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The Dark Citadel #2
The Free Kingdoms
The Dark Wizard marches against the Free Kingdoms while a wizard, warrior prince, and a freed slave boy mount a heroic defense. A young queen struggles behind enemy lines to keep her city free from the enemy's grasp. The second book of the epic fantasy series, The Dark Citadel, by top 20 Amazon bestselling author Michael Wallace, The Free Kingdoms combines a rich fantasy world with page-turning plot and flawed, heroic characters. Book #3, The Warrior King, avwill be released in 2012.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 15, 2011
43 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Michael Wallace
73 books316 followersWould you like an alert when the next Michael Wallace book is published? Sign up for Michael's email list and receive a free Kindle copy of The Righteous novella "Trial by Fury." This list is used to announce new releases and occasional offers of free advance copies, not for any other purpose.
Michael also welcomes email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Michael also welcomes email from readers at m.wallace23(at)yahoo(dot)com.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 24, 2017
The story was able to pick off immediately where it left off in the first book; compared to book 1 I was quite a bit disappointed. I didn't feel that the story had as much substance or character to it. It progressed quickly but without any sense of urgency. There wasn't much of a timeline that you could associate with the events,however, I did like the familiarity with the characters, I didn't feel the need to review the first book to remind myself who these people where and they what they were trying to do. Even the land is memorable enough that I can follow the journey they are taking to The Citadel. The relationships between Darik, Daria, Whelan, and Markal are familiar and comforting through the story.
It has been a bit since I read the first book but the overall formatting was something I could barely look past. There were page breaks where there didn't need to be, the story would just continue, and there weren't any where there should have been. Chapters ended in the middle of a topic to be picked up a couple pages down. The story itself is good (I can't turn away from most fantasy books) but as a "middle" book it just missed the mark and quite a few opportunities.
It has been a bit since I read the first book but the overall formatting was something I could barely look past. There were page breaks where there didn't need to be, the story would just continue, and there weren't any where there should have been. Chapters ended in the middle of a topic to be picked up a couple pages down. The story itself is good (I can't turn away from most fantasy books) but as a "middle" book it just missed the mark and quite a few opportunities.
June 8, 2017
Excellent Second Chapter of Great Sword & Sorcery Epic
RECOMMENDED SECOND BOOK IN A GREAT EPIC SWORD & SORCERY TALE!
Wallace has created a second volume in his great Sword & Sorcery epic story. I enjoyed it even better than the first volume, and really look forward to the next installment of this riveting story.
This volume is dominated by battles -- between wizards -- both good and bad, knights, kings, queens, pashas, kalifs and viziers. Our primary protagonist, a young man, fights to save his sister and father -- he and his entire family had been sold into slavery when the father bankrupted the family. As he struggles, he learns wizardry, swordsmanship and griffin-riding. Many events, many heroic acts and learning life's lessons occupy him between battles.
RECOMMENDED SECOND BOOK IN A GREAT EPIC SWORD & SORCERY TALE!
Wallace has created a second volume in his great Sword & Sorcery epic story. I enjoyed it even better than the first volume, and really look forward to the next installment of this riveting story.
This volume is dominated by battles -- between wizards -- both good and bad, knights, kings, queens, pashas, kalifs and viziers. Our primary protagonist, a young man, fights to save his sister and father -- he and his entire family had been sold into slavery when the father bankrupted the family. As he struggles, he learns wizardry, swordsmanship and griffin-riding. Many events, many heroic acts and learning life's lessons occupy him between battles.
March 15, 2024
High wizardry and betrayal at its finest. As we dive deeper into this epic tale we lose important people bringing others to the forefront. Can love blossom once the battle over and are all allies on the same page?
I definitely need to read the rest of the series asap
March 24, 2019
Good sequel
A little slow to start but a nice follow up to the first book. Looking forward to the third one
A little slow to start but a nice follow up to the first book. Looking forward to the third one
July 9, 2012
Personally I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one.
Though again it's an epic fantasy novel with out all the nonsense that tends to bog down epic fantasy (boring difficult prose, 1000s of pages of irrelevant back history, etc etc) Great summer read fantasy lovers.
It also wastes no time at the beginning covering all the lose ends left at the end of book one.
This book I'd say mostly focuses on Darik more than any other character, which is an improvement for this book, but the plot is all over the place. Perhaps more careful planning of this book would have the timeline a little more fluid or the plot a bit more like a plot is suppose to be building to a climax.
The climax was disappointing as everything was just BAD and suddenly it's over in a matter of sentences, I had to stop and re-read them just to be sure I wasn't mistaken how fast a GIANT EPIC WHO-HA WHATEVER actually ended with little to no dazzle.
I also found myself frustrated with the "twist" with the enemy, Mr. Wallace really just wanted to be frustrating by always making the evil guy more powerful no matter what, the evil and power of the dark wizard didn't feel right. It wasn't because he was more evil and the most powerful wizard in the land, it was the author writing himself out of a hole of, oh, whoops he needs to be more brokenly powerful now so the series doesn't end here.
I will give major kudos to Michael Wallace for all his women being strong women :D very progressive!
That being said, Kallia's sub-plot just drove me crazy with how trope-y it would be. Just boring and predictable, and it's sad as I really enjoyed her in book 1. Though I did like how her story ended in this book HUGE SMILE and awww moment there.
Darik was a more rounded character this time around, as well as Whelan and Markal. Everything was on a more grand and epic scale and it did feel like there were major improvements in the writing from book one to two, but I wonder since they published the same day if they were intended to be all one book and for whatever reason were split (and poorly I might add as it feels like these two were one big book LITERALLY CUT DOWN THE MIDDLE).
I however look forward to the next book this year, but if that fails to wow me I'm out. As this is just a run of the mill fantasy series that is fun, but there are plenty of other fantasy series that maintain the WOW factor longer that I still have yet to read.
Though again it's an epic fantasy novel with out all the nonsense that tends to bog down epic fantasy (boring difficult prose, 1000s of pages of irrelevant back history, etc etc) Great summer read fantasy lovers.
It also wastes no time at the beginning covering all the lose ends left at the end of book one.
This book I'd say mostly focuses on Darik more than any other character, which is an improvement for this book, but the plot is all over the place. Perhaps more careful planning of this book would have the timeline a little more fluid or the plot a bit more like a plot is suppose to be building to a climax.
The climax was disappointing as everything was just BAD and suddenly it's over in a matter of sentences, I had to stop and re-read them just to be sure I wasn't mistaken how fast a GIANT EPIC WHO-HA WHATEVER actually ended with little to no dazzle.
I also found myself frustrated with the "twist" with the enemy, Mr. Wallace really just wanted to be frustrating by always making the evil guy more powerful no matter what, the evil and power of the dark wizard didn't feel right. It wasn't because he was more evil and the most powerful wizard in the land, it was the author writing himself out of a hole of, oh, whoops he needs to be more brokenly powerful now so the series doesn't end here.
I will give major kudos to Michael Wallace for all his women being strong women :D very progressive!
That being said, Kallia's sub-plot just drove me crazy with how trope-y it would be. Just boring and predictable, and it's sad as I really enjoyed her in book 1. Though I did like how her story ended in this book HUGE SMILE and awww moment there.
Darik was a more rounded character this time around, as well as Whelan and Markal. Everything was on a more grand and epic scale and it did feel like there were major improvements in the writing from book one to two, but I wonder since they published the same day if they were intended to be all one book and for whatever reason were split (and poorly I might add as it feels like these two were one big book LITERALLY CUT DOWN THE MIDDLE).
I however look forward to the next book this year, but if that fails to wow me I'm out. As this is just a run of the mill fantasy series that is fun, but there are plenty of other fantasy series that maintain the WOW factor longer that I still have yet to read.
April 3, 2013
A very good sequel, the pace of some of the battles drug a little, but otherwise a great read. Darik developed into a more well rounded character without becoming a hard to believe hero. He can fight, but isn't amazing. He has learned to think of others rather than just if himself. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel whenever it comes out - there are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up - Kallia, Toth, etc.
March 18, 2016
Better than the first book of the series. Remains rather formulaic and of a type of fantasy that isn't one of my favorites. Still, this book caught more of my attention and I began to get into the story. Looking forward to the third book.
September 11, 2014
2nd book in the series, it contiues the story started in The Dark Citidel. Love the characters!
September 23, 2014
Ow to be free
I have read book one.a very good read. book two was better.spell bound was I ,when I read it. enjoy the reading I did.
I have read book one.a very good read. book two was better.spell bound was I ,when I read it. enjoy the reading I did.
March 11, 2015
Loved it The second in the fantasy series of five. Excellent story line continues as we get to know original and new characters in greater depth. The evil wizard is REALLY EVIL... with a twist.
May 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this sequel, as much as I did the first one. The characters remain to be well described and are likeable throughout. I am looking forward to reading book 3.
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September 5, 2016This was as good as if not better than the first, the characters are filling in nicely with a story that just gets better.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews