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Seed Mage Cycle #2
Veins Of Power
THE BURDEN OF BLOOD
THE WEIGHT OF DUTY
THE BURDEN OF BLOOD
AND A BOY
RUNNING FROM HIS GODS-GIVEN BIRTHRIGHT TO THE THRONE
Return to Kayumalon, a land inspired by Philippine mythology, as we follow the story of the earth mage Kalem, a reluctant successor to a throne.
Enemies are coming for Kayumalon from within and without.
Kalem, once an awkward scholar, has lived in the shadow of his father, the Obsidian Datu. Now, with the power of the Earth God flowing through his veins, he intends to help his father change his country for the better. But politics is a battlefield, and despite the problems his country faces, all the bureaucrats seem to care about is jostling for more power and impressing the King.
The country needs a king who forsakes his passions for the good of his people.
In Veins of Power—the thrilling sequel to Winds of War, the first book of the Seedmage Cycle—it will take more than a legend, more than a good king, more than a mage, to navigate the treacherous twists and turns of Kayumalon court.
Will Kalem choose to serve his country and forsake everything he has ever worked for in his life to save his people? Or will he turn his back on them, choosing instead to follow the whims of his heart?
THE WEIGHT OF DUTY
THE BURDEN OF BLOOD
AND A BOY
RUNNING FROM HIS GODS-GIVEN BIRTHRIGHT TO THE THRONE
Return to Kayumalon, a land inspired by Philippine mythology, as we follow the story of the earth mage Kalem, a reluctant successor to a throne.
Enemies are coming for Kayumalon from within and without.
Kalem, once an awkward scholar, has lived in the shadow of his father, the Obsidian Datu. Now, with the power of the Earth God flowing through his veins, he intends to help his father change his country for the better. But politics is a battlefield, and despite the problems his country faces, all the bureaucrats seem to care about is jostling for more power and impressing the King.
The country needs a king who forsakes his passions for the good of his people.
In Veins of Power—the thrilling sequel to Winds of War, the first book of the Seedmage Cycle—it will take more than a legend, more than a good king, more than a mage, to navigate the treacherous twists and turns of Kayumalon court.
Will Kalem choose to serve his country and forsake everything he has ever worked for in his life to save his people? Or will he turn his back on them, choosing instead to follow the whims of his heart?
- GenresFantasy
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2024
About the author
Mica De Leon
9 books98 followersMica De Leon is the author of six books published by Penguin Random House SEA. Her first novel, Love on the Second Read, is a rom-com set in the Philippines about two Filipino book editors. She is also the author of the Seedmage Cycle Trilogy books—Winds Of War, Veins Of Power, and Seeds Of Conquest—which is an epic, high fantasy trilogy inspired by Philippine myths and folklore.
She is a Filipino author of swoony romance comedy novels and epic fantasy novels, and she has won the Don Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature in 2019 and 2022 for her essays on romance, feminism, history, fantasy, and the Filipino identity. She is also the Executive Editor of one of the leading publishing houses in the Philippines and has produced over 200 books in her ten years there.
She likes walking on the beach, dogs, cats, swoony and spicy romance novels, epic, sci-fi-fantasy novels, Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere books, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, and Taylor Swift. She is still trying (and failing) to meet all the impossible deadlines she gave herself five years ago.
Connect with her on Instagram and Tiktok at @micadeleonwrites and on Threads and X at @micadlwrites.
She is a Filipino author of swoony romance comedy novels and epic fantasy novels, and she has won the Don Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature in 2019 and 2022 for her essays on romance, feminism, history, fantasy, and the Filipino identity. She is also the Executive Editor of one of the leading publishing houses in the Philippines and has produced over 200 books in her ten years there.
She likes walking on the beach, dogs, cats, swoony and spicy romance novels, epic, sci-fi-fantasy novels, Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere books, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, and Taylor Swift. She is still trying (and failing) to meet all the impossible deadlines she gave herself five years ago.
Connect with her on Instagram and Tiktok at @micadeleonwrites and on Threads and X at @micadlwrites.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 26, 2025
"Love without duty is an empty promise. Duty without love is vanity."
an epic take on philippine mythology! creatively weaving through local folklore and introducing a unique concept of magic that leaves you on edge. all the while touching on power, political ideologies, and the essence of duty.
an epic take on philippine mythology! creatively weaving through local folklore and introducing a unique concept of magic that leaves you on edge. all the while touching on power, political ideologies, and the essence of duty.
September 1, 2024
Veins of Power (Seedmage Cycle #2) by Mica De Leon — ★ ★ ★ ★.5
“Duty is nothing without love.” — Dakila
This is the second book in the Seedmage Cycle trilogy, released on 8/13/24, and it picks up right where the first book left off. I loved getting to know more about Lutyo, the godvessel of the Death God, Sitan!
The political drama in this book was intense, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
And the love triangle I didn’t even know I needed? It’s both frustrating and swoon-worthy. I’m totally rooting for Lutyo, but with the way things are between him and Yin, I’m starting to doubt my choice! My heart aches for him—for everything he’s done and the freedom he desperately wants but can’t have.
Kalem’s story is heartbreaking too. He’s lost someone he really loved and is now torn between his duty and his passion for learning germachemy. He’s forced to step up, and I’m just glad he has Panday, who’s always got his back.
And Dakila, who’s always seeking his father’s approval, feels neglected and judged for being queer and a bastard’s son from his mother. 🥹
This book was a total emotional roller coaster, especially with that ending! Just when Yin was beginning to feel love, she ends up losing another part of herself. 🥹
Lastly, this trilogy really makes you think about the choices between duty and love and the weight of those responsibilities. It’s all about finding the freedom to break free from your fears and from people who are constantly controlling your life.
I know this book just came out, but I’m already dying to read book 3. Will the cover be black and gray? 👀 (that would be so cool) 🖤
“Duty is nothing without love.” — Dakila
This is the second book in the Seedmage Cycle trilogy, released on 8/13/24, and it picks up right where the first book left off. I loved getting to know more about Lutyo, the godvessel of the Death God, Sitan!
The political drama in this book was intense, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
And the love triangle I didn’t even know I needed? It’s both frustrating and swoon-worthy. I’m totally rooting for Lutyo, but with the way things are between him and Yin, I’m starting to doubt my choice! My heart aches for him—for everything he’s done and the freedom he desperately wants but can’t have.
Kalem’s story is heartbreaking too. He’s lost someone he really loved and is now torn between his duty and his passion for learning germachemy. He’s forced to step up, and I’m just glad he has Panday, who’s always got his back.
And Dakila, who’s always seeking his father’s approval, feels neglected and judged for being queer and a bastard’s son from his mother. 🥹
This book was a total emotional roller coaster, especially with that ending! Just when Yin was beginning to feel love, she ends up losing another part of herself. 🥹
Lastly, this trilogy really makes you think about the choices between duty and love and the weight of those responsibilities. It’s all about finding the freedom to break free from your fears and from people who are constantly controlling your life.
I know this book just came out, but I’m already dying to read book 3. Will the cover be black and gray? 👀 (that would be so cool) 🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2025
No, I won't spoil any details about this series by Mica De Leon. You just need to know that it fits the palate of someone like me who would always choose playing Street Fighter versus Capcom in Quantum Gaming Arcade instead of the public library. I am not a bookworm. I am the kind of reader who sits in the fine lines between children's books and complex fantasy fiction. I have a short attention span and the hook of a book, specially an English one, should really reel me in. The first few chapters must tickle my inner child for me to keep reading. The Seed Mage Cycle is just that. It was written like a mash cooked enough for my delicate jaw, interesting enough to keep me chewing, and succulent enough for me to digest.
February 24, 2026
Honestly the most frustrating read of 2026 so far.
It only started to get remotely interesting after Book 1 and about 160 pages into Book 2. If you don’t have the patience for that kind of buildup, don’t even bother. I actually fell asleep twice while reading Book 2. It was that dragging.
The repetition was exhausting. Certain lines kept appearing over and over again to the point where I found myself rolling my eyes every time: “Duty without love is vanity.” “Do not trust a man who hides his skin.” “What is love if you ignore your duty to it? What is duty if it’s not borne out of love?” “He was not his father.” The attempt at thematic depth became so overused that it lost whatever weight it initially had.
At times, the prose felt like it was trying too hard to be poetic, but instead came across as forced. I found myself cringing at the end of several chapters because both the writing and the plot progression felt weak. The only thing that kept me going was the lore, which does have potential.
Another major issue for me was the characterization. Many of the characters felt indistinguishable from one another, as if they all shared the same personality and emotional responses. Worse, several of them behaved like impulsive teenagers, even though some are supposed to be well over thirty. It made it difficult to take their conflicts seriously.
The modern tone of the dialogue and narration also clashed with the historical setting, repeatedly breaking immersion. It was hard to fully settle into the world.
There are also elements that deserve clearer trigger warnings, including incest.
On a technical note, there were a significant number of typos, along with errors in the map. I also found it strange that the acknowledgments section appeared to reuse the exact same speech from the previous book. I’ve never encountered that before.
Overall, this installment was deeply disappointing for me.
It only started to get remotely interesting after Book 1 and about 160 pages into Book 2. If you don’t have the patience for that kind of buildup, don’t even bother. I actually fell asleep twice while reading Book 2. It was that dragging.
The repetition was exhausting. Certain lines kept appearing over and over again to the point where I found myself rolling my eyes every time: “Duty without love is vanity.” “Do not trust a man who hides his skin.” “What is love if you ignore your duty to it? What is duty if it’s not borne out of love?” “He was not his father.” The attempt at thematic depth became so overused that it lost whatever weight it initially had.
At times, the prose felt like it was trying too hard to be poetic, but instead came across as forced. I found myself cringing at the end of several chapters because both the writing and the plot progression felt weak. The only thing that kept me going was the lore, which does have potential.
Another major issue for me was the characterization. Many of the characters felt indistinguishable from one another, as if they all shared the same personality and emotional responses. Worse, several of them behaved like impulsive teenagers, even though some are supposed to be well over thirty. It made it difficult to take their conflicts seriously.
The modern tone of the dialogue and narration also clashed with the historical setting, repeatedly breaking immersion. It was hard to fully settle into the world.
There are also elements that deserve clearer trigger warnings, including incest.
On a technical note, there were a significant number of typos, along with errors in the map. I also found it strange that the acknowledgments section appeared to reuse the exact same speech from the previous book. I’ve never encountered that before.
Overall, this installment was deeply disappointing for me.
March 30, 2025
4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
The second book in The Seedmage Cycle picks up right where the first left off, and from the very beginning, it had me hooked.
The political drama? Insane. The stakes are so much higher this time, and every chapter had me on edge.
And then there’s the love triangle. It’s frustrating in the best way and totally swoon-worthy. I was 100% Team Lutyo at first, but then his moments with Yin had me doubting everything. My heart ached for Lutyo, for everything he’s been through and the freedom he desperately craves but can’t seem to grasp.
Kalem’s story hit hard, too. Losing someone he truly loved and being caught between his duty and his passion for germachemy? Brutal. He’s forced to grow so much, and I’m just glad Panday’s there for him.
Honestly, I wish Yin had a female friend. She’s dealing with so much, and it would’ve been great to see her have someone to confide in outside of the romance and political drama.
And the ending? Absolutely insane! I still can’t process everything that happened. It left me speechless, shocked, and desperate for the next book. Mica De Leon has outdone herself, and I cannot wait to see how the third book concludes!
The second book in The Seedmage Cycle picks up right where the first left off, and from the very beginning, it had me hooked.
The political drama? Insane. The stakes are so much higher this time, and every chapter had me on edge.
And then there’s the love triangle. It’s frustrating in the best way and totally swoon-worthy. I was 100% Team Lutyo at first, but then his moments with Yin had me doubting everything. My heart ached for Lutyo, for everything he’s been through and the freedom he desperately craves but can’t seem to grasp.
Kalem’s story hit hard, too. Losing someone he truly loved and being caught between his duty and his passion for germachemy? Brutal. He’s forced to grow so much, and I’m just glad Panday’s there for him.
Honestly, I wish Yin had a female friend. She’s dealing with so much, and it would’ve been great to see her have someone to confide in outside of the romance and political drama.
And the ending? Absolutely insane! I still can’t process everything that happened. It left me speechless, shocked, and desperate for the next book. Mica De Leon has outdone herself, and I cannot wait to see how the third book concludes!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2026
Book 2 up the ante for my seedgods Kalem and Yin, okay, and Lutyo too. Their journey just gotten a whole lot messier, political and kingdom stakes are much higher, self discovery, drastic, and villains surrounding them in and out of their kingdom.
Would have finished sooner but I wanted to finish it when I have my hands on book 3, Seeds of Conquest, so here we are, onto the next!
Would have finished sooner but I wanted to finish it when I have my hands on book 3, Seeds of Conquest, so here we are, onto the next!
August 19, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews