Eye of the Storm

Lords of Arcadia #2

by John Goode

Sequel to Distant Rumblings
Lords of Act Two

Kane Vess thought his life in rural Iowa was mind-numbingly boring. Then Hawk, a prince from another world, appeared and turned Kane’s life upside-down. At first Kane welcomed the adventure and the chance to be with Hawk—but then a shapeshifter named Puck kidnapped Hawk and dragged him back home.

Now Kane is caught up in another planet’s magical civil war, searching for the boy he loves in a place he knows nothing about. With the help of a gem elemental, an ice barbarian, and a clockwork woman, Kane has to find Hawk and stop Puck before he can destroy the nine realms.

Genres: Fantasy, M M Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal, Adventure, Gay, M M Fantasy

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2012

About the author

John Goode is a member of the class of '88 from Hogwarts school of wizardry, specializing in incantations and spoken spells. At the age of 14 he proudly represented District 13 in the 65th Panem games where he was disqualified for crying uncontrollably before the competition began. After that he moved to Forks, Washington where, against all odds, dated the hot, incredibly approachable werewolf instead of the stuck up jerk of a vampire but was crushed when he found out the werewolf was actually gayer than he was. After that he turned down the mandatory operation everyone must receive at 16 to become pretty citing that everyone pretty were just too stupid to live before moving away for greener pastures. After falling down an oddly large rabbit hole he became huge when his love for cakes combined with his inability to resist what sparsely worded notes commanded and was finally kicked out when he began playing solitaire with the Red Queen's 4th armored division. By 18 he had found the land in the back of his wardrobe but decided that thinly veiled religious allegories where not the neighbors he desired. When last seen he had become obsessed with growing a pair of wings after becoming obsessed with Fang's blog and hasn't been seen since.

Or he is this guy who lives in this place and writes stuff he hopes you read.

Reviews

[☆ Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, you know those fantasy adventure books where the pacing is slow and the action can only be described as "light"?

Yeah, that is NOT this book.

This story was akin to a decathlon, as our heroes ran from one dangerous and exciting predicament to the next, with very few breathers in between.

Both the story and its many endearing side characters were all kinds of awesome.

5 stars, but I still want an itty bit more romance.

Now on to the next in the series. : )

[Sonia ~Ruber's fiancé in Crystal Court universe~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books more and more every time I read them! Exquisite!

Also I have to admit some things I got better this time around, or because I knew what was coming payed more attention to details? I don't know.. I just want to say, this is the type of book you need to read more than once to truly appreciate it. I love this Universe!


BR with Paul, August 2015



------------------------------------------------------------------------

First read October 2014


DISCLAIMER: SPOILERISH REVIEW!

Well...

so much happened in this book I don't know where to start!!

*rolls up shirt sleeves, wriggles fingers*

I guess I should start with the main character (as least in my opinion):

~ RUBER (also know as my future fiancé,the love of my life etc)



Isn't he sexy?

Also extremely badass or as Kane more than eloquently put it "Okay, so Ruber is kinda gangsta"! Damn right! Do you think I just marry anybody? Needless to say that Ruber saves the day on multiple occasion and during the course of the action we get to Crystal Court (my hubby's crib) and find out why Ruber left and that also apparently I was very close to being a queen (since he was heir). We meet his evil father, for whom I don't care one bit (misogynistic, arrogant, pompous err.. rock!), his younger brother (adorable) and his sister (kickass babe)! We also meet Molly here, who's a clockwork companion and so, so awesome! (I won't say more cause you really need to discover her by yourselves, totally worth it!).
At one point John almost earned my eternal wrath by almost killing Ruber!! You're safe for now, John, but I'm watching you!

Now let's get to the actual main characters (if you want to be technical about it):

Kane and Hawk were left quite in a bind at the end of "Distant Rumblings" and got separated. After some wicked shenanigans from Kane who can command Hawk's sword (creepy elders were involved), he together with Ruber and the new addition to the team Ferra (ice woman) go in search of Hawk (who was gravely injured).
During this time, Puck (we hate him btw) unleashes all kinds of hell (green children, goblins etc *all the creatures as so freaking cool I can't even explain*) on Hawk's home and we get a glimpse of his parents (Hawk's that is) and we gather that we don't like his stupid father but his mother is cool and powerful!

There are some cool things happening to/with Hawk and Kyle so just go on and read this wonderful series!

Lovely, mushy heart quotes:

"THE moment I saw Hawk, everything changed."

"Just the thought that someone somewhere might feel the same way about you as you do about them can make your whole day better. But the fact, the absolute knowledge, changes your life."

"My people call it The Calling. It is when two people meet and have an instant connection. It’s more than just physical looks and fondness, but a bond that makes them feel as if they have known each other forever."

“You’re wrong,” Hawk said, kneeling next to Kane “There is a power greater than death.” “And that is?” Ruber asked skeptically.“Love.”

I really liked the two dark elves and I'm really sad about what happened! Maybe we can do something about that, John? Pretty please? *puppy eyes*


John, this is such a wonderful Universe that you have created, I'm in awe of the way your mind works! Looking forward to the next books (I understand that besides book #3, there's a 4th one in the works? :D)

Smooches!

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of imagination and action. It features one wonderful POV character in Kane, a boy who follows his otherworldy new boyfriend through a spell into another realm and has to deal with what he experiences there.

I have a couple of words of advice for people beginning this book: First, if it's been a while since you read the excellent first installment, reread that before this one. There are a lot of characters here, and reconnecting with the ones from Distant Rumblings will make the opening of this story in a complex new world smoother. Second, if your copy is like mine, watch for a word in all CAPS at the beginning of a paragraph. That's your only indication you are changing POVs, and since there are at least seven POVs, with events going on in more than one location simultaneously, catching those shifts is important.

This book began as a three star read for me and finished as a five. In the first book the story was effectively urban fantasy - the fantasy characters were brought into being against a backdrop that needed little explanation for the reader. This book opens as the characters are dropped by a spell into a whole fantasy world. There are multiple societies, lots of new species, history, magic and intrigue. The world-building flies fast and furious, and sometimes is revealed in blocks that are rather large and expository. But stick with it.

As the players and their environs become familiar, both the action and the emotions become more intense and expressive. Kane's wonderful first-person narrative conveys his scenes with immediacy and a realistic teen voice that is a lot of fun. In fact, personally I missed Kane's voice when spending time in other POVs, especially the antagonists. Although important for plot, none of the other voices could pull me in quite the way Kane's did. The magical battles are clearly described, unpredictable, and the author is not protective of his characters. Fortunately magical healing also exists... sometimes. This is a middle book, setting up a conflict to come. As such, it is promising that it builds nicely toward the end. I look forward to the third installment.

This book also contains one of the longest and most readable afterword/about the author segments I have seen. Go meet the author's cats and connect with John Goode, whose personal voice is just as compelling as his narrative one.

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars and the half star is for that damnable CLIFFHANGER!!! Damn addictive series! *races off to the next!!*

[Scarlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

First impression be damned, this book wasn't the same one after the first one and by all means I meant that in a good way. Great even, because the effect of surprising the reader from a different theme to another was fluidly executed.

I'm not a science fiction fan myself but I literally enjoyed the book. It took just much willpower on my part to not give up on the book because it wasn't my thing and it did not disappoint. Half-way on the book I was enjoying it so much that I do not mind a lot of new information was being thrown at me, and amazingly, I understood them as if I knew about Realms, Lord-of-the-rings-clashed-with-Star-wars type of scenarios. The plot, the story, was real magic itself.

Plot aside, I'm really liking the character build-up not only between Kane & Hawk, but the others as well. Like Ater, Ferra, and Ruber most especially, damn even on Tatiana and Oberon. The book carried enough emotional turmoil that it wouldn't look too "action" movie of blood, guts, and war. I'm really thankful of that.

AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO THE THIRD BOOK? FUCK YES ABSOLUTELY I AM, SIR AND MADAMS. I'm so hyped up for the third book so much that you must agree with me that the book, even on the last pages, gave me so much feelings and excitement, it isn't a joke to say how awesome this book was.

John Goode's words/story on the last book was a nice touch also. It only didn't made me know about him more, but absolutely think of him of a guy who isn't really doing this wonderful books with raw writing skills, but with help and patience. Especially with cats. Cats are always a nice touch. That's why this is a perfect 5 STAR!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS!

(English is not my first language so I'll try to do my best. If there're some mistakes I apologize in advance)
What can i say? Eye of the Storm (Lords of Arcadia, #2) does not disappoint!
It has a bit of everything. A lot of action, a little bit of drama, a little bit of humor...One of the things i enjoyed the most was Kane's personality and his sense of humor. (He made me laugh in the weirdest moments)

There is a lot of new information to assimilate but clearly it was written the best way possible so the reader won't be overwhelmed. There's a progress in Kane and Hawk's relationship, but it's not the main theme in the book.You get to know a little bit more of the characters we met in the first book and there're a couple of new characters and their stories.
(Ater and Pullus .. Oh my God! I didn't really see it coming. Throughout the book you can see they are really sweet with each other and you have a glimpse of the bond they share. I kind of become very fond of them. )

Ok i'm gonna end this lame review saying that you definitely have to read it. After the cliffhanger in the first book,you practically read the first chapter of this book without blinking!

[BevS · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars from me. There was a heck of a lot going on in this one...new characters, new worlds and some great imagination shown by the author, but then I already knew that - John is a much underrated writer. Yet another read that has been languishing in my kindle mountain for over 4 years 😕. Onto book 3 of the Lords of Arcadia series...thank goodness our two MC's are still alive and kicking 😊.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

great YA fantasy series

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the second of John Goode's fantasy YA series "Eye of the Storm." I ended up frustrated because there's CLEARLY a third book to follow these two, and the ending was a cliff-hanger.

I hate cliff-hangers. Arrgh.

But I do like John Goode's writing - and these two books make for a great Harry-Potter-like experience for a gay teenager - with the kind of self-affirming and romantic message that these books need to have. I would have DIED to have these books when I was 15. Died.

The first book, "Distant Rumblings" takes place in this world. Kane Vess is a bored teen - but bored because his small, hippy-liberal town in Iowa (hey Morgan!) is just nowhere. Then he spots the hottest guy in the world in his school, and can't figure out why no one is gossiping about him.

But when the guy, whose name is Hawk, plunges a magic sword into Kane's chest, things begin to get a little weird. Hawk, you see, is a fairy prince. Literally.

What charmed me about the first book is the way the bland reality of this quirky little town is presented to us through the snarky perspective of the protagonist. It's sly and amusing and captures the spirit of what being a teenager is. Even without bullying or family problems, being the only gay kid in your school is isolating.

As the story gets progressively stranger and the supernatural elements - in the person of beings from a different world - begin to complicate Kane's simple life beyond his control; Kane's attachment to Hawk becomes stronger. The cliffhanger ending literally opens the way both to the second book, and to Hawk's world.

"Eye of the Storm" plunges Hawk and Kane into the middle of a magical civil war in Hawk's considerably less boring world. Here we track different characters through different viewpoints as they fight, manipulate and spew magic and mayhem, generally trying to stay alive. It is as if all the fairy-tale figures of Kane's childhood are suddenly alive and deeply involved in a fight-to-the-death over political dominance of the Nine Worlds.

Betrayal, loyalty, heroism and love are liberally mixed into an action-packed adventure very different in tone from the first volume. Kane is still his snarky gay teen self, but on his quest to save Hawk, he realizes that he might be something special himself.

My favorite feature of this book is the talking gemstones. But I'll say no more. I love them.

Now I'm annoyed that I have to wait for book three, because I am just desperate to know how it all turns out. But I can assure you, it will be messy.

[Fritz42 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I thought the action and world building was great in the first book, Distant Rumblings, then they were off the charts with this one.

Kane follows Hawk to Faerth to try and save him from the dark elves that have kidnapped him. There we get to meet some of the different beings that inhabit Hawk's realm, and they are a very unique and interesting group. As I said, the world building was incredible. The beings alone and their abilities grabbed my attention. Add to it the different skirmishes between the groups along with the betrayals that happen right and left, and you have a fantasy adventure that kept me reading well pass my bedtime.

Kane's voice in this book shines like the witty and clever teenage boy that he is. His thoughts and snarky comments provide some need humor in some tense situations. He has grown and changed in this book, and I can't wait to see where that growth will take both him and Hawk in the next book.

There are several POVs in this story, and as others have said, it is important to note the names in capital letters at the beginning of each change. I personally didn't have any difficulties with this. I found I enjoyed seeing the action from the different character's eyes. It did ratchet up the tension on several parts because it left me hanging on what happened with one character and took me to another. I just read faster during those times.

Once again, we're left with a continuing story at the end of the book. Luckily, the third book The Unseen Tempest is already downloaded to my NOOK.

John Goode has already been established as a great author of contemporary stories like his Tales from Foster High series. This book establishes him firmly as a great fantasy writer as well.

Oh, and heads up about The Stuff That is After the Book, which is exactly was it says. You must read that also. John Goode's unique outlook and sense of humor shines throughout all that extra "stuff."

[Kaipo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this two days ago, then went back and read the last chapter from the first book to refresh myself.

This book was full of one adventure after another! It totally had me gripped from beginning to end, that I didn't even realize I was at the end until I started (and finished) reading the authors notes.

We get to see a lot of new characters and friendships formed. I loved seeing more of Ater and Pullus, the dark elves, and was heartbroken with Ater's loss towards the end. There were some near disasters with other characters that had me gripping my seat in anguish and anticipation waiting to see what happened. Hawk and Kane's romance grows more and develops a lot in the story. And all the pop culture references was, in my opinion, funny and fantastic, I guess 'cause I recognized all of them.

The "about the author" portion at the end of the book was hilarious!

Great book, and great follow up from the first one. I really can't wait to read the last one.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. Getting more depth from the characters we already know and meeting the new ones. Honestly I can't even pick my favorite part right now, or even character. Ruber was fantastic and while there is something rather hilarious about the whole "gen world" and hierarchy, the situation he had with his family was just...like the realest thing ever.
Ferra was kick ass and I loved her and...just great...really. I was glad that what happened with her happened.
I appreciate that there wasn't just pages upon pages of descriptions as far as the differing world went, instead we get a feel of the people and places through the dialogue and observations of the characters. Each characters and place was so different and unique but with issues, emotions and relationship dynamics that made them all easy to relate to.
On to the next!

[Absynthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG... Really? REALLY?!??!? That's where you end it???? When's the next book coming out? I need it now!!!

Once again, an impressive feat. An excellent first book followed by a spectacular second book. Most series start going downhill after the first book, this one steps up its game to the next level. Fast-paced, suspenseful, imaginative and just freaking cool!

I demand the next book be published immediately!!!!! Or I'll sit in the corner and sulk till that happens.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally read this on 02/16/13 and rated it five stars. I am re-reading the series in preparation of the third installment The Unseen Tempest

I still rate this book five stars and now, can't wait for the next installment.

[Chancey "Does not give out 5's like candy" Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating =
4 solid stars. Flowed much better

Blurb = (Scale 1-5)
4

My Genre Scale = (Scale 1-5)
3 - 1 for YA and 5 for fantasy

Odds if not your genre = (Scale 1-5)
3

Development of: = (Scale 1-5)
*World = 5
*Plot = 4
*Characters (scratch below the surface?) = 3 lots more added, some were better developed than others.

What stood out =
Dark Elves

Mood Type / Appeal to those looking for = Little romance other than declarations of LOVE, but lots of adventures

Warnings =
None

Series Notes = 2nd
*Reading on? Yes. I've already bought all 4, but this one was much better than the 1st at least for me.
*Reading back to back? Yes, as usual for me, I'm reading then all at once.
*Can be easily read without the previous? Probably could relatively easily, but the first would probably help.

Rating Notes =
The biggest improvement for me was that one arc concluded, than a new one was opened up to hook us for the next book. The first felt way too much like a true cliffhanger which leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.

The flow smoothed out too. I went from being thrown out of the story multiple times in the 1st book;to just one minor hiccup in this one.

I enjoyed the story as the pure entertainment of was meant to be.

My 1st thought I feel strongly enough about, I'm actually considering emailing the author for future consideration. There is a character named Ater. The name in itself is fine, but as most of us know, the brain fixes things automatically as one reads. My brain keeps seeing the word "after" assuming it is a typo. This ends up not make sense in context which brings the reading to a screeching halt to figure out what is going on. This was an issue much more so in this 2nd book than the first; due to it having more of an ensemble feel to it. It is very frustrating, though it has become more of a hiccup than an actual screeching halt.

Another thought is more a wish, and it definitely didn't effect my rating. But I wish that when the "love" swept through the Gems cavern, that it changed more than just one outcome. In fact, I thought it had - the way it was written , so I was a little saddened and surprised when it did not.

**************
Below are my explanations or thoughts on reviewing!
***************
1.Obviously no one review can take into account all the various personal pet peeves of readers. But, I do try to take into account the common ones often bemoaned by other reviewers
2. Brain candy has its uses and at times it is my preference; so it does not carry a negative connotation for me - unless I'm expecting the next great novel. (What falls under brain candy? The book is meant for pure entertainment to pass time. It may be formulaic, from an author published quickly like monthly, things escalate fast, and are often solved easily etc.. Publishing industries version of pop music. Beach type reads etc... ).
3. Blurb rating purpose:
Like many readers, I do not like to think I'm reading one kind of story; just to end up with another type. But...I also don't think a book should be docked stars for being as stated. If I don't like stories about "_________", and I choose to read one. I shouldn't give it 2 stars based JUST on my preferences. Unless... it wasn't clear in the blurb.
4. Other Factors that effect my perspective when revising:
Since 2009, I have exclusively read m/m. My 1st was in 2007. I am a Kindle diehard, and I never do audio for m/m. I read at least 100+ books a year - with an average length of 220± pages; but the total number of books is usually much higher. My Goodreads lifetime rating (at the start of 2020) was a 3.72 average for 1390 books. Which considering, you should be better at picking out books the more you read, , I feel is a accurate average. I have over 700 reviews within the m/m genre here on Goodreads.

[Sammy Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye of the Storm, the second installment in the Lords of Arcadia series by John Goode is simply a fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal readers' dream come true!!!

Nine alternate realms, dark elves, faeries, ogres, gem elementals, frigus, a Djinn, Titania, Puck, and Oberon, and one incredible human. They all come together in one amazingly well crafted novel that unfolds one new world after another like someone shucking pearls from oysters.

The story picks up where Distant Rumblings leaves off. Kane plummets into Arcadia but not where Prince Hawk, Titania’s son and heir to the throne has been taken, but instead to a frozen wasteland where the Frigus live. A race of people whose warriors can form ice spears and entire walls of ice from the energy within them and who control the cold by being a part of it.

Thrust into this realm, Kane is rescued by Ferra, an outcast amongst her people, and goes up against the elders, barely escaping with his life. He, a regenerated Ruber (that delightful Prince from book one who happens to be a gem elemental) and Ferra set out to find and rescue Hawk. They find themselves thrust into Puck’s attempt along with the dark elves to grab the seat of power from Titania and Oberon. Puck is also searching for Hawk in order to get from him the secret of Ascension—for without the secret, Puck cannot take control of the nine realms.

The group clashes leaving a weakened Hawk and Kane along with a severely injured Ferra to barely escape. Ruber takes them to his home to heal and hole up in order to take time to figure out their strategy for bringing down Puck. Puck has one more destructive force in his arsenal and all hell breaks loose when a djinn is unleashed. The djinn’s one purpose is to kill Prince Hawk.

The story evolves and I can go no further without giving up key elements that would ultimately ruin the story for you, dear reader. Suffice it to say—Eye of the Storm is one action packed moment after another. Along the way author John Goode rolls out new worlds, fascinating creatures and political intrigue that leaves one breathless.

Kane, our fearless human, shows a new face—a depth of character that speaks of loyalty to his friends, his love for Hawk and his keen wit and an amazing proclivity to fall into danger wherever it may exist. We see a new side of Hawk, glimmers of the type of leader he will be, a softening of the arrogance he has been raised to believe and a deepening of his love for Kane.

Ruber becomes so much more than a piece of rock—we meet his family and see his love for his sister and his younger brother. His arrogant and dominant father is introduced and the world of elementals is explored and what an incredibly fascinating world it is!

There is so much going on in this novel—I guarantee you will want to reread it just to rediscover the worlds this author unpacks. Mr. Goode’s mastery of the written word is in full force here—his power to turn simple phrases into descriptive goldmines is unprecedented. His fertile imagination is unleashed and the result is a sweeping saga of a tale that thrusts us into a fantasy land that leaves the reader wide eyed and simply delighted.

It is a fact that sequels that follow exceptional first books often leave the reader a bit wanting---not so here. Eye of the Storm is perhaps a finer, more intricately woven story than the first in the series. I highly recommend this novel to you. It is a five star read.

[Jamie Deacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers were given a taste of John Goode’s incredible and somewhat quirky imagination in Distant Rumblings, the first in his Lords of Arcadia series. Book 1 saw Hawk, heir to the Arcadian throne, exiled to Earth to escape looming civil war, and becoming emotionally involved with a human boy. It’s in the sequel, however, that Goode really allows his creativity to roam free. Here he combines traditional folklore and fairy tales with creatures and lands of his own invention, ending up with something that is wholly original.

Kane always longed for excitement, and now his ordinary existence feels a million miles away. Falling in love is tumultuous enough. Yet, from the moment Hawk crashed into his life, he has been coping not only with the discovery that his own world is merely one of many parallel realms, but has been caught in the crossfire of a magical civil war he had no knowledge of. Still, at least he knew where he was. Then Puck, a ruthless changeling hell-bent on seizing the throne from Hawk’s parents, kidnaps Hawk and drags him through a portal back to Arcadia, whereupon Kane, with little thought for his own safety, follows on their heels.

With the help of Ruba, a gem elemental with a dry tongue and loyal heart, he leaves Earth and everything that is familiar to him behind and steps into the void, having no idea where he might emerge or whether he will even survive the shift. Kane finds himself plunged into a deadly pursuit through several dimensions, where he comes up against dark elves, ice barbarians, and a vengeful genie. Despite the danger and his ignorance of the magical world, he never loses sight of his objective—rescue Hawk and prevent Puck from taking control of the nine realms before it is too late.

Eye of the Storm certainly has a very different feel from the prequel. Though the author’s naturally humorous style shines through and I laughed out loud on several occasions, the overall impression is more serious and charged with emotion. Kane and Hawk’s relationship in particular deepens during the course of this book. The spark between them was obvious from their first encounter, but it gradually grows apparent that the connection they share goes far beyond anything that can be explained by mere attraction. There are forces at work that even Hawk, with his magical upbringing, is at a loss to fully understand.

Because this novel is a direct continuation of the last, you ideally need to be familiar with the prequel before picking this up. So, if you enjoy young adult fantasy that blends adventure with romance, and which will take you on an imaginative journey through numerous worlds, I can recommend giving this series a go.

NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews and the Boys on the Brink Blog

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, absolutely amazing book.
Truly/Madly/Deeply love every single bit of it.

The 'Eye of the Storm' will swallow you whole.
Imagine Fairy world that fell off its axis and completely spun out of control in a giant cluster #$%& of universal and personal cataclysms and you'll get the picture. Wait, I think I even understated it. The magnitude of the dysfunctionality of magic world is so beyond comprehension that it's basically impossible to imagine it until you are completely submerged beneath the dark waters of the Second Book of Arcadia. Honestly, a few times it made me feel a little bit better about reality comparing to the world on the other side of the mirror. That one is radioactive, I'm telling ya, you'll glow in the dark while reading it.
Without giving away the plot I'll describe it as a place where anything and everything is possible, you can't be prepared at all. When you think that you are holding your book and you are in control there with your feet planted firmly on the ground, well, think it over because you might very well find yourself hanging upside down in the different kind of reality, shuttered into pieces of dimensions and emotions.
From the very beginning I was pulled into full-on action story and then consumed entirely. The book is very well written with the type of language that is intricate and enchanting, just exactly what you would expect of true kind of magic.
The 'Eye of the Storm' played and transformed me with each and every chapter. I found myself surrounded by 'Creatures-R-Us', each and everyone with their own hidden (or not so) agenda.
The story is dynamic and pulsing with events, throwing you from one place to another in the blink of an eye, all I can suggest - hold on tight, it's just the beginning. A lot of things happened in the Second Book of Arcadia and I can't wait for the Third one to come.
You just have to read it, it has a magnificent developing of events, it's beyond words, and it has to be 'lived through' in your very own magical way. Everything has a meaning in this book. It is amazing, fascinating gem in all possible and impossible ways.
To sum it up - It is Enchanting. Captivating. Brilliant. It is magic you can touch. I know, I am repeating myself (well, I am not sorry for it because I am clearly excited by the book, that's all) but I really want to tell you that it's all about experiencing, even somehow participating in the story, instead of just reading. I found a lot of food for thought over there.
Don't be shy, go ahead and read it, you'll absolutely love it. I recommend it to all.
And I can't not mention the Afterword. It's incredibly nice and delightful, a mini-story in itself.
Thank you, John, for another great book, can't wait for the next one!

[Valérie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so the book got started with Kane diving into a sort of Avatar / Popsicle land. And if you think that's weird, well, I was just getting started. There's also this massive war breaking out in Fearth because the Dark are threatening to attack for understandable reasons, but hey, war is war and what is it good for? indeed: absolutely nothing.
But anyways, the Royals are PANICKING. So Kane has to save Hawk, deal with the ice girl, stop the bad guy (maybe while driving an Aston Martin and drinking a vodka Martini?) and finally save the royals.
Yeah, he had a lot to do.
Now what I didn't really like was that Kane and Hawk were soooooo long away from each other! I mean.... WHY?! But then they were - finally - back together but, well, Kane kept fainting all the time. So there was that to deal with now too. Apparently Hawk/Kane shared this pretty big "soul bond thing" that connected them to each other. Which seemed pretty badass at first but soon resulted in feeling each others pain and a sort of telepathy. Still pretty badass actually.
So if you're a big fan of simple ( there is nothing simple about it ) but powerful and true love - read the book.
You like action? Fights? Talking rocks fighting with some kind of Genie that also is like a walking bonfire? - read the book.
There's this Queen, Titania, and when she gets mad at you, you'd better ask Scotty to beem you the hell up. Want to get to know her? - read the book.
If you like reading books - read the book.
And what I really like about this story is the small piece of writing at the back where John Goode talks about his cats and gives some good tips to become a Fabutastic Writer. I don't mean that it was better than the story itself, but it's just nice to read something about the author as well.
Now, go read this book!

[Octobercountry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tone of this book is rather different than "Distant Rumblings," the first book in the series---a bit more serious, a bit more action-oriented. We're leaving the mortal world behind this time around---and with it, Hawk's fish-out-of-water adventures that added a bit of levity to the first volume---and moving to the Faerie realm. And no mistake---this isn't a great place to be at the moment. Or, perhaps, at any time. We meet precious few really admirable individuals in this world---everyone has their own prejudices and their own agendas, with deceit and trickery lurking around every corner; there are villains aplenty.

However, the chief villain of the piece is Puck, stirring up trouble in every way imaginable; he really is a character with no redeeming qualities. And yet..... While I can't summon up even the tiniest shred of sympathy for him, because he's so awful, at the same time I do somewhat understand his viewpoint and can see why he's doing these things. Still---no excuse.... poor, poor, poor Spike....

I enjoyed the story well enough, though it read more as a standard fantasy than the first book did. It looks like things will wind up in a third volume, and I'm willing to go along for the ride to see what happens next.

[Ami]

First John Goode's story that I DNF-end, around 15%.

I don't enjoy all out fantasy (or sci-fi). Period. The first book I loved because it had urban fantasy element to it (though set in small town). This one is not, I couldn't get myself into it. Should've known when I read "another planet" in the blurb. I would need something to ground me to Earth.

I know other reviewers loved it. Kaje Harper said to "stick" with it to get into the awesomeness. But I don't have enough patience. If it couldn't grab me in the first 20% or so, I prefer to let go and move on. Plus the alternate POV's quick switching gave me headaches.

Still love you, though, John, and will still read your other stories. Just not this series. It's just not my cup of tea.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great sequel to Distant Rumblings

The love between Kane and hawk grow to levels that mere mortals cannot even imagine.

I am breathlessly waiting for the next in the series.

[Paul Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this sequel and I wasn't disappointed ! What a great read ! It was so interesting to see how the author created different new words that are somehow connected to each other. Combining fairy tales and making them into something unique and new was an awesome way to create a new outlook on some of the old tales

[Jesse Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think I'd be able to fall more in love after the first book.

I was wrong. New characters, new points of view, and a helluva lot of fey lore make for one disgustingly perfect world. I laughed and cried and cheered this book on every step of the way, and can't WAIT for the next one.

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of Eye of the Storm.

This book was provided by Harmony Ink Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Riva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Son of a $##!!!! I hate cliffhangers. But this book is worth it. Just beautiful.

[Elsbeth]

BR, August with Paul, Sonia, Momo and Julie

[JL Lucaban · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew it! I so knew it! I really really knew! Said it and shouted it many many times! I love this story! xD

[Meagan Houle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one quite as thoroughly as "Distant Rumblings," perhaps because the frequent shifts in point of view meant I got less of Kane than I'd have preferred. His narrative voice is what made me fall in love with the story initially. Since Hawk was less lovable in this book--far more arrogant and, well, princely--some of that magic was absent, too. But I can see the build-up to Hawk's reckoning with what his privilege and status have allowed him to ignore, and it's wonderful to see these characters grappling with their places in the world--or worlds, I suppose.
The action is as exhilarating as ever, I willingly surrendered some sleep to find out what happens next, and I got to revel in a new female character who is as dynamic and capable as I could wish. I can't wait to see where Ferra's story is going, and I'm eager to see Jewel again, when she eventually reappears in the series.
All in all, it's a solid follow-up, and gives me hope that this is a series I'll love all the way through.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am love love LOVING this series so far!