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The Ronin Saga #2
Citadel of Fire
Seventeen-year old Gray is descended from a legendary hero known as a Ronin, and haunted by his forgotten past. He returns home to a wizards’ keep, unaware he is now labeled a murderous traitor for killing his best friend.
Returning could be a death sentence, but the journey alone is perilous. Along the way, Gray discovers he has a grandfather. Now he must reach the city before his only living family dies beneath a madman’s torture. Getting there will be a challenge, however, as an enthrallingly unpredictable woman, a dangerous desert, and a horde of thieves stand in his way. Wielding the banished power of wind, Gray rallies against the poisonous evil that seeks to convert the world to their mantra, “strength is life, weakness death.”
Yet with an affable scoundrel and a clever bookworm at his side, Gray discovers the world’s greatest secret… He is not the only one with hero’s blood, and the legend of the Ronin walk the world once again.
Returning could be a death sentence, but the journey alone is perilous. Along the way, Gray discovers he has a grandfather. Now he must reach the city before his only living family dies beneath a madman’s torture. Getting there will be a challenge, however, as an enthrallingly unpredictable woman, a dangerous desert, and a horde of thieves stand in his way. Wielding the banished power of wind, Gray rallies against the poisonous evil that seeks to convert the world to their mantra, “strength is life, weakness death.”
Yet with an affable scoundrel and a clever bookworm at his side, Gray discovers the world’s greatest secret… He is not the only one with hero’s blood, and the legend of the Ronin walk the world once again.
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First published September 1, 2014
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July 28, 2022Hi, I'm Matt Wolf, the Author. Just leaving this blank (no review) and using this as an update for people to follow along! So if you can "like" that'd be awesome <3
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6/28/2022
NEW SKYTHIEF IS OUT! http://kck.st/3vj05nT
3/21/2022
Also the Ronin Saga reached top 10 for ALL Audible books! Thank you all!
Here's a link to the audiobook:
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Knifes...
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6/28/2022
NEW SKYTHIEF IS OUT! http://kck.st/3vj05nT
3/21/2022
Also the Ronin Saga reached top 10 for ALL Audible books! Thank you all!
Here's a link to the audiobook:
https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Knifes...
December 30, 2014
[Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book from the author for reviewing purposes.]
I gave The Knife's Edge two stars as well, for many of the same reasons as I have two-starred this book. The largest problem I had with Citadel of Fire was that the writing style tried too hard to be high fantasy, that it became flowery and superfluous (side note: that's my favorite word). It was distracting, and confused, and the story suffered for it. There were way too many wrong words used, bad phrasing, and awkward sentences that made it very difficult for me to take the book seriously.
Also dealing with wording, I took issue with the near-constant references to Zane as "the fiery man." Again, this was distracting, and unnecessary. He is not a Greek god, i.e. "Grey-eyed Athena," or "White-armed Hera." He must have had some other attributes that could have been referenced. Even his name is enough (although there was a lot of name-flinging in this book too). There were many "her"s and "him"s that were mentioned without a previous name to which to be attached. When four or five characters are being referenced in a couple of paragraphs, the "her" and "him" desperately needs a clearer subject.
There were a few bits of poetry/song sprinkled throughout, but while I appreciate an attempt at bardic expression, the writer should really be more of a poet before including it in the finished work. In this case, it was not poetic enough to be counted as music, for me.
Plot-wise, my issues are as follows (and there are spoilers here):
1. If it took several hours of riding to get to Farbs from where Gray, Ayva and Darius camped out on their last night, from where and whom did Gray steal their clothes?
2. Victasys' death was so obviously foreshadowed that I wonder what the point of the battle detail was. His death itself served no purpose, other than to let Gray escape with Ezrah. But why bother at all with the character if his sole purpose was to get the group into the Citadel? Zane only trusted him because Victasys had previously saved his life, and paid a high price for it. Gray had no connection to this man, and had only spent a very minute period of time with him before he died, so why on earth would Gray and Zane feel so angry and full of revenge for Victasys? Perhaps I miss the point, but I felt that Victasys was a wasted plot point. Much more could have been done with him.
3. At one point (p. 350 in my edition) Gray hits a guard with the pommel of his sword and asks Kirin if he killed him. Kirin reassures Gray that the guard is only unconscious. Up to this point, Gray/Kirin hasn't really shown an affinity for killing, but he hasn't shied away from it either when necessary. So why would he worry about this one person in the middle of a tense scene? It seemed completely out of character.
4. Gray makes a lot of observations while running, fighting, in the middle of action, that would be better placed elsewhere. Other characters have frequent flash-backs or daydreams while they are walking somewhere, and other people notice. Is the entire city of Farbs just constantly lost in a daydream? The way they are incorporated, it breaks up the action in favor of observation, which completely ruins the flow.
5. Continuing on the observations front, why is it necessary that we always know, every time we see Faye in her armor, that she is wearing dark eye liner? And on the same note, why is everyone so fixated on everyone else's eyes?
6. The Darkwalkers sounded extremely familiar to me. As I was reading, the more I read about them the more they sounded like the Darkling's shadow monsters from the Grisha series. Simply going by publication dates, the Grisha series came first. I don't know if the author of this book has read that series, but they sounded pretty darn similar to me. To be fair, though, I'm sure Leigh Bardugo didn't create them either.
7. Lastly, I thought there was a HUGE plot hole in the fact that Arbiter Ezrah is able to send a message through his mind to Gray, and someone else, while he's being tortured, but he can't contact the Patriarch who is actually capable of helping the situation. Instead, after he's rescued, they send messengers who are ferreted out and murdered. Granted, if the Patriarch showed up and ruined Sithel's plans, there wouldn't be a story. But that hole should have been engineered out of the plot.
I really feel that this book needs a professional editor to weed out the misused and incorrect words, punctuation, and awkward phrasing which is found throughout the entire story, along with some glaring plot holes and strange inclusions. I found the plot itself to be an interesting one, but the writing was clumsy and the book is not something I would consider to be a high fantasy. Obviously a lot of work went into it, but I really just could not give it the benefit of the doubt this time. While the ending obviously sets up for book 3, I don't think I have it in me to give the series one last shot.
I gave The Knife's Edge two stars as well, for many of the same reasons as I have two-starred this book. The largest problem I had with Citadel of Fire was that the writing style tried too hard to be high fantasy, that it became flowery and superfluous (side note: that's my favorite word). It was distracting, and confused, and the story suffered for it. There were way too many wrong words used, bad phrasing, and awkward sentences that made it very difficult for me to take the book seriously.
Also dealing with wording, I took issue with the near-constant references to Zane as "the fiery man." Again, this was distracting, and unnecessary. He is not a Greek god, i.e. "Grey-eyed Athena," or "White-armed Hera." He must have had some other attributes that could have been referenced. Even his name is enough (although there was a lot of name-flinging in this book too). There were many "her"s and "him"s that were mentioned without a previous name to which to be attached. When four or five characters are being referenced in a couple of paragraphs, the "her" and "him" desperately needs a clearer subject.
There were a few bits of poetry/song sprinkled throughout, but while I appreciate an attempt at bardic expression, the writer should really be more of a poet before including it in the finished work. In this case, it was not poetic enough to be counted as music, for me.
Plot-wise, my issues are as follows (and there are spoilers here):
1. If it took several hours of riding to get to Farbs from where Gray, Ayva and Darius camped out on their last night, from where and whom did Gray steal their clothes?
2. Victasys' death was so obviously foreshadowed that I wonder what the point of the battle detail was. His death itself served no purpose, other than to let Gray escape with Ezrah. But why bother at all with the character if his sole purpose was to get the group into the Citadel? Zane only trusted him because Victasys had previously saved his life, and paid a high price for it. Gray had no connection to this man, and had only spent a very minute period of time with him before he died, so why on earth would Gray and Zane feel so angry and full of revenge for Victasys? Perhaps I miss the point, but I felt that Victasys was a wasted plot point. Much more could have been done with him.
3. At one point (p. 350 in my edition) Gray hits a guard with the pommel of his sword and asks Kirin if he killed him. Kirin reassures Gray that the guard is only unconscious. Up to this point, Gray/Kirin hasn't really shown an affinity for killing, but he hasn't shied away from it either when necessary. So why would he worry about this one person in the middle of a tense scene? It seemed completely out of character.
4. Gray makes a lot of observations while running, fighting, in the middle of action, that would be better placed elsewhere. Other characters have frequent flash-backs or daydreams while they are walking somewhere, and other people notice. Is the entire city of Farbs just constantly lost in a daydream? The way they are incorporated, it breaks up the action in favor of observation, which completely ruins the flow.
5. Continuing on the observations front, why is it necessary that we always know, every time we see Faye in her armor, that she is wearing dark eye liner? And on the same note, why is everyone so fixated on everyone else's eyes?
6. The Darkwalkers sounded extremely familiar to me. As I was reading, the more I read about them the more they sounded like the Darkling's shadow monsters from the Grisha series. Simply going by publication dates, the Grisha series came first. I don't know if the author of this book has read that series, but they sounded pretty darn similar to me. To be fair, though, I'm sure Leigh Bardugo didn't create them either.
7. Lastly, I thought there was a HUGE plot hole in the fact that Arbiter Ezrah is able to send a message through his mind to Gray, and someone else, while he's being tortured, but he can't contact the Patriarch who is actually capable of helping the situation. Instead, after he's rescued, they send messengers who are ferreted out and murdered. Granted, if the Patriarch showed up and ruined Sithel's plans, there wouldn't be a story. But that hole should have been engineered out of the plot.
I really feel that this book needs a professional editor to weed out the misused and incorrect words, punctuation, and awkward phrasing which is found throughout the entire story, along with some glaring plot holes and strange inclusions. I found the plot itself to be an interesting one, but the writing was clumsy and the book is not something I would consider to be a high fantasy. Obviously a lot of work went into it, but I really just could not give it the benefit of the doubt this time. While the ending obviously sets up for book 3, I don't think I have it in me to give the series one last shot.
September 1, 2014
So I read the first 21 chapters on wattpad as they were posted. What a joy that was, 21 whole chapters, my only fear is the portion those 21 chapters make up of the book because I hope it's only a very small amount, since by the time I was done I felt like we were finally just getting started.
I had complaints of the first book. Mostly grammatical issues, and issues with a lack of detail. In the 21 chapters I just read, already a big improvement is noticeable. There's still some things I have issue with, but the characters feel so much more alive already, and the writing itself is a big step up.
I can't lie, regardless of my issues with the first book I read it start to finish with nary a break. This book has me just as excited, I can't wait to read the rest, and when I get the chance I doubt I'll put it down.
Edit: I've officially finished. While, I still have some gripes, I have gripes with all my favorite stories. The second addition of the Ronin saga is head and shoulders over the first in terms of writing. The mistakes are fewer, for sure, but the writing is also more alive and vibrant. While the first felt a little stale, contrived, and either too fast or too slow, this has the steady feel of a truly well rounded novel.
As this is just a part in the series, there's some things one might wish to see that won't happen yet, and a sense of closure can be a little hard to find. However, I truly enjoyed reading this.
That said, for personal opinions, I find Ayva annoying most of the time, and I really really like Faye. I hope to see more Faye and that good things come of her. Also, if Faye has a crush on Gray I totally ship them.
There's some issues with the prose though. Like, some conversations felt a little unnatural, like you're waiting for them to say what you think should be said, but they don't. Like, they're conveniently idiots for a time. This does get sort of fixed as it goes on, with the dialogue feeling progressively more natural as the book goes on. By the end, I definitely felt like everything that should be addressed was addressed.
Top marks, if Mr. Wolf see's this, please add more Faye in the future.
P.S. One thing I was waiting for the whole book was a reintroduction to the 3 neophyte girls that were introduced in the beginning of book 1. The dorky bookish girl, and the 2 attractive mean girl types. They never showed up. I'm a little disappointed.
I had complaints of the first book. Mostly grammatical issues, and issues with a lack of detail. In the 21 chapters I just read, already a big improvement is noticeable. There's still some things I have issue with, but the characters feel so much more alive already, and the writing itself is a big step up.
I can't lie, regardless of my issues with the first book I read it start to finish with nary a break. This book has me just as excited, I can't wait to read the rest, and when I get the chance I doubt I'll put it down.
Edit: I've officially finished. While, I still have some gripes, I have gripes with all my favorite stories. The second addition of the Ronin saga is head and shoulders over the first in terms of writing. The mistakes are fewer, for sure, but the writing is also more alive and vibrant. While the first felt a little stale, contrived, and either too fast or too slow, this has the steady feel of a truly well rounded novel.
As this is just a part in the series, there's some things one might wish to see that won't happen yet, and a sense of closure can be a little hard to find. However, I truly enjoyed reading this.
That said, for personal opinions, I find Ayva annoying most of the time, and I really really like Faye. I hope to see more Faye and that good things come of her. Also, if Faye has a crush on Gray I totally ship them.
There's some issues with the prose though. Like, some conversations felt a little unnatural, like you're waiting for them to say what you think should be said, but they don't. Like, they're conveniently idiots for a time. This does get sort of fixed as it goes on, with the dialogue feeling progressively more natural as the book goes on. By the end, I definitely felt like everything that should be addressed was addressed.
Top marks, if Mr. Wolf see's this, please add more Faye in the future.
P.S. One thing I was waiting for the whole book was a reintroduction to the 3 neophyte girls that were introduced in the beginning of book 1. The dorky bookish girl, and the 2 attractive mean girl types. They never showed up. I'm a little disappointed.
October 7, 2014
Citadel of Fire by Matthew Wolf
Print Length: 587 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 098914836X
Publisher: Matthew Wolf (September 1, 2014)
My Review~
I received this book in exchange for a honest unbiased review.
I have to mention that I haven't read the first book, so this review is totally based on the book itself. I didn't have trouble getting into this fantastic adventure nor did I feel like I was lost having not read the first book. I really want to go back and read the first book just because I can't get enough of this series. This book series is one that I will gladly read and re-read over and over again. I'm dying to read the next book! This author has one heck of a mind to come up with this book series. This series ranks up with Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit in my opinion. I can't wait to see where this series leads to! This book is full of adventure, action, magic, and much much more. I promise you won't be disappointed with this series!I will keep my review generic due to I'm having a hard time writing something that won't give away the details and story! Just know that Gray rocks my book reading mind!
Amazon Book Description~~
Legends never die... But what can one boy do to stop an immortal evil? The sequel to the Amazon Bestselling series, The Ronin Saga.
Seventeen-year old Gray is descended from a legendary hero known as a Ronin and haunted by his forgotten past. He returns home to a wizards' keep, unaware he is now labeled a murderous traitor for killing his best friend.
Now he must cross a dangerous desert full of thieves, mythical beasts, and other magical unknowns, all to return to a home that may be his demise. At the same time, a poisonous evil seeks to convert the world to their dark mantra, "strength is life, weakness death."
Gray may have hero's blood in his veins, but how can one kill a belief?
Print Length: 587 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 098914836X
Publisher: Matthew Wolf (September 1, 2014)
My Review~
I received this book in exchange for a honest unbiased review.
I have to mention that I haven't read the first book, so this review is totally based on the book itself. I didn't have trouble getting into this fantastic adventure nor did I feel like I was lost having not read the first book. I really want to go back and read the first book just because I can't get enough of this series. This book series is one that I will gladly read and re-read over and over again. I'm dying to read the next book! This author has one heck of a mind to come up with this book series. This series ranks up with Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit in my opinion. I can't wait to see where this series leads to! This book is full of adventure, action, magic, and much much more. I promise you won't be disappointed with this series!I will keep my review generic due to I'm having a hard time writing something that won't give away the details and story! Just know that Gray rocks my book reading mind!
Amazon Book Description~~
Legends never die... But what can one boy do to stop an immortal evil? The sequel to the Amazon Bestselling series, The Ronin Saga.
Seventeen-year old Gray is descended from a legendary hero known as a Ronin and haunted by his forgotten past. He returns home to a wizards' keep, unaware he is now labeled a murderous traitor for killing his best friend.
Now he must cross a dangerous desert full of thieves, mythical beasts, and other magical unknowns, all to return to a home that may be his demise. At the same time, a poisonous evil seeks to convert the world to their dark mantra, "strength is life, weakness death."
Gray may have hero's blood in his veins, but how can one kill a belief?
September 13, 2014
Wolf has created an engaging and thrilling story that will captivate all audiences. I was excited to see his writing evolve from the first book, The Knife’s Edge, where he had set the stage for his series with a world that collapses, heroes that are reborn, and young heroes that face new challenges.
Book 2, Citadel of Fire, explodes with action and lively and interesting characters full of humor and duality. Gray, Ayva and Darius become more complex and their relationship is forged through their adventures. I thought their relationship was a bit forced in the first book, but in this book their relationship makes perfect sense. You’ll see why! The new characters that he introduces, Faye, Victasys, Jian, and Hadrian are rich and multi-faceted. Like a previous reviewer, I couldn’t get enough of Faye and completely understand how anyone would be drawn to her character. She’s awesome!
It’s so rewarding to see the world become more complex and interesting as Wolf’s writing just keeps getting better. I was drawn into the world of Karil and the elves and I’m sure Wolf plans for their world to unfold in book 3 – he teased us with these characters in book 2 and introduced Hadrian. Wow. I wanted more!
The only complaint that I have is that the map is dark and the font is kind of hard to read….a minor complaint.
If this is the speed at which he develops and produces then we’re in for a treat. I am in it for the long run and can’t wait to see the world of The Ronin Saga develop.
Book 2, Citadel of Fire, explodes with action and lively and interesting characters full of humor and duality. Gray, Ayva and Darius become more complex and their relationship is forged through their adventures. I thought their relationship was a bit forced in the first book, but in this book their relationship makes perfect sense. You’ll see why! The new characters that he introduces, Faye, Victasys, Jian, and Hadrian are rich and multi-faceted. Like a previous reviewer, I couldn’t get enough of Faye and completely understand how anyone would be drawn to her character. She’s awesome!
It’s so rewarding to see the world become more complex and interesting as Wolf’s writing just keeps getting better. I was drawn into the world of Karil and the elves and I’m sure Wolf plans for their world to unfold in book 3 – he teased us with these characters in book 2 and introduced Hadrian. Wow. I wanted more!
The only complaint that I have is that the map is dark and the font is kind of hard to read….a minor complaint.
If this is the speed at which he develops and produces then we’re in for a treat. I am in it for the long run and can’t wait to see the world of The Ronin Saga develop.
July 26, 2015
This second novel of the Ronin Saga was substantially better than its predecessor (I received copies of both books in exchange for honest reviews). Wolf has clearly grown as a writer - his characters are more interesting, his pacing is less jarring, his metaphors are more enjoyable, and his word choices are more sensible. I very much enjoyed the addition of Zane and Faye to the series even if I am not sure I understand why the two main female characters had to be so over-the-top hostile towards each other.
There is still room to grow, of course. I thought the first half of the book dragged a bit, and it took a good 200 pages for me to become particularly invested in the plot or characters. I also think it was a misstep to have the Arbiter uncovering ancient texts of a long-hidden and forgotten magical object mere moments before he just so happens to be attacked by that very object. Furthermore, Wolf has a tendency to kill characters before he makes the reader care about them. There were a few other poor choices of that nature, but I'm not going to nitpick. I maintain that Wolf has a lot of potential, but I honestly don't think we'll see his best work until he moves on from the Ronin Saga to build a world more entirely his own.
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good book. I may even buy myself a copy of the third one when it comes out.
There is still room to grow, of course. I thought the first half of the book dragged a bit, and it took a good 200 pages for me to become particularly invested in the plot or characters. I also think it was a misstep to have the Arbiter uncovering ancient texts of a long-hidden and forgotten magical object mere moments before he just so happens to be attacked by that very object. Furthermore, Wolf has a tendency to kill characters before he makes the reader care about them. There were a few other poor choices of that nature, but I'm not going to nitpick. I maintain that Wolf has a lot of potential, but I honestly don't think we'll see his best work until he moves on from the Ronin Saga to build a world more entirely his own.
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good book. I may even buy myself a copy of the third one when it comes out.
September 14, 2014
This book was as exciting as its predecessor was. The new adventures and the new characters within this book are amazing and they all show potential to make this story even more interesting as before. Its a book packed with mystery, magic, deception and many other enchanting things that made me wish for more. I can't wait for the Ronin Saga to continue in this wonderful world created by Matthew Wolf for many years to come.
October 24, 2014
This is a saga that only gets even better in this iteration. The characters are more richly elaborated and I enjoyed getting to know them on their journey. The humor, fantasy and glory really shines through and I had fun reading about this battle between good and evil. The writing really made me imagine the scenery and all the fast paced action vividly and I am so glad I got to read it. Highly recommend this one.
October 11, 2014
When I started the second book in the Ronin Saga, I was really excited. The first book caught my attention and held it throughout.
This book was just as good as the first one, if not better! It was a fantastic read and I cannot wait until the third book.
This book was just as good as the first one, if not better! It was a fantastic read and I cannot wait until the third book.
July 7, 2015
I have to be honest: I read Citadel of Fire without having read The Knife’s edge, since the book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. As such I have no knowledge of what happened before we find our heroes en route to Farbs in a magical desert that sprouts oases and dangerous warriors.
My first impression of the book was one of confusion. There was, I felt, very little effort in introducing the characters or the events that transpired in book 1, only instances of vague reminiscence that obviously make a lot more sense if one knows what happened before. I agree that there shouldn’t be an exposition that informs us of what happened in book one, but there are subtle ways to recap a story so that the older readers remember what happened and the new ones get some kind of context. It isn’t easy, but it is doable, and nobody should assume that readers will binge the books one after another by default (although I am guilty of this particular act myself).
That does not mean that there is a clean cut between books one and two. As the narrative progresses there are more bits and pieces that add up to something that should be a relatively accurate account of what happened to Gray/Kirin, Ayva and Darius in the previous book. It should be way more informative though – instead of the characters talking about “that thing that happened in Laketown” they could have spoken about “that time the Kage and their dark army burned, slaughtered and pillaged Laketown, not necessarily in this order”. A little more detail in some of those stories would go a long way towards involving new readers without sounding like a forced recap a la anime plot summaries.
The story in itself is not exceptional by fantasy standards but still fairly solid. There is impending doom, an era is ending, there are heroes and villains bigger than life, magic swords, a kind of distinct magic system (more on that later) and protagonists that have to surpass themselves to fight the rising evil and the mounting odds. Mysterious or caricatured sidekicks (or both) and something that could eventually evolve to a forced love triangle complete the picture. There are no apparent plot holes, there is enough foreshadowing and most difficult situations the protagonists find themselves in are usually resolved either by them surpassing their limits / self sacrifice or by the convenient intervention of an external force. There is nothing really exceptional here, no real novelty (but maybe I’m just jaded). There is a lot of potential though, and I will be following Wolf’s career development with interest.
Language is, as with most startup authors, something of an issue. Oftentimes the narrating style does not agree with the narration itself – gritty or epic scenes are presented from greater distance for example, or fall into clichés (the whole shady bar sequence comes to mind, or the scene where Zane fights the Darkeye guards after the Lost Ones’ massacre). At other times it seems like the author tries too hard, waxing lyrical when he should be upping the pace or falling into tropes of the genre and delivering them without much deliberation. In the largest part of the book I had the feeling that something is slightly off. This is obviously a case of inexperience, this being the author’s second book, and I am sure that there will be improvement in his future works, but at the time I find the language is uneven and could use more work. Good vocabulary, even though some of the word-building is a bit lazy (it is ironic that the capital of the Metal Kingdom is called Yronia. Like, really, at least go for something less obvious. Take a Latin word, a Sanskrit one. Ancient Greek works too, just try something that is not overly English. Also, how come there are two brothers that have the names Aundevoria and Aurelius? How on earth are those names even from the same language? The one feels elvish and the other distinctly more human, and it feels wrong that someone with the name of Aundevoria is using the element of stone.)
The magic system is not particularly innovative, if anything it feels a bit excessive. Is there a difference between sun and fire? If yes, then what is it? Why is leaf stronger than fire? Why are flesh and metal elements? What makes earth and metal different? The symbolic gravity of having seven ronin (see, it already sounds majestic as f*ck) is a great temptation, but it leads, I feel, to a bloated magic system. Other universes with similar magic systems make the same things happen with less ingredients, or make them feel less complicated. In Wheel of Time the magic system also combines a lot of elements/flavors (the One Power has Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Spirit threads), hell it is even split into a male and a female half. Yet the way it is introduced (from the perspective of a practitioner and graaaadually) never makes the reader feel overwhelmed or confused by it. In the Lightbringer series, where each colour is an “element” we have magic first presented in a wild, uncontrolled form and then again explained from the perspective of a magic learner. Even in Avatar, yes, the Nickelodeon series, we have four elements which are not set in a relation of power to each other that can accomplish everything (from lava-bending to creating storms and moving plants). In all cases the number of elements that is used is the bare minimum that allows for consistency. After establishing a simple system of “elemental” magic and its ground rules the desired effects can be fitted into it.
There are examples where magic is not explained in depth from a theoretical perspective. The Malazan saga, for example, leaves readers completely in the dark about the magic system in the early books. However it is later revealed that there is, in fact, an internal consistency in this system, and even though it might seem unnecessarily big, every single fact about it has a good reason to exist. And it boils down to a simple, “elemental” magic again, just one that was modernized and renovated a couple of times.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that as long as there is no insight provided about the magic system (and yes it is a genuinely good idea about the spark being in everybody and even about the spark coming from the flow) or if it is not kept sufficiently secret, the reader will feel a bit helpless when reading about threads of flesh being woven tighter, or someone hiding behind a weave of moon. There is absolutely no explanation about those things in Citadel of Fire, and from what I could gather, little introduction in The Knife’s Edge. Maybe I am wrong and the magic system is sufficiently introduced in book one. If that is the case, then we should, again, have some kind of recap for new readers. The Lightbringer series is a great example here, because the drafting system is so simple: you can draw light energy from your surroundings and shape it in solid form. Different wavelengths offer different possibilities. The Prism is very special because he can draft all colours and can split white light into its constituent colours. If a whole magic system is so easily describable within three sentences it is not much of a burden to incorporate them in each new book. This way new readers might not understand why a magic action is particularly impressive, but they will still understand how it “works” within the magic system. Such “explanations” (again, as with above, they do not need to be in lecture style) are what is definitely missing from Citadel Of Fire.
Combat scenes are not many throughout the book, and in the one part where a fight is hyped up (Kirin/Gray vs Devari Final Boss) it ends underwhelmingly, in our hero opening his mind and earning a truce. Maybe the most entertaining fight to read was Gray vs Zane, although the action could have been more exciting. I wasn’t captivated by other battle scenes, and the way the final battle ended, with a huge ally raining down from the sky and saving the day (with caged animals breaking free from the city and joining the ranks of a depleted but skilled and dedicated army) was a bit disappointing. I am sure it would look great in film, huge translucent phoxes snarling beautifully, dark, sinister darkwalkers exploding under the blades of menacing-looking Devari and a nefarious fog rising from the ground. There would probably be a close-up when Faye kills Darkeye (a villain who was hyped so highly and then apparently dies in the confusion of battle in the hands of a former lieutenant despite being surrounded by elite and trusted troops) and Gray’s sword would have to glow calmly, something like Anduril from LotR in the presence of Orcs. I can see it, and it is glorious on film. And it is written to evoke this cinematic feeling, or maybe derived from the cinematic feeling. This retracts a lot from the realism of the fight (something most fights in the book miss to some extent). It is like the Battle of the Five Armies in the Hobbit, where even the Orcs are standing in neat lines and they have set up an observatory so that the audience can see troop movements (with Orc commentary, because from that distance how would we know who the Orcs are and who the Humans and the Dwarves?). Nowhere is the feeling of urgency, the confusion of the battlefield. Reading the story it feels heroic and last-stand-ey, and the reader knows that there will be a deus ex machina (just like everybody knows the Eagles will save the good guys’ bacon in the end, it always happens in Tolkien /s).
To many reading this, it might seem like I didn’t like the book at all. That is wrong: I wouldn’t rank it with the classics of Fantasy literature, but I enjoyed reading it. It was ok. The ideas in the books are good but not amazing, not something unheard of. The universe Wolf describes is loosely consistent. I expect that more writing will eventually lead him to his “true” writing style (I am confident that it will be more refined – I mean look at how the Stormlight archive is turning out: book 1 starts so cringey and then it proceeds to become good and then riveting, and book 2? That is an entirely different kind of quality we are talking about) and can make him a serviceable fantasy author.
There are, however, glimpses here and there, and if the potential that is promised by these glimpses is ever realized, then we are in for a great journey.
TL;DR: I’ve read better fantasy literature. This is an ok entry book but should not be marketed to an audience older than YA. Matthew Wolf is pretty young and will only get better with time, and if his work here is any judge then he could write some damn fine fantasy books in the future.
My first impression of the book was one of confusion. There was, I felt, very little effort in introducing the characters or the events that transpired in book 1, only instances of vague reminiscence that obviously make a lot more sense if one knows what happened before. I agree that there shouldn’t be an exposition that informs us of what happened in book one, but there are subtle ways to recap a story so that the older readers remember what happened and the new ones get some kind of context. It isn’t easy, but it is doable, and nobody should assume that readers will binge the books one after another by default (although I am guilty of this particular act myself).
That does not mean that there is a clean cut between books one and two. As the narrative progresses there are more bits and pieces that add up to something that should be a relatively accurate account of what happened to Gray/Kirin, Ayva and Darius in the previous book. It should be way more informative though – instead of the characters talking about “that thing that happened in Laketown” they could have spoken about “that time the Kage and their dark army burned, slaughtered and pillaged Laketown, not necessarily in this order”. A little more detail in some of those stories would go a long way towards involving new readers without sounding like a forced recap a la anime plot summaries.
The story in itself is not exceptional by fantasy standards but still fairly solid. There is impending doom, an era is ending, there are heroes and villains bigger than life, magic swords, a kind of distinct magic system (more on that later) and protagonists that have to surpass themselves to fight the rising evil and the mounting odds. Mysterious or caricatured sidekicks (or both) and something that could eventually evolve to a forced love triangle complete the picture. There are no apparent plot holes, there is enough foreshadowing and most difficult situations the protagonists find themselves in are usually resolved either by them surpassing their limits / self sacrifice or by the convenient intervention of an external force. There is nothing really exceptional here, no real novelty (but maybe I’m just jaded). There is a lot of potential though, and I will be following Wolf’s career development with interest.
Language is, as with most startup authors, something of an issue. Oftentimes the narrating style does not agree with the narration itself – gritty or epic scenes are presented from greater distance for example, or fall into clichés (the whole shady bar sequence comes to mind, or the scene where Zane fights the Darkeye guards after the Lost Ones’ massacre). At other times it seems like the author tries too hard, waxing lyrical when he should be upping the pace or falling into tropes of the genre and delivering them without much deliberation. In the largest part of the book I had the feeling that something is slightly off. This is obviously a case of inexperience, this being the author’s second book, and I am sure that there will be improvement in his future works, but at the time I find the language is uneven and could use more work. Good vocabulary, even though some of the word-building is a bit lazy (it is ironic that the capital of the Metal Kingdom is called Yronia. Like, really, at least go for something less obvious. Take a Latin word, a Sanskrit one. Ancient Greek works too, just try something that is not overly English. Also, how come there are two brothers that have the names Aundevoria and Aurelius? How on earth are those names even from the same language? The one feels elvish and the other distinctly more human, and it feels wrong that someone with the name of Aundevoria is using the element of stone.)
The magic system is not particularly innovative, if anything it feels a bit excessive. Is there a difference between sun and fire? If yes, then what is it? Why is leaf stronger than fire? Why are flesh and metal elements? What makes earth and metal different? The symbolic gravity of having seven ronin (see, it already sounds majestic as f*ck) is a great temptation, but it leads, I feel, to a bloated magic system. Other universes with similar magic systems make the same things happen with less ingredients, or make them feel less complicated. In Wheel of Time the magic system also combines a lot of elements/flavors (the One Power has Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Spirit threads), hell it is even split into a male and a female half. Yet the way it is introduced (from the perspective of a practitioner and graaaadually) never makes the reader feel overwhelmed or confused by it. In the Lightbringer series, where each colour is an “element” we have magic first presented in a wild, uncontrolled form and then again explained from the perspective of a magic learner. Even in Avatar, yes, the Nickelodeon series, we have four elements which are not set in a relation of power to each other that can accomplish everything (from lava-bending to creating storms and moving plants). In all cases the number of elements that is used is the bare minimum that allows for consistency. After establishing a simple system of “elemental” magic and its ground rules the desired effects can be fitted into it.
There are examples where magic is not explained in depth from a theoretical perspective. The Malazan saga, for example, leaves readers completely in the dark about the magic system in the early books. However it is later revealed that there is, in fact, an internal consistency in this system, and even though it might seem unnecessarily big, every single fact about it has a good reason to exist. And it boils down to a simple, “elemental” magic again, just one that was modernized and renovated a couple of times.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that as long as there is no insight provided about the magic system (and yes it is a genuinely good idea about the spark being in everybody and even about the spark coming from the flow) or if it is not kept sufficiently secret, the reader will feel a bit helpless when reading about threads of flesh being woven tighter, or someone hiding behind a weave of moon. There is absolutely no explanation about those things in Citadel of Fire, and from what I could gather, little introduction in The Knife’s Edge. Maybe I am wrong and the magic system is sufficiently introduced in book one. If that is the case, then we should, again, have some kind of recap for new readers. The Lightbringer series is a great example here, because the drafting system is so simple: you can draw light energy from your surroundings and shape it in solid form. Different wavelengths offer different possibilities. The Prism is very special because he can draft all colours and can split white light into its constituent colours. If a whole magic system is so easily describable within three sentences it is not much of a burden to incorporate them in each new book. This way new readers might not understand why a magic action is particularly impressive, but they will still understand how it “works” within the magic system. Such “explanations” (again, as with above, they do not need to be in lecture style) are what is definitely missing from Citadel Of Fire.
Combat scenes are not many throughout the book, and in the one part where a fight is hyped up (Kirin/Gray vs Devari Final Boss) it ends underwhelmingly, in our hero opening his mind and earning a truce. Maybe the most entertaining fight to read was Gray vs Zane, although the action could have been more exciting. I wasn’t captivated by other battle scenes, and the way the final battle ended, with a huge ally raining down from the sky and saving the day (with caged animals breaking free from the city and joining the ranks of a depleted but skilled and dedicated army) was a bit disappointing. I am sure it would look great in film, huge translucent phoxes snarling beautifully, dark, sinister darkwalkers exploding under the blades of menacing-looking Devari and a nefarious fog rising from the ground. There would probably be a close-up when Faye kills Darkeye (a villain who was hyped so highly and then apparently dies in the confusion of battle in the hands of a former lieutenant despite being surrounded by elite and trusted troops) and Gray’s sword would have to glow calmly, something like Anduril from LotR in the presence of Orcs. I can see it, and it is glorious on film. And it is written to evoke this cinematic feeling, or maybe derived from the cinematic feeling. This retracts a lot from the realism of the fight (something most fights in the book miss to some extent). It is like the Battle of the Five Armies in the Hobbit, where even the Orcs are standing in neat lines and they have set up an observatory so that the audience can see troop movements (with Orc commentary, because from that distance how would we know who the Orcs are and who the Humans and the Dwarves?). Nowhere is the feeling of urgency, the confusion of the battlefield. Reading the story it feels heroic and last-stand-ey, and the reader knows that there will be a deus ex machina (just like everybody knows the Eagles will save the good guys’ bacon in the end, it always happens in Tolkien /s).
To many reading this, it might seem like I didn’t like the book at all. That is wrong: I wouldn’t rank it with the classics of Fantasy literature, but I enjoyed reading it. It was ok. The ideas in the books are good but not amazing, not something unheard of. The universe Wolf describes is loosely consistent. I expect that more writing will eventually lead him to his “true” writing style (I am confident that it will be more refined – I mean look at how the Stormlight archive is turning out: book 1 starts so cringey and then it proceeds to become good and then riveting, and book 2? That is an entirely different kind of quality we are talking about) and can make him a serviceable fantasy author.
There are, however, glimpses here and there, and if the potential that is promised by these glimpses is ever realized, then we are in for a great journey.
TL;DR: I’ve read better fantasy literature. This is an ok entry book but should not be marketed to an audience older than YA. Matthew Wolf is pretty young and will only get better with time, and if his work here is any judge then he could write some damn fine fantasy books in the future.
April 2, 2017
This is a great sencond book of the series. I enjoyed the charaters and story line that keeps you reading. As the characters find thier powers to stop the evil that is coming to thier world, they are finding new friends along the way and becoming aware of who they are truely becoming. Great writing and story will keep you reading til the end and you'll want the next book of the series. Great Reading Everyone.
December 17, 2024
The character development and banter are top tier! The world is very cool and i can’t wait to find out more
November 25, 2025
I have read the entire Ronin Saga up to volume 5 and must admit that I am addicted. When I recently saw Matt at FanX Salt Lake, I got him to commit to his volume 6 for spring 2026.
Matt has done an amzing job of creating a world where legends are returning to hopefully turn the tide of impending destruction that has been brewing for centuries.
The is the classic heroes journey times nine!
Matt has done an amzing job of creating a world where legends are returning to hopefully turn the tide of impending destruction that has been brewing for centuries.
The is the classic heroes journey times nine!
July 28, 2021
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
We return to the dangerous lands of Farhaven where ancient evil is returning but also the best warriors to defeat this peril, the Ronin. Samurai like warriors with the power of the nine elements are slowly returning to the world and all parties are searching for them. Gray discovers that he is the Ronin of the forbidden wind element and must return to the origins of his upbringing in Farbs to recover his long lost memories. Along with his two friends Ayva and Darius, the Citadel of Fire awaits but the answers they find will not be pleasant to hear and they must move quickly as they are being hunted.
Citadel of Fire builds on everything that Matthew Wolf set up in book 1. Now that the characters are established and we already have a small glimpse into the history of the Ronin, this book is just ripe for expansion and evolution. Gray must learn to harness his powers and learn to tame the Flow in order to protect his friends and discover who he truly is. We are introduced to an orphan boy named Zane as he lives in the Underbelly of Farbs with his sister Hannah. Zane’s story is one of desperation, deceit, and mystery into the inner workings of the Underbelly while providing information relevant to the overall plot. Eventually Zane will come into contact with Gray and the dots start to slowly connect and the plot will take you full speed ahead to the end. We also come into contact with a skilled fighter by the name of Faye. Faye agrees to lead Gray and his friends into Farbs, but what the three don’t know is that Faye is also in connection to the evil Darkeye and she must tread carefully into unknown waters.
The Ronin are returning to Farhaven and we will see that unfold to a greater extent in Citadel of Fire. Larger implications for the series will begin to take shape with plenty of action to go along with the excellent worldbuilding. Pacing can be slow in the beginning but stick with it and the rewards will be paid back tenfold. One great aspect about this story is the inclusion of the Ronin’s power being amplified with the addition of their legendary blades. Gray inherits Morrowil from the previous wind Ronin Kail but the sword is not that easy a weapon to master. This just adds an extra level of intrigue and mystery into how will all of these aspects come together in the end.
If you couldn’t tell already, I loved this second entry into the Ronin saga. The story is fresh, riveting, fun, and darker the further you get into the story. Matthew Wolf has been writing this series since his high school days and the passion he invests into his characters and world flow off the page. Self published authors will forever get support from me and this is another series I would gladly add to my collection. Happy reading to all.
Cheers!
We return to the dangerous lands of Farhaven where ancient evil is returning but also the best warriors to defeat this peril, the Ronin. Samurai like warriors with the power of the nine elements are slowly returning to the world and all parties are searching for them. Gray discovers that he is the Ronin of the forbidden wind element and must return to the origins of his upbringing in Farbs to recover his long lost memories. Along with his two friends Ayva and Darius, the Citadel of Fire awaits but the answers they find will not be pleasant to hear and they must move quickly as they are being hunted.
Citadel of Fire builds on everything that Matthew Wolf set up in book 1. Now that the characters are established and we already have a small glimpse into the history of the Ronin, this book is just ripe for expansion and evolution. Gray must learn to harness his powers and learn to tame the Flow in order to protect his friends and discover who he truly is. We are introduced to an orphan boy named Zane as he lives in the Underbelly of Farbs with his sister Hannah. Zane’s story is one of desperation, deceit, and mystery into the inner workings of the Underbelly while providing information relevant to the overall plot. Eventually Zane will come into contact with Gray and the dots start to slowly connect and the plot will take you full speed ahead to the end. We also come into contact with a skilled fighter by the name of Faye. Faye agrees to lead Gray and his friends into Farbs, but what the three don’t know is that Faye is also in connection to the evil Darkeye and she must tread carefully into unknown waters.
The Ronin are returning to Farhaven and we will see that unfold to a greater extent in Citadel of Fire. Larger implications for the series will begin to take shape with plenty of action to go along with the excellent worldbuilding. Pacing can be slow in the beginning but stick with it and the rewards will be paid back tenfold. One great aspect about this story is the inclusion of the Ronin’s power being amplified with the addition of their legendary blades. Gray inherits Morrowil from the previous wind Ronin Kail but the sword is not that easy a weapon to master. This just adds an extra level of intrigue and mystery into how will all of these aspects come together in the end.
If you couldn’t tell already, I loved this second entry into the Ronin saga. The story is fresh, riveting, fun, and darker the further you get into the story. Matthew Wolf has been writing this series since his high school days and the passion he invests into his characters and world flow off the page. Self published authors will forever get support from me and this is another series I would gladly add to my collection. Happy reading to all.
Cheers!
March 1, 2015
I read the first book of the Ronin Saga The knife's Edge. While not perfect it was a deeply satisfying and enjoyable read on my Kindle. when I heard about the next book in the series, Citadel of fire. So I preorder it on Kickstarter. When it arrived I was eager to read the book.
Taking place right after the first book. Gray and friends have just entered Farhaven and are headed to the city of fire, Farbs. To rescue his grandfather Ezrah from the citadel. The story flows at a fine pace but starts a little on the slow side. But once you get past the slow beginning pages it becomes much more intense. there is lots of action and betrayals that make you keep reading, just to find out what will happen next. The world doesn't get diminished its as interesting as it was in the previous book. But it is the characters that really make the story shine Gray is just as good as it was the Knife's Edge but at times suffers from some "Hero Ball" moments. Darius the Rouge is one of my favorite characters in this series so far he is a delight to read> But the new character that I loved the most in this book is Zane. In some ways I Like him more than Gray. When he was on the page I wanted to know more about him. While he doesn't over shadow the others (at some points he gets close to it,) rather he compliments the and makes a fine addition to the cast of the Ronin Saga.
Not only do they have to contend with the forces of the citadel they also have to deal with Darkeye's forces and his machinations for Farbs and makes for a nasty presence for them to deal with.
All this comes to a head in the last chapters with a very satisfying conclusion to the story leading up to the next book in the Ronin saga. If there was one small flaw, while you could read this as a stand alone story, I would not recommend it. You would confused and would be cheating yourself out of a great series. I would highly recommend book as a worthy follow up to the Knife's Edge. And will be looking forward to the next title in the Ronin Saga.
Taking place right after the first book. Gray and friends have just entered Farhaven and are headed to the city of fire, Farbs. To rescue his grandfather Ezrah from the citadel. The story flows at a fine pace but starts a little on the slow side. But once you get past the slow beginning pages it becomes much more intense. there is lots of action and betrayals that make you keep reading, just to find out what will happen next. The world doesn't get diminished its as interesting as it was in the previous book. But it is the characters that really make the story shine Gray is just as good as it was the Knife's Edge but at times suffers from some "Hero Ball" moments. Darius the Rouge is one of my favorite characters in this series so far he is a delight to read> But the new character that I loved the most in this book is Zane. In some ways I Like him more than Gray. When he was on the page I wanted to know more about him. While he doesn't over shadow the others (at some points he gets close to it,) rather he compliments the and makes a fine addition to the cast of the Ronin Saga.
Not only do they have to contend with the forces of the citadel they also have to deal with Darkeye's forces and his machinations for Farbs and makes for a nasty presence for them to deal with.
All this comes to a head in the last chapters with a very satisfying conclusion to the story leading up to the next book in the Ronin saga. If there was one small flaw, while you could read this as a stand alone story, I would not recommend it. You would confused and would be cheating yourself out of a great series. I would highly recommend book as a worthy follow up to the Knife's Edge. And will be looking forward to the next title in the Ronin Saga.
January 9, 2015
“Citadel of Fire” was published in 2014 and was written by Matthew Wolf (http://roninsaga.com). This is the second book of “The Ronin Saga” and Mr. Wolf’s second book.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this Fantasy novel as ‘R’ as there is Violence. The novel is written in the third person.
This story picks up a short time after the first novel of the series, The Knife’s Edge, ends. Gray, Ayva and Darius go to the Citadel to save Gray’s grandfather. They know he has been taken and is being tortured, but do not know by whom. Along the way they encounter new characters - Zane and his sister.
They split up to both save Gray’s grandfather and to rescue Zane’s sister. They find more allies, but uncover more dark enemies as well. I enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this novel. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this Fantasy novel as ‘R’ as there is Violence. The novel is written in the third person.
This story picks up a short time after the first novel of the series, The Knife’s Edge, ends. Gray, Ayva and Darius go to the Citadel to save Gray’s grandfather. They know he has been taken and is being tortured, but do not know by whom. Along the way they encounter new characters - Zane and his sister.
They split up to both save Gray’s grandfather and to rescue Zane’s sister. They find more allies, but uncover more dark enemies as well. I enjoyed the 10.5 hours I spent reading this novel. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
October 28, 2014
Citadel of Fire is the second book in the Ronin Saga series. This engrossing young adult fantasy story continues the tale of Gray, who has a forgotten past and a destiny to meet. In this book we are introduced to Zane, an orphan who is given a mysterious object by an equally mysterious old man who saves Zane from certain death. I enjoyed how the author took two characters with two seemingly different storylines and wove their paths together. This well-written book kept my attention, which isn’t easy to do. It was the little details that I appreciated. When authors create a world like Farhaven, it’s easy to describe the scenery, but it’s the slang of the characters that makes the world interesting for me.
October 27, 2014
Another brilliant read! This book is a great follow-up to #1 and it definitely left me wanting to read #3! It is well-written and very thrilling. Matthew Wolf has done it again and he is for sure one of my favorite authors. This is a strong mythic fantasy novel with good characterizations and plenty of action and adventure.I enjoyed a terrific adventure that I didn't want to return from. I Thoroughly recommend this book, possibly even better than the first, and I now can't wait for the next one! This is a book I would read again! I highly recommend it!
November 5, 2014
What a great follow up to The Knife's Edge. Once again the author has created a captivating and exciting fantasy tale that does a great job immersing the reader. The story is an epic tale of good and evil as the rumors of the return of the Ronin take center stage in this volume. The characters that were introduced in the first story develop nicely and it is quite enjoyable to see how they handle the conflict that the author presents. Darius had to be my favorite and I liked the way the author brings him to life. Any fan of epic fantasy stories would enjoy this book.
December 20, 2019
I am loving this adventure! The characters and very intriguing and have become family. You never know what's around the corner because at any given moment a new twist can be introduced that makes you want to keep reading to see how things get resolved. As it goes along, this saga is just getting better and better! I won't reveal plot twists or give spoilers, but if you like fantasy, you need to read Matthew Wolf!
October 31, 2014
Great book
this book was way better than the first. this one kept you want to not put it down.it was a little to descriptive at some parts . waiting for next book.
this book was way better than the first. this one kept you want to not put it down.it was a little to descriptive at some parts . waiting for next book.
February 6, 2018
Great second book to a great fantasy series. If you like Harry Potter and Lord of the rings. Then read this series.
April 12, 2019
Loved it! Better than the last!
August 30, 2019
Much better than the 1st book. Very intense
October 11, 2023
I am really enjoy this series and am looking forward to getting to the next book.
It’s one of those books that just has everything I want in it and has me enthralled.
It’s one of those books that just has everything I want in it and has me enthralled.
October 16, 2024
An excellent follow up to book one. This is truly an epic story, and one that makes me can't wait to read the next. The world -building is skillfully done, and the attention to detail makes this a rich read in terms of imagery and how connected I feel to the characters.
June 6, 2022
i really tried- i made it more than halfway- but i soent 18 months reading it. it was time to give up-
October 5, 2022
Awesome. A huge improvement on the first book....maybe I was a bit too critical with a meager 3 stars? Anyway...this one is a 5 star...where it should be 6!!
March 11, 2023
I couldn't put it down. I loved this second book in the series. Especially once I hit the second half of the book I couldn't hardly put it down. Wonderfully done.
July 31, 2020
Superb! I absolutely loved it. Sat in my driveway many times to finish a chapter, as I listened to this on audible. The characters are loveable, grow and bond, and are people you can relate to. The plot is intriguing, well conceived, flows well from the previous book, leaves you excited for the next one, and could stand alone (although you would be missing out on a great read in Knife’s Edge and it has a cliffhanger ending). The writing is good prose… descriptive enough to make you feel like you're there and with moments that touch you enough for a tear or two. I actually enjoyed that it wasn't weighed down by a romance and the underlying themes were about friends and personal growth, while avoiding feeling like just another young-people-on-a-quest/ coming-of-age story. The battle scenes were exciting without gratuitous gore, which, combined with the lack of language and sex makes this appropriate for a YA audience, while still an awesome adult book. The magic system is creative and well integrated into the world building, but simple enough to grasp quickly. Altogether a great read. I can't wait for the next one!
The narration of the audible book couldn't possibly have been better. Tim Gerard Reynolds is unsurpassed as an audible narrator. When I listen to anything that is narrated by someone else, I'm disappointed. He brings life to the story and individuality to the characters’ voices while respecting the author's original vision. I can read a book then listen to his narration and he always nails what I pictured. He delivered again this time.
I actually had never heard of Matthew Wolf and discovered him on Kickstarter as a recommendation from Michael J. Sullivan. I backed this project and had to read The Knife's Edge to catch up to what I had backed. I was thrilled to have discovered this world and incredible story!!! What a treasure! I listened to both books while driving across the country and unpacking my house for a move and feel so grateful to have been nudged towards this author. I can't wait to see what else he has in store! For those who have never heard of it, Kickstarter is a great place to directly support some of your favorite authors and discover new ones. You can receive advance and signed copies of their work and help them continue writing! Thanks to Michael Sullivan for the suggestion and Matthew Wolf for the fun I had participating in your project!!!
The narration of the audible book couldn't possibly have been better. Tim Gerard Reynolds is unsurpassed as an audible narrator. When I listen to anything that is narrated by someone else, I'm disappointed. He brings life to the story and individuality to the characters’ voices while respecting the author's original vision. I can read a book then listen to his narration and he always nails what I pictured. He delivered again this time.
I actually had never heard of Matthew Wolf and discovered him on Kickstarter as a recommendation from Michael J. Sullivan. I backed this project and had to read The Knife's Edge to catch up to what I had backed. I was thrilled to have discovered this world and incredible story!!! What a treasure! I listened to both books while driving across the country and unpacking my house for a move and feel so grateful to have been nudged towards this author. I can't wait to see what else he has in store! For those who have never heard of it, Kickstarter is a great place to directly support some of your favorite authors and discover new ones. You can receive advance and signed copies of their work and help them continue writing! Thanks to Michael Sullivan for the suggestion and Matthew Wolf for the fun I had participating in your project!!!
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