and Ril were wonderfulky fleshed out, Justin, though a little...neglected, still has depth, the others characters were great too. The only character that disappointed me because of the high expectation I had about her was Lizzie.
I had high hopes about her relationship to Ril given how it was outlined in the first book: she had known the battler for eighteen years, had taught him to read and must had watched Leon dealing with Ril at their home. I don't thing her age explains her immaturity, however rare it is. In many countries around the world, woman who are eighteen are much more mature than that, and secrets, change of scenery, loss of opulance, crushes and then love usually make women mature especially fast.
Okay the adventure made her no longer innocent and let her made up her mind about who she loved, and that is character development, but it's certainly not satisfying, because...
When Ril tells her she is his master, even when orders are direly needed given his situations, when she finally has the power to change anything just by asking the right questions and giving just one or two careful orders that would help loosen his slavery, Lizzie just sits back, loves him physically, try to give warmth but ovoverall doesn't make any impact on the intrigue, doesn't take any significant choice except about herself.
Also, Lizzy seemed to have a little fixation about Ril since she was twelve, and she was shown as a very stubborn, determined and independent person, even compared to Solie who had stabbed a boy and stolen a battler. So I'd like to know how in the world she could have mellowed so much as too give up on Ril just because he ignored her, not even questionning him. I can't imagine that.
Yeah, of all the characters to reduce at the passive role of a damsel in distress...Lizzie, I'm mad.
Now though, for all of my frustration with Lizzie and the short and bland epilogue, I can't rate this wonderful book anything less than 4,5 stars! The development of Leon and Ril's ace relationship and the world building, the empowering (though somewhat naive) feminism, the writting style, the humor deserves no less. This book is one of my all times favorites and now I'm considering buying the printed version.
I just hope the author knows she has left some things to be clarified about Lizzie with Ril, and the way Ril behaves with Leon after this...because I'm certainly going to read the next books to get the conclusive points I couldn't find in this book. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2012
Erster Satz: Cherod Mash war ein Mannm der bekannt für seine Derbheit und seinen Hang zu Gewalttätigkeiten.
Falkenherz spielt 6 Jahre nach dem Ende der Ereignissen auf der Klippe. Die Gemeindschaft hat sich wieder in ihrem Tal niedergelassen und mittlerweile ein eigenes Königreich gegründet, Sylphantal, mit Solie als ihrer Königin. Die Sylphen haben eine Stadt für ihre Meister geschaffen und auch die Anzahl an Kriegern ist beträchtlich gewachsen. Doch die Anzahl der Krieger sorgt natürlich dafür das die Länder um Sylphental herum sich fürchten und irrerseits mehr Krieger rufen. Genau deswegen ist Leon mit seinem Krieger Ril ausgezogen um das zutun was er gut kann: Spionieren. Als er wieder nach Hause kommt, erfährt er zu seinem Ensetzen das seine älteste Tochter Lizzy, in einer entfernten Stadt entführt und über das Meer weggebracht wurde. Zusammen mit Ril, der Lizzy durch ein Geheimniss in sich spüren und auffinden kann, macht er sich auf den Weg um seine Tochter zurück zu holen.
Lizzy wird derweil in einem fremden und weitentfernten Königreich an einen Sklavenhändler verkauft und landet dadurch in den Harems der Stadt. Diese Harems sind dazu da die vielen hundert Krieger des Landes zu besänftigen. Sie vergnügen sich mit den Frauen darin, für die junggfräuliche Lizzy ein wahrer Albtraum. Dennoch ist der Harem besser als als Futtersklave zu enden, die, in Käfigen gehalten und deren Zungen hinausgeschnitten wurden, nur dazu da sind die vielen Sylphen zu ernähren.
Im Gegenteil zum ersten Band der Reihe, ist der Grundton von Falkenherz sehr ernst und düster. Lizzy befindet sich in einem Königreich wo Sklaverei offen erlaubt ist, Sylphen nur dazu da sind um zu arbeiten und die Adeligen sich am Leid anderer ergötzen. Man merkt auch deutlich das Ril um einiges älter ist als Hedu und dadurch auch weniger naiv. Ich muss zugeben das ich mit etwas ganz anderem gerechnet hatte, nämlich damit das Leon und Ril Lizzy relativ schnell befreien und die drei dann auf der Flucht sind. Gekommen ist es dann aber ganz anders.
Der Plot ist absolut spannend, es gibt keine Stelle an der ich gelangweilt war, auch wenn ich Leons Part, nachdem er von Ril getrennt war, nicht ganz so gut fand. Das Ende ist auch nicht ganz unerwartet, von Anfang an war klar das es nur eine Möglichkeit gibt um die Lizzy und Rill zu befreien, dennoch war es absolut spannend und mitreißend.
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Fazit
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Eine gelungene Fortsetzung die noch besser ist als der erste Band der Reihe. Düsterer, ernster und voller Gefahren.
Falkenherz spielt 6 Jahre nach dem Ende der Ereignissen auf der Klippe. Die Gemeindschaft hat sich wieder in ihrem Tal niedergelassen und mittlerweile ein eigenes Königreich gegründet, Sylphantal, mit Solie als ihrer Königin. Die Sylphen haben eine Stadt für ihre Meister geschaffen und auch die Anzahl an Kriegern ist beträchtlich gewachsen. Doch die Anzahl der Krieger sorgt natürlich dafür das die Länder um Sylphental herum sich fürchten und irrerseits mehr Krieger rufen. Genau deswegen ist Leon mit seinem Krieger Ril ausgezogen um das zutun was er gut kann: Spionieren. Als er wieder nach Hause kommt, erfährt er zu seinem Ensetzen das seine älteste Tochter Lizzy, in einer entfernten Stadt entführt und über das Meer weggebracht wurde. Zusammen mit Ril, der Lizzy durch ein Geheimniss in sich spüren und auffinden kann, macht er sich auf den Weg um seine Tochter zurück zu holen.
Lizzy wird derweil in einem fremden und weitentfernten Königreich an einen Sklavenhändler verkauft und landet dadurch in den Harems der Stadt. Diese Harems sind dazu da die vielen hundert Krieger des Landes zu besänftigen. Sie vergnügen sich mit den Frauen darin, für die junggfräuliche Lizzy ein wahrer Albtraum. Dennoch ist der Harem besser als als Futtersklave zu enden, die, in Käfigen gehalten und deren Zungen hinausgeschnitten wurden, nur dazu da sind die vielen Sylphen zu ernähren.
Im Gegenteil zum ersten Band der Reihe, ist der Grundton von Falkenherz sehr ernst und düster. Lizzy befindet sich in einem Königreich wo Sklaverei offen erlaubt ist, Sylphen nur dazu da sind um zu arbeiten und die Adeligen sich am Leid anderer ergötzen. Man merkt auch deutlich das Ril um einiges älter ist als Hedu und dadurch auch weniger naiv. Ich muss zugeben das ich mit etwas ganz anderem gerechnet hatte, nämlich damit das Leon und Ril Lizzy relativ schnell befreien und die drei dann auf der Flucht sind. Gekommen ist es dann aber ganz anders.
Der Plot ist absolut spannend, es gibt keine Stelle an der ich gelangweilt war, auch wenn ich Leons Part, nachdem er von Ril getrennt war, nicht ganz so gut fand. Das Ende ist auch nicht ganz unerwartet, von Anfang an war klar das es nur eine Möglichkeit gibt um die Lizzy und Rill zu befreien, dennoch war es absolut spannend und mitreißend.
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Fazit
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Eine gelungene Fortsetzung die noch besser ist als der erste Band der Reihe. Düsterer, ernster und voller Gefahren.
September 15, 2011
Wow.
This book, another one that I bought for $2 at Wal-Mart because it was short and sounded interesting, is pretty good.
Firstly, I am not the most informed person, but I have never heard of a 'Sylph' before. From what I understand, they are supposed to mimic the elementals. Air, water, Land, And I assume, that the Battle Sylphs' that this book is mainly about, are supposed to be the 'fire' element.
They are from another dimension, and in most lands, they become trapped in this world, by humans luring them by the way of a beautiful woman, for them to want this woman, and be drawn to her, then they kill her. Which traps the Sylph in our realm. Quite interesting.
However, some Sylphs are in this land in another way. They have fallen in love with women, and mated with them, making them the Sylphs one true master, their 'queen'. This also makes this woman the queen of all other nearby Sylphs. This makes her their master also. Except that in these regions, they also have the ability to have 'sub-masters'. Women that they fall in love with, or men that they have a bond with. Although they do not like men masters, and the only one that I've read that has one (now willingly but not to begin with) is Ril.
This is actually a good book.
It does qualify, in my book, as smut. It is however on a deeper emotional level then I have read in the past. Although I do admit I have not read a ton of 'romance novels'.
This could be such a promising movie if the right director got ahold of it. It's got it all. Romance, really good fight scenes, and an interesting story line. I would be very interested to see what someone could do for this book or even the series in the video form.
I also enjoy the thought process behind the book, and the Queens.
Slaves, who are trapped and forced to do their masters bidding, hate one another and go mad inside with aggression and loathing, once freed and have the option of staying under the order of a 'just' ruler, find love for one another and happiness under the ruler, and it becomes 'service', not slavery, with love, not contempt.
Anyways, I would say that this book was worth the money, and may be worth slightly more then I paid for it. I am actually interested in other books of this series/author now, to piece together the history of Ril and his life and what happened to make him the way he is.
I know the above is only a slight 'taste' of what the book is about, without going into much detail. I think this is one you should read yourself and let it unfold.
CJ
This book, another one that I bought for $2 at Wal-Mart because it was short and sounded interesting, is pretty good.
Firstly, I am not the most informed person, but I have never heard of a 'Sylph' before. From what I understand, they are supposed to mimic the elementals. Air, water, Land, And I assume, that the Battle Sylphs' that this book is mainly about, are supposed to be the 'fire' element.
They are from another dimension, and in most lands, they become trapped in this world, by humans luring them by the way of a beautiful woman, for them to want this woman, and be drawn to her, then they kill her. Which traps the Sylph in our realm. Quite interesting.
However, some Sylphs are in this land in another way. They have fallen in love with women, and mated with them, making them the Sylphs one true master, their 'queen'. This also makes this woman the queen of all other nearby Sylphs. This makes her their master also. Except that in these regions, they also have the ability to have 'sub-masters'. Women that they fall in love with, or men that they have a bond with. Although they do not like men masters, and the only one that I've read that has one (now willingly but not to begin with) is Ril.
This is actually a good book.
It does qualify, in my book, as smut. It is however on a deeper emotional level then I have read in the past. Although I do admit I have not read a ton of 'romance novels'.
This could be such a promising movie if the right director got ahold of it. It's got it all. Romance, really good fight scenes, and an interesting story line. I would be very interested to see what someone could do for this book or even the series in the video form.
I also enjoy the thought process behind the book, and the Queens.
Slaves, who are trapped and forced to do their masters bidding, hate one another and go mad inside with aggression and loathing, once freed and have the option of staying under the order of a 'just' ruler, find love for one another and happiness under the ruler, and it becomes 'service', not slavery, with love, not contempt.
Anyways, I would say that this book was worth the money, and may be worth slightly more then I paid for it. I am actually interested in other books of this series/author now, to piece together the history of Ril and his life and what happened to make him the way he is.
I know the above is only a slight 'taste' of what the book is about, without going into much detail. I think this is one you should read yourself and let it unfold.
CJ
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