A Coat's Legacy: Riftborn Book 2

by Jonatan Håkansson

Few of those who finds themselves at Camp Felrock come desiring to take the Coat. For most, it is simply the lesser of two evils. A promise of a roof over their heads and a chance at a future. A grim future, but a future nevertheless. To a girl who should've died back during that cursed spring night, it was also a chance to escape her past.

But scars don't easily fade. Missfortune is not easily outran.

Dark times are coming to Camp Felrock, and for those who wish to survive will not be able to do so alone.

417 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 24, 2023

About the author

Between too many books, manga, and video games, Jonatan's school years passed faster than he’d anticipated, and before he knew it, he found himself as a young man who never acquired the skills nor ambitions for a normal career. As such, he decided to delve back into the worlds that had caused him many sleepless nights in the past. This time, carving his own path.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I found myself diving into A Coat’s Legacy, I felt just like I did when I read the first book in the series, transported to a harsh but realistic world that was both breathtaking and everything I could have hoped for in a sequel. The dark and gripping sci-fi tale kept me intrigued across every page, and at its center is our almost stubborn to a fault female lead, I was once again reminded of why I loved her character in the first book.

Lynn is anything but a typical heroine within the genre. Stubborn to a fault, defying the broken society where most look towards the Highborn, begging for scraps or a chance at prestige. Lynn’s determination is a real force of nature, and yet she isn’t invulnerable, the scars, pain, and experiences from the first book still lie just beneath the surface influencing her every action. Jonatan does a phenomenal job crafting a character with the resolve and strength everyone wants to find at their center, standing where others would crumble, looking toward the future despite the odds being against her. A Coat’s Legacy isn’t just a dark sci-fi story; it’s a testament to resilience in an uncaring world, misfortune’s destructive touch, and bonds forged through blood and tears. I won’t go into spoilers but many of the twists in the story left me breathless and at one point in tears from both my empathy with Lynn and my own experiences that blended ever more with her situation.

If there’s one critique that comes to mind without going into spoilers or making the review any longer than it needs to be, is the sheer impact of being hit in the head so often and the life-changing impact of unconsciousness for more than a few seconds. It is, however, something that’s commonly accepted whether it be in books or movies, but I happened to notice it a little more than I would’ve otherwise expected so that might be something to look out for in the future.

In summary, A Coat’s Legacy is a stellar self-published book. If you’re craving a dark sci-fi story with complex characters, otherworldly mystery born from the rifts (pun intended), and excellent worldbuilding that is never heavy handed, dive into this gem.

Jonatan, if you find the chance to read this, know that I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. Your website doesn’t seem to be up, but I recall reading before that Riftborn would be a trilogy or perhaps something more depending on how things went. The cliffhanger you’ve left me on should be criminal, it had me pacing about for a while as I processed everything that had happened and envisioned what might happen next. Additionally, I’d love to order a physical book if you ever happen to release any, but I imagine the related costs make it difficult, nonetheless I can’t express enough how much I’ve enjoyed the series so far. As someone who’s still working on writing their own book, primarily for myself telling the story I've always wanted to read, you’re a real inspiration and you’re making great progress in carving your own path.