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Testaments of the Forsaken #2
The Demon's Advocate
Justice brought him here. The mine will decide what he becomes.
Veynar arrived seeking justice. What he found was an impossible choice between revenge and survival.
Deep in the contested heart of the land, Taranis has built something a thriving community sustained by discoveries powerful enough to reshape the future. The scholars who follow him call it progress. The people who depend on it call it salvation. But the foundation of his vision is stained with blood, and the methods that keep it alive make a mockery of everything Veynar once believed about honor, righteousness, and the cost of doing what is right.
Justice demands Taranis’s death. The scholars defend their master’s dream with a devotion that borders on fanaticism. And caught between them, Veynar discovers that Taranis’s greatest achievement isn’t invention or influence—it’s his ability to make every decision feel like betrayal.
As Veynar pushes deeper into the mine’s secrets, the truth turns heavier and harder to carry. Every answer tightens the trap around the community. Every step forward forces him to choose who pays the the guilty, the innocent, or himself. And the longer he stays, the more he fears the only way to save this land may be to become the very kind of monster he came to stop.
If you want to keep the tone consistent with Book 1, tell me whether Taranis reads more like a charismatic idealist, a calculating tyrant, or something in-between—then I’ll sharpen a few lines to match that exact flavor.
Book two of Testaments of the Forsaken deepens Ryan Kirk’s signature exploration of power, consequence, and moral fracture. The Demon’s Advocate is a relentless epic fantasy that challenges readers to sit with uncertainty, question righteousness, and confront the cost of survival when no choice remains clean. Dark, thoughtful, and emotionally exacting, this installment raises the stakes and refuses easy answers.
Veynar arrived seeking justice. What he found was an impossible choice between revenge and survival.
Deep in the contested heart of the land, Taranis has built something a thriving community sustained by discoveries powerful enough to reshape the future. The scholars who follow him call it progress. The people who depend on it call it salvation. But the foundation of his vision is stained with blood, and the methods that keep it alive make a mockery of everything Veynar once believed about honor, righteousness, and the cost of doing what is right.
Justice demands Taranis’s death. The scholars defend their master’s dream with a devotion that borders on fanaticism. And caught between them, Veynar discovers that Taranis’s greatest achievement isn’t invention or influence—it’s his ability to make every decision feel like betrayal.
As Veynar pushes deeper into the mine’s secrets, the truth turns heavier and harder to carry. Every answer tightens the trap around the community. Every step forward forces him to choose who pays the the guilty, the innocent, or himself. And the longer he stays, the more he fears the only way to save this land may be to become the very kind of monster he came to stop.
If you want to keep the tone consistent with Book 1, tell me whether Taranis reads more like a charismatic idealist, a calculating tyrant, or something in-between—then I’ll sharpen a few lines to match that exact flavor.
Book two of Testaments of the Forsaken deepens Ryan Kirk’s signature exploration of power, consequence, and moral fracture. The Demon’s Advocate is a relentless epic fantasy that challenges readers to sit with uncertainty, question righteousness, and confront the cost of survival when no choice remains clean. Dark, thoughtful, and emotionally exacting, this installment raises the stakes and refuses easy answers.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 6, 2026
This is the second book in the series. We find our protagonist trying to make up for his mistakes from the previous book. He goes to kill the man who caused so much pain in his home. Along the way, he continues to make poor choices that lead him deeper into dark paths. Even when he tries to help those he has befriended, he ends up making bad choices. This seems to be the primary theme of this book series. This may seem frustrating at times, but I have felt similarly about decisions that I have made. In a way this book forces the reader to confront their own decisions and how not all of them are good decisions.
The book is a fun read, the characters are well written, and their actions seem logical given the information we are given. The magic system is fun and different from other magic systems, but like all modern fantasy magic, there is a cost to using it. I liked the world building in this book as it expands beyond the 2 groups of people from the first book. It also adds some depth to the history of this world. Overall, I would say that it is an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The book is a fun read, the characters are well written, and their actions seem logical given the information we are given. The magic system is fun and different from other magic systems, but like all modern fantasy magic, there is a cost to using it. I liked the world building in this book as it expands beyond the 2 groups of people from the first book. It also adds some depth to the history of this world. Overall, I would say that it is an enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 9, 2026
Demon's Advocate is the second book in the Testaments of the Forsaken series, and a very worthy followup. It is difficult to say too much without giving away the first book, but I will certainly do my best...
This book finds Veynar attempting to track down the individual responsible for the catastrophic happenings in the first book, fully intending to seek justice for those who suffered by killing him. Successful in gaining access to the inner circle, Veynar finds that his target has built a successful community, one that seems to have everyone happier and better off than any he has seen before - the methods may be hard, even barbaric, but the results seem to speak for themselves. As a result of this dichotomy, he finds himself in two minds about whether to attempt the assassination or not. He decides to investigate further before taking action, which of course is where most of the intrigue starts...
The book is thrilling, gripping, and thought provoking, as Veynar questions his own past at times. There are all sorts of monsters involved, some people and some other creations from the past, and as always with Ryan's work there are a lot of swords involved.
Ryan is undoubtedly a master of modern fantasy, and I have yet to see any of his work that is less than exceptional. I highly recommend all his work, this series, and this book, without hesitation. The five stars are well deserved.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book finds Veynar attempting to track down the individual responsible for the catastrophic happenings in the first book, fully intending to seek justice for those who suffered by killing him. Successful in gaining access to the inner circle, Veynar finds that his target has built a successful community, one that seems to have everyone happier and better off than any he has seen before - the methods may be hard, even barbaric, but the results seem to speak for themselves. As a result of this dichotomy, he finds himself in two minds about whether to attempt the assassination or not. He decides to investigate further before taking action, which of course is where most of the intrigue starts...
The book is thrilling, gripping, and thought provoking, as Veynar questions his own past at times. There are all sorts of monsters involved, some people and some other creations from the past, and as always with Ryan's work there are a lot of swords involved.
Ryan is undoubtedly a master of modern fantasy, and I have yet to see any of his work that is less than exceptional. I highly recommend all his work, this series, and this book, without hesitation. The five stars are well deserved.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
A good continuation. Veynar finds what he is looking for, but it isn't what he expected. While facing a moral dilemma, he becomes embroiled in danger, fighting for survival and making a choice with devastating consequences. An enjoyable dark fantasy. I received an ARC from Booksprout and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Great book from start to finish
Characters are full of life and easy to imagine.
Only hope you continue in this vein and produce more reads like this.
Can't wait for the next book
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Characters are full of life and easy to imagine.
Only hope you continue in this vein and produce more reads like this.
Can't wait for the next book
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews