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The Talmont Trilogy #2
The Drowning Sea
The Falcons have become the empire's enemy in THE DROWNING SEA, the unmissable sequel to THE BURNING LANDS
Romara Challys and her Falcons are Vestal Knights, who have shed blood to uphold the Triple Empire against the destructive Vyr Rebellion. But now, the Falcons have become the empire's enemy.
Having learned that elobyne, the magical crystal that empowers the knights, is catastrophically destructive, the Falcons vow to save their world. But speaking truth to power is perilous, and Romara is the empire's prisoner, facing a torture and death at the hands of her former masters. Her comrades, big-hearted Gram, the prodigy Soren, and the erling mage Elindhu, are seeking her rescue, but the forces arrayed against them seem insurmountable.
Meanwhile, her loyal second, Jadyn, and the mercurial thief Aura, are seeking the aegis, an alternative magic, following a path laid down centuries before. But hunting them are Vazi Virago, the Order's Exemplar, and the fearsome lictor, Yoryn Borghart; who want the aegis for their own devious ends.
The seas are rising, harvests are failing, refugees flooding across borders are sparking wars, and the destructive rebellion threatens civilisation. The End of All Things is coming, the priests and seers say. Coros is doomed.
If the Falcons can't save their world, who can?
'Full of nuanced, loveable characters whose complex relationships with each other and with themselves make The Burning Land a compulsively readable adventure not to be missed!' Sebastien de Castell, author of The Malevolent Seven
Romara Challys and her Falcons are Vestal Knights, who have shed blood to uphold the Triple Empire against the destructive Vyr Rebellion. But now, the Falcons have become the empire's enemy.
Having learned that elobyne, the magical crystal that empowers the knights, is catastrophically destructive, the Falcons vow to save their world. But speaking truth to power is perilous, and Romara is the empire's prisoner, facing a torture and death at the hands of her former masters. Her comrades, big-hearted Gram, the prodigy Soren, and the erling mage Elindhu, are seeking her rescue, but the forces arrayed against them seem insurmountable.
Meanwhile, her loyal second, Jadyn, and the mercurial thief Aura, are seeking the aegis, an alternative magic, following a path laid down centuries before. But hunting them are Vazi Virago, the Order's Exemplar, and the fearsome lictor, Yoryn Borghart; who want the aegis for their own devious ends.
The seas are rising, harvests are failing, refugees flooding across borders are sparking wars, and the destructive rebellion threatens civilisation. The End of All Things is coming, the priests and seers say. Coros is doomed.
If the Falcons can't save their world, who can?
'Full of nuanced, loveable characters whose complex relationships with each other and with themselves make The Burning Land a compulsively readable adventure not to be missed!' Sebastien de Castell, author of The Malevolent Seven
- GenresFantasy
508 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2025
6 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
David Hair
47 books536 followersDavid Hair is the author of The Bone Tiki, winner of Best First Novel (Young Adult Fiction section) at the 2010 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. The Bone Tiki and its sequel The Taniwha's Tear are fantasy novels set in New Zealand. David is a New Zealander, who has worked primarily in financial services. He has a degree in History and Classical Studies. He has lived from 2007 to 2010 in New Delhi, India, but usually resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from writing, he is interested in folklore, history, and has a passion for football.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 29, 2026
‘The Drowning Sea’ is the second volume in ‘The Talmont Trilogy’, which began with ‘The Burning Land’. This review will contain inevitable spoilers for ‘The Burning Land’, so read it first. It’s very good. If you read it a while ago and can’t remember details, ‘The Drowning Sea’ opens with a compact, detailed and useful summary of the first book. More authors are performing this useful service now.
Some of our heroes are soldiers who once belonged to the Order of the Knights of the Vestments of Elysia Divina, fought loyally for the Triple Empire of Talmont, Zynoch and Abutha, for the God-Emperor Eindil Pandramion III, Heirophant of Talmont, and believed in the Akkanite religion founded by Jovan Lux, ancestor to the God-Emperor. Those happy days are gone. After being defeated by the Vyr, a band of rebels setting fire to farms and forests across the world, they dared to interrogate a prisoner and heard unwelcome truths. Questioning their superiors landed them in jail. They escaped and went in search of a seer called Nillis Evandriel, hotly pursued by the forces of the empire.
The Order Knights are born with a talent called the glyma which gives them powers beyond ordinary mortals but requires strict self-discipline to control, including chastity. They recharge their glyma power from elobyne shards, which are scattered throughout the empire. Elobyne is a mysterious substance discovered or created by Jovan Lux, founder of the empire and the Akkanite religion. The Vyr claim that the elobyne shards destroy the land, sucking all life out of it. Only extreme heat can destroy the shards, which is why they are setting fires everywhere. The land will recover from fire damage once the shards are gone.
The heroes are as follows. Romara Challys, daughter of an ancient, wealthy family. Jaydn Kaen, a farm boy who discovered he had the glyma. The mage Elindhu Morspeth, who turned out to be an Erling shape changer. Soren var’Dael an initiate in the order who has the glyma and is also a skilled swordsman, trained by his warrior father. The captured vyr prisoner, Gram, who joined them in their quest for truth, and Auranuschka Perafi, a beautiful thief they rescued along the way. Sly, clever, and with hidden talents, Aura becomes an important element in the quest.
At the end of book one, they were split up. Jaydn and Aura crossed a magic bridge and portal to a coastal region. They continue their journey in search of Nilis Evandriel, pursued by Vazi Virago, female Exemplar of the Vestal Order and Yoryn Boghart, a Lictor. All four have some gift for the aegis, a kind of magic that preceded elobyne and was used by the legendary Sanctor Wardens in bygone days. Meanwhile, Romara has been captured by the empire and is due to be tortured and put on trial to publicly discredit her heretic views. Her old comrades Gram, Elindhu and Soren are desperate to rescue her. Brave Romara cracks and babbles under torture as everyone does. This is realistic. Scenes of torture are not detailed, but we’re told what is done. Elites will go to any lengths to maintain their power and wealth.
A lot is happening in the story and there’s a rich historical and magical background to it all. Author David Hair maintains suspense and interest by switching point of view so you get inside the heads of the main characters, even the villains. You might feel sorry for ruthless Vazi Virago when she suffers at the hands of the Seraphim, creatures who look like angels but really aren’t. You might even understand, a little, vile torturer Yoryn Boghart. Readers will certainly pity Romara Challys. The adventures of Jaydn and Aura and their burgeoning love provide much excitement. Soren and Elindhu also have a deep relationship. I read that Romantasy, is the top-selling genre at the moment and while I wouldn’t classify ‘The Drowning Sea’ as that, it has strong romantic elements. There’s even sex!
As the author admits in an afterword, Book Two of a trilogy can be difficult to get right because it “starts in motion and ends with not a lot resolved”. I’m happy to report that ‘The Drowning Sea’ does not suffer at all from middle-book sag and is perhaps even more gripping than the first volume. The characters are developed further and we learn more about the historical background of the Sanctor Wardens, the Akkanite religion and the Seraphim. There’s plenty of tension, suspense and adventure as well as some heart-warming love. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the gripping conclusion in ‘The Falling Sky’out in February 2026.
Some of our heroes are soldiers who once belonged to the Order of the Knights of the Vestments of Elysia Divina, fought loyally for the Triple Empire of Talmont, Zynoch and Abutha, for the God-Emperor Eindil Pandramion III, Heirophant of Talmont, and believed in the Akkanite religion founded by Jovan Lux, ancestor to the God-Emperor. Those happy days are gone. After being defeated by the Vyr, a band of rebels setting fire to farms and forests across the world, they dared to interrogate a prisoner and heard unwelcome truths. Questioning their superiors landed them in jail. They escaped and went in search of a seer called Nillis Evandriel, hotly pursued by the forces of the empire.
The Order Knights are born with a talent called the glyma which gives them powers beyond ordinary mortals but requires strict self-discipline to control, including chastity. They recharge their glyma power from elobyne shards, which are scattered throughout the empire. Elobyne is a mysterious substance discovered or created by Jovan Lux, founder of the empire and the Akkanite religion. The Vyr claim that the elobyne shards destroy the land, sucking all life out of it. Only extreme heat can destroy the shards, which is why they are setting fires everywhere. The land will recover from fire damage once the shards are gone.
The heroes are as follows. Romara Challys, daughter of an ancient, wealthy family. Jaydn Kaen, a farm boy who discovered he had the glyma. The mage Elindhu Morspeth, who turned out to be an Erling shape changer. Soren var’Dael an initiate in the order who has the glyma and is also a skilled swordsman, trained by his warrior father. The captured vyr prisoner, Gram, who joined them in their quest for truth, and Auranuschka Perafi, a beautiful thief they rescued along the way. Sly, clever, and with hidden talents, Aura becomes an important element in the quest.
At the end of book one, they were split up. Jaydn and Aura crossed a magic bridge and portal to a coastal region. They continue their journey in search of Nilis Evandriel, pursued by Vazi Virago, female Exemplar of the Vestal Order and Yoryn Boghart, a Lictor. All four have some gift for the aegis, a kind of magic that preceded elobyne and was used by the legendary Sanctor Wardens in bygone days. Meanwhile, Romara has been captured by the empire and is due to be tortured and put on trial to publicly discredit her heretic views. Her old comrades Gram, Elindhu and Soren are desperate to rescue her. Brave Romara cracks and babbles under torture as everyone does. This is realistic. Scenes of torture are not detailed, but we’re told what is done. Elites will go to any lengths to maintain their power and wealth.
A lot is happening in the story and there’s a rich historical and magical background to it all. Author David Hair maintains suspense and interest by switching point of view so you get inside the heads of the main characters, even the villains. You might feel sorry for ruthless Vazi Virago when she suffers at the hands of the Seraphim, creatures who look like angels but really aren’t. You might even understand, a little, vile torturer Yoryn Boghart. Readers will certainly pity Romara Challys. The adventures of Jaydn and Aura and their burgeoning love provide much excitement. Soren and Elindhu also have a deep relationship. I read that Romantasy, is the top-selling genre at the moment and while I wouldn’t classify ‘The Drowning Sea’ as that, it has strong romantic elements. There’s even sex!
As the author admits in an afterword, Book Two of a trilogy can be difficult to get right because it “starts in motion and ends with not a lot resolved”. I’m happy to report that ‘The Drowning Sea’ does not suffer at all from middle-book sag and is perhaps even more gripping than the first volume. The characters are developed further and we learn more about the historical background of the Sanctor Wardens, the Akkanite religion and the Seraphim. There’s plenty of tension, suspense and adventure as well as some heart-warming love. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the gripping conclusion in ‘The Falling Sky’out in February 2026.
February 13, 2025
I loved the first book in The Talmont Trilogy, The Burning Land and so I was very excited to be able to read the next instalment.
The middle books of trilogies are often tricky and can feel as though the story doesn’t get anywhere. David Hair actually talks about this issue and explains that he feels that the middle book is often where you get to know the characters a lot better. That’s certainly the case with The Drowning Sea. We do get to know all of the characters a lot better and see a lot more about what drives them. My favourite character is still Aula and I loved her arc in this book as she gained confidence in using her magic but still retained her irrepressible personality.
In The Drowning Sea, the band of heroes from the previous book get separated in traditional fantasy style and we have three different sets of characters to follow with multiple POV. Each group has a part to play in trying to make people see that the magic that powers the knights and Magi is actually killing the world. I loved all three groups and the way that each journey allowed us to see more of the world. World building is something that the author excels at and I really enjoyed being able to explore more of it.
The plot is still driving forwards throughout this book and there are some very unexpected twists and turns. I did feel that one set of characters was beginning to meander a bit but then something else was introduced that changed things completely and their whole story line came alive again. The author isn’t kind to all of his characters and it isn’t at all certain that all of them will get their Happy ever after.
One of the things that I love about David Hair is the way he gives the reader a short precis of previous events at the start of the story. It’s so good to have a reminder about exactly who everyone is without having to struggle to recall all of the details.
This was a great second book in the trilogy and if you’re a lover of a traditional fantasy with fantastic world building and great characters, then I would thoroughly recommend you read The Burning Land and then this one.
Huge thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The middle books of trilogies are often tricky and can feel as though the story doesn’t get anywhere. David Hair actually talks about this issue and explains that he feels that the middle book is often where you get to know the characters a lot better. That’s certainly the case with The Drowning Sea. We do get to know all of the characters a lot better and see a lot more about what drives them. My favourite character is still Aula and I loved her arc in this book as she gained confidence in using her magic but still retained her irrepressible personality.
In The Drowning Sea, the band of heroes from the previous book get separated in traditional fantasy style and we have three different sets of characters to follow with multiple POV. Each group has a part to play in trying to make people see that the magic that powers the knights and Magi is actually killing the world. I loved all three groups and the way that each journey allowed us to see more of the world. World building is something that the author excels at and I really enjoyed being able to explore more of it.
The plot is still driving forwards throughout this book and there are some very unexpected twists and turns. I did feel that one set of characters was beginning to meander a bit but then something else was introduced that changed things completely and their whole story line came alive again. The author isn’t kind to all of his characters and it isn’t at all certain that all of them will get their Happy ever after.
One of the things that I love about David Hair is the way he gives the reader a short precis of previous events at the start of the story. It’s so good to have a reminder about exactly who everyone is without having to struggle to recall all of the details.
This was a great second book in the trilogy and if you’re a lover of a traditional fantasy with fantastic world building and great characters, then I would thoroughly recommend you read The Burning Land and then this one.
Huge thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 30, 2025
I genuinely love David Hair’s work, so I was so happy to be allowed to read this early, so thank you to the publisher for this grace.
Especially as it seems a long year ago when I read the first book in this trilogy.
For me, this is what fantasy used to be like, back way back then. Multiple viewpoints, fantastic characters that have depth and resonance and an epic good versus evil story. As a second book in a trilogy, this is always a tricky book to navigate, as the author attempts to continue the story and themes from the first book, whilst trying to bridge and set up for the final book.
This author manages this fantastically, as the story is so alive and strong, with no weakness shown at all. Flawless fantasy and created with clear love and perfection.
Do I really need to wait a year for the next book?
Especially as it seems a long year ago when I read the first book in this trilogy.
For me, this is what fantasy used to be like, back way back then. Multiple viewpoints, fantastic characters that have depth and resonance and an epic good versus evil story. As a second book in a trilogy, this is always a tricky book to navigate, as the author attempts to continue the story and themes from the first book, whilst trying to bridge and set up for the final book.
This author manages this fantastically, as the story is so alive and strong, with no weakness shown at all. Flawless fantasy and created with clear love and perfection.
Do I really need to wait a year for the next book?
March 7, 2025
I quite liked this book. And unlike the first one, it didn't feel dragged out at all.
David Hair is generally good at writing second books and this one is no exception.
I think the only one that I can think of as an exception is probably book 2 of the Sun surge Quartet.
I enjoyed all the characters, they were all fun to read. I hated that one scene with Vazi, I think we all know which one. Boghart's choices were interesting and I'd like to understand more about him.
I also really loved all the Romara stuff and the Jaydn stuff and the Elindhu stuff.
Well, except for the last Elindhu and Soren scene, but I'm hoping that'll be explained in the next book. As I've stated before, I'm just not a fan of these age gap relationships that David Hair likes to write.
David Hair is generally good at writing second books and this one is no exception.
I think the only one that I can think of as an exception is probably book 2 of the Sun surge Quartet.
I enjoyed all the characters, they were all fun to read. I hated that one scene with Vazi, I think we all know which one. Boghart's choices were interesting and I'd like to understand more about him.
I also really loved all the Romara stuff and the Jaydn stuff and the Elindhu stuff.
Well, except for the last Elindhu and Soren scene, but I'm hoping that'll be explained in the next book. As I've stated before, I'm just not a fan of these age gap relationships that David Hair likes to write.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews