The Fall of Waterstone

Black Land's Bane #2

by Lilith Saintcrow

An elemental witch and her shieldmaiden navigate a dangerous world of forgotten myth and deep magic in the second volume of New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow’s sweeping Norse-inspired epic fantasy series. Solveig and her shieldmaiden have finally made it to Waterstone, a fabled city hidden in a world of frost by ancient magic. Shrouded from the Enemy’s gaze, they are safe to rest and regroup—or so they think. Sol suspects their hosts are not as benevolent as they seem. Whispers race through the halls, hinting at self-serving agendas and secret plots. So, as Sol attempts to harness her awakened magic, she must fight for her voice to be heard or risk being used like a pawn in the greater game. But the Enemy always watching and nowhere is truly safe. Before the darkness finds a way in, Sol must decide if she will take up the mantle of power to save not just the home she’s left behind, but the future of the world.Black Land's Bane A Flame in the North  

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction

399 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2024

About the author

Lilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.

Reviews

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This is the second book in an epic fantasy series inspired by Norse Mythology. If you enjoyed the first book, A Flame in the North, then you will likely enjoy this one too. I found this sequel on the same level with consistent character work and writing.

Once again, I found myself wanting more from the worldbuilding. I love Norse culture but those details felt surprisingly sparse. I like this series but it feels like missed potential. I wish the author had leaned into the premise more.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's right there in the title, folks. That's mostly what happens in this book. It's interesting to compare this to Tolkien. It's a very similar quest-with-a-friend arc, evil in the north, our only hope, etc. The olde language choices (again with the "southron" etc) and orukhar/ orcs and Elder/ elves make this explicitly clear. But Solveig still doesn't have much agency. She is powerless and being chased from pillar to post, again. There is *one* development in the book, concerning this lost jewel and her relationship to it, and even so it's not super clear what's going on. I get not explaining everything, but here just about nothing is explained.

So basically Solveig is still being chased by the Enemy and his fell minions, and another peerlessly wondrous Elder city falls. Oops! Plot-wise, the first two books could have been combined into one, so closely related are the structures and so little is the progress. We meet some more people and get more teasers of sagas of the tragic fates of secondary characters, the tone remains a bit hopeless, and ... Solveig has no goals in this book, besides survival. Again. She doesn't know what to do with the tools she's been given, and still curses herself for not being useful in battle (though maybe she's getting a little better?) or being a proper volva (magic-wielder).

And again, I guess this humility could be seen as a variation on chosen-one-itis, but I would love it if she had a goal to work toward that was a theme of the book, or even got to use her power more than a few times. That's what's really missing for me. She has all this power but the reader hardly ever gets to see it in action and grapple with the effects of having all that power. We're told about it sometimes, that she's tempted by it, but we are not shown.

Bilbo didn't have power. But he had a goal, at least!

But I'm going to read the third book. On a page-to-page basis, I have continued to be interested in continuing to the next bit. I can give it credit for drawing me in, and I want to see what happens. Strange that the first two were released within months of each other, but the third one is not on the library's rader (or on Goodreads) yet.

p.s. - I see a couple of reviews talking about Solveig and Aeredh, which I don't see (though I get that there is some kind of odd bond there). It's totally damaged, "I'm not worthy" Eol.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Epic Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5

*Thoughts*

Lilith Saintcrow's The Fall of Waterstone is the second installment in the author's Black Land's Bane series. Norse-inspired worlds are evergreen in fantasy, with a recent resurgence in popularity as seen by the success of Shadow of the Gods and films like The Northman. The quest-like structure of the book and the emphasis on old legends and myths will also appeal to fans of epics like Lord of the Rings.


*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Sarah Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I liked the first book in this series, I felt like it was missing something.
This sequel made up for it!
It was faster paced, more action packed, and the characters were given so much more depth. I adore the deep, sisterly bond between Sol and Arn; and I love what has been developing between Sol and Aeredh since the first book. I’m glad we got so much more of the dynamic between the two of them.
I will be waiting impatiently for the third installation!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bethany J · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book follows Solveig's journey immediately post-book 1. A good chunk of the book takes place in Waterstone and I loved the little bits we got of it. The descriptions, as always, were vivid and engaging. The Hobbit-vibes were really off the charts here, in a totally good way. While the pacing might be a bit slow for some, especially for a good chunk of the book, it was fine for me and when it picks up, by god does it pick up. I'm so thoroughly invested in Solveig and her journey and I'm so, so curious as to what the 3rd book will entail.

If you really liked the first book, definitely check out the second. Especially if you were, like me, at all curious about the Elder and their cities.

[Debrac2014 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solveig is "the doom of the Elders"! I enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, time for me to go screeching into the hills because hot DAMN this sequel! Review to come! 😳

(FINAL REVIEW:)

The sequel to the wonderful Lord of the Rings-like Nordic saga that was A Flame in the North just exceeded my expectations and blew my mind. 🤯

The story continues a few days after the elemental witch (a volva in this world) Solveig, her shieldmaid Arneior, some Elder and the wolves of Naras arrive in the Elder city of Waterstone. While half the story takes place in this beautiful Rivendell-esque city, I loved the evolved dynamics of Solveig’s relationships with Aeredh and Eol. I do think there’s a wonderful romantic like attachment happening between Sol and Aeredh but I like that Saintcrow isn’t pushing it to the point where it feels rushed or unreasonable. Eol has grown to be a wonderful friend and ally to the women and I like this newfound loyalty in him. 🐺

I loved the new characters introduced in this book, and I’m super excited to see these relationship evolve alongside the others that Sol and Arn already have. That and I’m super excited to see a deeper look into Sol’s newfound powers in the next installment in the series. 👀

As the title suggests, the fall of the city was epic. I won’t go into details about it in case of spoilers, but man was the whole thing engrossing for me. The battle scenes reminded me of (again) of those in the Lord of the Ring series, and it’s honestly making me want to pick up the series again . . . Or at least watch the movies due to my already bursting TBR. 😅

All in all, I loved this sequel and can’t wait for the third book! . . . *psst Orbit Books, is it coming out later this year too? 🫶🏼

Big thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my excited request to read this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review, and to the author for crafting yet another incredible Nordic saga like tale! ❄️

Publication date: June 11!

Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️

[Ken Fredette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall of Waterstone by Lilith Saintcrow was not an easy book for me to read but could find itself with others who like the Hobbit or something similar. The only thing that was familiar was the shieldmaid Arneior, and her mistress was Solveig, a volva. The book was about how the were taken by secondborn and told of finding a secret weapon in Waterstone, an elder kingdom and they ended up there. The story goes on to other stories within Waterstone until the traitor of an Elder brings vicious beasts against the kingdom and eventually against Solving. They make their way towards another Elder kingdom. Battling all the way there. Only to be saved in the end.

[Leah M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Orbit and Angela Man for sending me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first book in this series was a three star read; good but nothing over the top for me. I was originally drawn to this book because of the Norse inspiration, and my own personal interest in Norse history, mythology, culture, and magic. However, I wanted to give this a chance, hoping that I might like it a lot more in the second book. And I’m so glad I did, because it turned out that I found it a lot more to my speed. Consequently, I’m going to structure this review as more of a comparison to the first book, especially since I found it to be significantly more enjoyable in book two.

First of all, the pace picks up. Although it’s a little slower in the beginning, I found myself appreciating that more with this book. Now that we know what is going on, and who the major players are, at least to start with, Saintcrow cranks up the intrigue factor to 11. There’s so much that’s going on, having the pace be on the slower side at first allowed me to keep my footing as I grasped the dangers facing Sol and her shieldmaid, Arn, as they arose. They aren’t necessarily sure that the Elders are what they say they are, and don’t know who they can trust, aside from each other. At the same time, they’re all in danger from the shadowy threat of the Enemy, and it’s tough to figure out who they can trust. Once the setup is established, the action picks up and stays pretty steady throughout the story.

The world building felt like it was missing a little something for me in book one, and it gets expanded more in this story. As they travel further north and into the Elder city of Waterstone, there’s more and more similarity to Tolkien’s stories. I am by no means an expert on his books, but I do know that he drew heavily from Norse culture for his books, and when I picture what Saintcrow wrote, I can’t help but see visuals from the Tolkien movies.

I thought the fight scenes were great in the first book, but they’re epic in the second. There are more of them, and they range more widely throughout the territory and with different groups of characters. There are shapeshifters, orcs, and elves, or what is basically similar to those groups, and I found Saintcrow’s take on these beings and how they were interrelated to be unique and intriguing.

Readers are treated to a little peek of Solveig’s magic in this book, although it wasn’t nearly enough. I feel like it’s going to play a big role in the next book, and I am really looking forward to it. There are some newly awakened powers that she’s come into recently, and she’s only just beginning to learn about them and how to use them, made more complicated by the fact that these aren’t typical abilities, and she doesn’t have access to anyone to discuss these powers with. So we know about as much as Sol herself knows, and it’s a slow learning curve for her. But I’ll be watching for this in the next book.

I am an absolute sucker for a story featuring good character development, and I was impressed by the growth in this story. To start with, there’s the change that Sol experiences throughout the story, as she learns how to stop questioning herself over every single thing, trust her instincts, and stand in her own power. As a volva, one of her responsibilities is for the spiritual needs of her clan, and to do that, she needs a strong sense of self-confidence. This is helping her develop that belief in herself, and trust in her strengths and abilities. She’s learning who to trust and who isn’t trustworthy, and how to make huge decisions with limited information. I loved Arn from the first book and this one made me love her even more. The bond between Sol and Arn was strong initially, but it has deepened into a sort of chosen sisterhood, where they are honest with each other, but always supportive and sensitive to the needs of the other. It really made me appreciate the women in my life. But what was really nice was the way that they make room for other relationships as well—Sol has a slow-burn romance developing, and I like seeing a romance that doesn’t feel the need to outshine the plot or move fast and feel forced. Arn has her own connections developing, and the way each friendship fills a different need was really cool to see.

Overall, this turned out to be a much more exciting read for me. It was less predictable and I found myself even more invested in Sol’s story. The chapters open with snippets of Norse-style sagas that foreshadow events in the chapter, and I found myself looking forward to and appreciating these, especially after having read through a book of Norse sagas recently. I still struggled a little with keeping the names of the male characters straight, but their personalities differed enough to make it easy to know who was who. Of course, it leaves off on a cliffhanger, and I am counting down the days until I get to read the next book. And in the meantime, I’m going to have to make a chart of all the male characters and study it until I can remember all the names. So for all you Norse culture buffs, Tolkien fans, and lovers of fantasy with plenty of intrigue, this is worth the read.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may need kleenex 🥺

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it, can't wait for the sequel!

[Amy Linton · Rating 4 out of 5]

When last we left our companions, elemental-witch Solvieg and her body-guard shieldmaiden Arneior and their party of wolf shape-shifters and Elder warriors had finally reached Waterstone, a secret ancient Elder land in the shadow of the Enemy's Black Land.

As beautiful and protected as Waterstone is, however, Solvieg and Arneior realize that the place is less a haven than a holding cell: the warriors who conveyed them North in the first of the series (A Flame in the North) did so in order to hide Solvieg (and her unique powers) from the Enemy. There are political intrigues, uncertain alliances, and dangers all around.

This is high epic fantasy, written with an eye to archaic style. Chapters open with selections from various in-world narratives, often snippets from sagas composed about the events that are about to unfold. There are battles aplenty, but the writing takes its time. Prepare for a deep, immersive dive into a Nordic, Middle-earth-ish world where Elders live for hundreds of years but still, from time to time, fall in love with mortal humans.

SPOILER ALERT FOLLOWS>>>>

It's a safe bet, given the title, that the safety of Waterstone will prove illusionary, and this novel (the middle episode? will this be a true trilogy?) ends with another headlong footrace for our heroes across the perilous open spaces of the North, with another Elder city in ruins behind them.

As with the first episode, Saintcrow nods to Tolkien: the beautiful Elders, the misshapen creatures of the dark lord (is that a Balrog?! also, is that a second...tower?!) the vast scale of history of Solvieg's world. I won't bother comparing, though I do believe that this series belongs on the same shelf as The Lord of the Rings

And as with The Two Towers, I found myself rushing to find out what will happen next. This epic fantasy delivers everything a reader would want: a grand scale, conflict, sympathetic characters, and rising stakes. And there's more: morally grey decisions made for the greater good, evil characters driven to their wickedness and tempted by a darker evil, and still, love and hope might yet grow in the shadow of Mordor...Oh, I am so looking forward to Book Three!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

[Emily Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Orbit, Lilith Saintcrow and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Fall of Waterstone in exchange for my honest review.

The Fall of Waterstone picks up shortly after the end of A Flame to the North. This novel once again follows Solveig, who has finally made it to Waterstone. While Waterstone is considered to be safe from the enemy, that does not mean that Solveig feels safe, in fact it is just the opposite. She is trapped where everyone seems to have a hidden agenda and she has nowhere to go. Trying her best to not be a pawn in some larger game, Solveig tries her master her magic before the enemy finds his way in.

I truly enjoyed this book so much more than the first book. The first book, A Flame to the North felt slow and drawn out. However, The Fall of Waterstone picks up its speed fairly quickly. There is a lot going on and Solveig is just doing her best to try and survive. There are times where I would get frustrated by Solveig, but she is well and truly trapped, and it would be to easy if she could just simply escape. This book has a lot of moving parts to it, and it is clear that it Saintcrow is gearing up for an epic showdown. Yet, in spite of knowing that there is likely to be a big showdown in the next book, I am honestly more excited for answers. Who is the enemy? What exactly is the enemy? What role does Solveig play in this upcoming battle? Will she truly never see her home and her family again? I cannot wait for the third book and will be eagerly awaiting book 3.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel to "A Flame in the North" is not as good as its predecessor.
The first book started with a quirky and interesting Norse-inspired milieu, and segued to a Tolkien-inspired one. This book abandons most of the former, and leans more heavily into the Tolkien. (The reliance on Tolkien is deliberate: The part deals with Orc-like creatures called 'orukhar', a whip-wielding creature called a 'belroch', et several cetera. Some of the background echoes stories from the Silmarillion.) This second book is also (go figure) very second-book-in-a-trilogy, and only a few key events are likely to matter to the third book.

Most of the book takes place at Waterstone. Much that comes as a surprise to the protagonist does not come as a surprise to the reader. For example (spoiler alert) Waterstone falls. And the reader is likely to suspect that the treachery to which the cover blurb refers comes from the shifty character who tends to wear black.

On the other hand, the pacing is good, relations between major characters are developed, and a good foundation is laid for the third book. (We are told it will be called "Doom of the Elder".) If you thought "A Flame in the North" a satisfying story, you will probably enjoy "The Fall of Waterstone".

[Mere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Orbit for a final copy of this book!

This book still follows the original storyline and it only gets more action-packed and mysterious the longer you read it. It still has a very Lord of the rings feel which is something that I absolutely adore about this book. It is so engaging and the main characters are so likable. There is quite a large cast and the pacing is just fabulous. Despite this. There is so much that I want to know that we don't yet know in this world and I cannot wait until we get the next and final book in this trilogy.

Saintcrow is a master at storytelling and crafting beautiful plot lines and amazing moments. I absolutely was so invested in this installment of the series. There's just so much myth and legend and lore and it's just amazing I could not put this book down. I don't want to give too much away about it as I feel like this is one that is best read without going in knowing too much. Suffice to say there is still much magic and sword fighting and all the high fantasy goodness that you could possibly want in a fantasy series that is inspired by Norse mythology.

[Dan Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

You ever feel that you bring a bad time with you as a house guest? Well at least you haven't made an ancient city fall to pieces, I hope.

"The Fall of Waterstone" by Lilith Saintcrow continues the journey of Solveig and Arneior as they are shuttled deep into a world they only know from myths. They are brought to Waterstone, a supposedly hidden city from the Enemy's sight. The Elder do not explain everything, the long lived are slow to act and slower to trust. But they have something the Enemy wants, something only Solveig can use. I'm sure the threat will stay outside and not get in with a title like that.

Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, I would be lost without your pronunciations if I ever spoke the names aloud.

Reasons to read:
-Norse inspired epic
-Force of wolf shifters
-Real bad end to someone who deserves it and an explication about how their corpse is laid out is embarrassing
-Some more answers
-I like the asides where the story is reflective on things we wouldn't see otherwise
-Tolkien-esqe in the flow

Cons:
-It feels a little odd so you need to get used to it about

[Jess Bogle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve really enjoyed reading this book and the first in the series, but I’m a tad frustrated with the author. I recently read Tolkien’s Silmarillion, and, well, the parallels are impossibly similar. It’s almost like Saintcrow took The Silmarillion, changed the names and a few details (like crows instead of eagles), and used it as a basis for an actual cohesive narrative instead of the more history-style book of the Silmarillion. I know Tolkien did take inspiration from Norse mythology, but I’ve never understood it to be so much and so similar that these two worlds could just have similar sources. I’m honestly curious if this series would holdup in a case about its originality. I was hoping the second book would be less of a Tolkien rip-off, but the parallels between this and The Silmarillion were even stronger in this one than the first.

All that being said, I will be reading the third book when it’s out. I’ve enjoyed the story and the characters, just wish the world building was more original, or at least that there was more than a one letter difference between some characters in this book and The Silmarillion.

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Land's Bane continues as Solveig, her shieldmaiden, and their escorts arrive at Waterstone. Here she will learn more of why these Northerners desired her. Here she will meet the father of the man her brother has slain. Here she will learn of a weapon only she can wield and decide if she will attempt to employ it. The prose continues in the rough manner of the first book and the adventure is somewhat similarly paced, with peaks of action coming between slower narrative all told from Sol's point of view. The descriptions of the world, the peoples, and the magic is compelling and the story ends with a hook to stimulate interest in the next part of the saga. This book should appeal to anyone who enjoyed A Flame in the North and anyone who hasn't read the first book but enjoys books based on myths, Vikings, Celtic or Norse mythology should give it a try. (3.5/5 rounding up)
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

[Ralph Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This eARC was received from Netgalley.com and I providing an unbiased review.

This is the second book in the 'Black Lands Bane' series by Saintcrow an continues the adventure of Solveig, as she is led on seemingly blindly. This part of the story brings the group to Waterstone, a city of the Elders, a fae-like race. Whilst here, there is treachery within the Elder ranks and the Black Lands creatures invade the hidden city, forcing all to flee or die. This sends our MC out once again to head for yet another 'hidden, Elder city' but now she is carrying within a piece of Waterstone of great value.

It was wonderful to pick up on this story again! Saintcrow has done a wonderful job morphing Norse mythology into a fantasy tale of adventure. I would like to see many more books in this series, but feel it will probably wrap up in the next (and last) installment. Probably best to have read the first novel, so all the backstory is known, but otherwise is easily read and moves along at a good pace.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect sequel! If you liked Book 1, you'll love Book 2. More of the adventure I loved from A Flame in the North, and we get to meet lots of new characters. And more of Sol, Eol, and Aeredh 👀👀 I'm still loving Sol and her relationship with Arn. The battles were really well-told. I liked how they are told from Sol's perspective and pieced together through stories or tales she's told later on.

You get to learn more about the wolves of Naras, and I want even more!! They're probably my favorite part of their little band of travelers.

Please don't keep me waiting too long for the next book 💙💙

[Henry Lazarus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lilith Saintcrow has the middle book of her high fantasy trilogy. In A Flame in the North (paper) sent Solveig and her shield maiden north with a group of werewolves because the dark lord of the far North is rising and Solveig’s rare tallent to use all the magical elements might provide hope. After surviving the fall of two hidden Elven kingdoms, she finds safety and happiness in a third, relaxing enough to help in a boat race. Alas treachery leads to The Fall of Waterstone( paper from Orbit). The only hope to stop the dark lord is a magical gem that Solveig does not want to deal with. This is promising to be a great addition to High fantasy and I’m loving the story so far.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in a trilogy is often a bridge book, the lull between the great adventures of the beginning and the dramatic finale. The Fall of the Waterstone is very much a small rest, with the dramatic foreshadowing that things are going to go badly very soon. Solveig has been shaken by the tests of A Flame in the North, and most of the book is her alternating between despair at her situation and anger at the people who have brought her to this place. It is an understandable reaction, but it does not make for exciting reading. I think this book will be better on reread, once the whole story is revealed.

[jammaster_mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible fantasy book and series! It feels like you are reading an epic fantasy with the flow of the writing. I didn't want to put this book down! I so enjoyed not being able to predict everything that was going to happen, which is so rare and a delight.
I usually stay away from fantasy because I find it overly focused on world building and not focused enough on character building and relationships. This series is just the perfect balance of both.
I cannot recommend this series highly enough!

[Sarah Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the tolkienesque quality of the first book in the series and this book as well. I found the first half of the book a little difficult to get into, but I notice that sometimes happens when I go a period of time between the previous and most recent book in a series. The second half definitely picked up for me and am looking forward to the next installment of this series. I would give this a 3.5 out of 5.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five plus plus. Ms.Sauntcrow delivers an exciting second volume in this triology. My Tolkien fangirl heart loves this female-led quest. Solvieg and her stalwart, shieldmaiden struggle to take control of their fates in the Elder kingdom. Despite Solvieg's self doubt, she cannot avoid her destiny. There is an exciting amount of action and heroism. I am eagerly anticipating the third and final volume of this series.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-I enjoyed it because of the characters (I'm very invested!). Felt less like a Tolkien rip off than the last one. And while a lot happened, it still left me wanting more; another huge cliffhanger at the end sure didn't help. Very curious to see what the end resolution will be and hopefully Saintcrow keeps this to a trilogy. Fingers crossed the next one comes out soon!

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lilith Saintcrow has always been a talented writer with an exceptional imagination. I try to purposefully slow down my reading to savor the story. Like a favorite treat, it’s hard to limit yourself when the temptation is taunting you from its perch. I describe the story as Lord of The Rings getting together with The Game of Thrones.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling Series

A solid story using aspects of the Norse Gods, similarities to Tolkien's balrog and other characters as well as compelling heroes and heroines. Waiting to see how the main character overcomes her lack of confidence and takes charge of what she has been gifted with. Can't wait for next book. Can't come soon enough.

[Heidi Grossberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

The second book does not disappoint . Lyrical prose tense storyline. Me Saintcrow weaves a fascinating story of heroes and villains, treachery and honour in a timeless fashion. Hopefully book three will be released soon.

[Tim McCanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Wonderful!

Lilith Saintcrow does it again! This marvelous second act of Black Land’s Bane brings more of Solveig and Arneior, two strong women in a world of violence and beauty as they travel and fight against ancient evil.