Exiles

Ilyon Chronicles #4

by Jaye L. Knight

Exiled after their defeat in Samara, the Resistance struggles to find allies in their quest to restore King Balen to his throne and put an end to the emperor’s tyranny. When the crete people refuse to lend their aid, Balen leads a group to Dorland to reason with them and win their support. However, enemies prove to be everywhere, and they find themselves in a fight to keep Dorland from becoming Daican’s latest conquest.

Back in Landale, the arrival of a new enemy forces Trask and Anne to tread more carefully than ever. Tensions are rising, and the enemy is determined to test Anne’s loyalty and root out the location of Trask and the Resistance once and for all.

Feeling trapped within the walls of Valcré, Prince Daniel must contend with an ever-eroding relationship with his father. As their clashes escalate, the situation becomes potentially life threatening when his loyalty is called into question. His sister seems bent on branding him a traitor and actively seeking to condemn him to the fate of those put to death in their father’s new arena. Daniel is certain his father would never execute his only son and heir, but with other forces at work, it might not be that simple.

One small misstep could prove fatal for all.

Genres: Fantasy, Christian, Christian Fiction, Christian Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Dragons

533 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2017

About the author

Jaye L. Knight is a hopeless romantic with an active imagination and an AuDHD brain that fuels her stories with twists, adventure, and heart. She weaves tales of faith, courage, happily-ever-afters, and the power of God’s love to light the way even in the deepest darkness. When she’s not crafting fantasy, she dabbles in contemporary romance as Jaye Elliot.

Reviews

[Shantelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Another Update*
This book is almost officially published!! 4.5-ish star rating from me, but I need to read it again!!! *hugs all the characters**

*Update*

EEP! <3 Review to come when this beauty is published!


*Original*

GUUYYYYSSSS!!!!! I can hardly contain my excitement!!!! IT HAS A NAME! And we get Prince Daniel's story!!!! *runs around fangirling wildly*

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll have a better review on the release date, but for now, just know this: it is fantastic. :)

Edit (the better review as promised):

This book is amazing!!! I think it is my favorite of the entire series so far! It has a lot of the same elements that made me fall in love with the Ilyon Chronicles in the first book Resistance and many of the characters from that book make a reappearance in this book after not having as big a part in books 2 & 3. The Resistance in Landale plays a big role once again in this book with Trask and Anne taking center stage. The politics in Valcre are heating up and Prince Daniel is at the center of it. And Kyrin and Jace are off on another adventure discovering the various cultures of Ilyon.

The author does such a great job of developing the different cultures across Ilyon, and I especially love the cretes!

And the plot twist in this book…wow! Few other authors I know of could pull off the twist Jaye does in this book, and especially couldn’t do it and heighten the tension for the rest of the series. The evil was scary before, but controlled. Now? Now I’m downright terrified for what my favorite characters are going to face in books 5 & 6! I’m bracing myself for a lot of tears.

I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

[Sarah Grace Grzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.



I just don't even know what to think.

Or what to do with my life now.

For the last five days, I didn't merely *read* this book, I lived it. It will indubitably take me awhile to get back from Ilyon into our world.

Rating: 4.5 stars! It's really hard to talk about this book without spoilers, but I shall do my best.

One of the things I loved most about this installment to the Ilyon Chronicles was the more in-depth introduction to the other Ilyon cultures and people. From cretes, to giants, to ryriks, it was just so amazing! The information about the ryriks was particularly awesome. I loved some of the "closure" it brought to Jace's character arc. And the cretes were just plain awesome! If I were to be transported to Ilyon, I'd be a crete. ;) So cool!

I loved the furtherance of Daniel's story in this book as well. Wow! Lots of crazy things revealed in this book that were going on behind the scenes in the previous books. I am pretty sure he is my new favorite character. He's just so awesome, y'all! And the new "ship" that was introduced at the end . . . *wild fangirl screams* Love love love it!!! I also loved the continuance of Anne and Trask's story. They are so stinkin' adorable. After Daniel, I think they may be next on my "favorite Ilyon characters" list. Yikes! All the suspense. And the painnnn . . . wasn't expecting that certain thing to happen, and when it did . . . well, then came the waterworks. Oh, my heart! Poor Trask! :'( <3
Also, Dagren. Arghhhh. And Goler. Even more argh! They both made me livid!! It's a good thing I am not in Ilyon, otherwise Dagren and Goler would probably both be seriously injured right now . . . or worse! NOBODY MESSES WITH MY TRASK AND ANNE AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!!! GRR!!! *cough cough* Okay, moving on.

THAT ENDING PEOPLE! Whaaaaa!??! I kinda knew it was coming because I accidentally skimmed a few words from the end when I started the book, which was SO disappointing, but nonetheless, it was quite shocking! And then I thought, oh, yay, now everything's good, but of course, I was wrong. That twist with Davira was . . . um . . . WOW! Completely unexpected! Lots of things changed over the course of this book, and I am curious to see what that means for the rest of the series.

Overall, this was a great addition to the Ilyon Chronicles. I docked a half star because I felt like portions of the first half were just filler material and not actually important plot and story stuff, which was slightly frustrating; but nonetheless, it was still really good!

Definitely grab yourself a copy of this and dig in! If you don't like it, well, then there's something seriously wrong with you.

CONTENT NOTE: I would recommend this for ages 15-16+ due to some violent and somewhat graphic material. Such as People are killed - a lot of people. Christians are forced to fight to the death in gladiator games, mentions of pre-marital intimate relationships, not graphically or detailed, but still there. Also, various wounds described, although also not graphically detailed.

***I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own***

[Gabriellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review, as promised! ;P

(Some spoilers, enter at your risk!)



Overall Impression

Anyone who knows me even a little bit is aware that Ilyon is my favorite modern (as in written recently) fantasy series. I love the world, the characters, and the story! It's an amazing adventure that I would recommend to almost all readers.

That said, Exiles, though very good, fell a bit short for me. I don't know that this was really Jaye's fault, more of my own personal preferences and the fact that the story had to be divided over so many POV's. (Although there were some things that I think could have used adjustment. Those, I will explain in Plot and Characters.)

I would recommend this book to mid to older teens, adults, and some families. Parent discretion advised for younger children due to several bits of mature/suggestive content. (see content guide at bottom) I didn't feel that any of this was merely for the sensationalism and was handled well, but I would suggest parents skimming through certain parts before handing to any kid under 13, especially those who haven't had the facts of life presented to them yet. 



Characters

So, to be honest, it was a bit hard to judge character progression in this book for the very fact that Exiles was laid out way different from the previous three. The rise and fall of this book wasn't my favorite and the large amount of time spent with Anne's POV was really annoying to me. 

I don't hate Anne, I just don't like her. In my opinion she is pretty much the flattest character of the whole series. She never really changes. In Exiles a lot of things change around her, but not a whole lot in her. And really, this has been how it is the entire series. Anne never changes. Mostly,  Anne enters the scene, says something about how Goler is annoying but dangerous, flirts with Trask, and then steps out of the scene. I have never enjoyed Anne  so to have such great amounts of the book focused on her when I felt that much of her screen-time would have been put to better use with Jace, Kyrin, or Daniel was pretty frustrating. It really bogged the book down for me. (Note, to achieve the plot goals there were some necessary times to focus on Anne, so those parts aren't what I'm talking about.)

Daniel was a delight! I was so excited to read his POV. I have been anxiously awaiting hearing more about him since Resistance, so to finally get his part of the story was awesome! I think having him already established in his faith was a good move. Had Jaye taken the time to show us his journey to accepting Elom and Elon it would have elongated the timeline of the story. So to have him a firm believer was a good place to start with. I really enjoyed all the parts with Daniel except for one thing. How in the world did he not see Davira's plot?!?!?!?! I mean, come on! Dude, get your head out of the clouds. I don't think it was completely in sync with Daniel's character to have him just expect that no one was going to resist his plans, he's waaaay to smart for that. But, other than that, Daniel's arc was done well in this book. I really enjoyed his character and hope to see more of him. 

Jace's POV was, well, Jace. It was pretty consistent throughout the book, a few places in his heart had grown by the end of the book but there wasn't the emotional struggle that we have been used to. That was good, but at the same time his POV felt a little off to me, perhaps it was just because the layout of the plot was so different, but I didn't enjoy it as much as usual. Still, well written. 

Kyrin, was pretty much the same as Jace. Except I think that there was even less changing in her. She didn't evolve or change much through the book. Which is understandable considering how many other directions this book was going. There was a lot that needed to happen, (will talk more about in Plot) and unfortunately, in my opinion, some of our main characters didn't get the screen-time/POV ratios that I would have like. I would have preferred to have 2/3's of Anne's time spent on Jace and Kyrin, because they are really who I care about most.

Also, two thumbs up on Leetra's development! I was so glad to see a softer side of her! 

So, the character development in this book wasn't my favorite. There was a lot I liked, but some I didn't like as well. Over all well-written, though.



Plot

I anticipate the numerous cultures in, Exiles, being something that fans adore. I know that I loved getting to so the crete's home, it was so magical. It sounded like a much more impressive Lothlorien. SO gorgeous! The giants were interesting, (Although their sizing and the sizing of things around them was hard to picture, it felt rather inconsistent.) but a bit frustrating to me in their stubbornness! :) One of the most unexpected things for me was seeing the ryriks culture. It was awesome! 

The flow of Exiles was far different from any of the other books. It began and ended with a wedding, (who's I won't say! ;P) and it was more of a 'travelling' book. As in, it jumped from place to place. There wasn't as much of a single, focused goal, which wasn't bad for what was happening in the story, but it wasn't as enjoyable of a story for me. I prefer more focused story-lines to travelling ones. 

Here's the thing though, while I don't personally prefer the flow Exiles, I don't think it was wrong or bad. In fact, it was good, because it was necessary. Exiles is a turning point. This is the book that moves us from skirmishes and resistance to all out warfare. I am very, VERY excited to see what the next two books will bring. Exiles rose the stakes in unexpected ways. 

The climax of the book was very good. Way different from anything in the previous books and very exciting! No matter how many times I read stories with underdog resistances, I love them! 

And, y'all, I could not believe some of what happened in the end of this book. I predicted a few things, but overall, I was very surprised. (which is a good thing for me) Readers will be squealing in surprise, horror, and delight at some of the plot twists in this one! Well done, Miss Knight!

One last thing I would say is that I wished there would have been an extra chapter or two at the end. It felt rather abbreviated to me. 

So, to sum up all I have said thus far in the review, there were many, MANY things I loved in Exiles. But, at the same time, in my opinion it under-delivered. This will be the first of all the Ilyon books that I rate at 4 stars. Very good, but not my favorite. Exiles is sure to enthrall many Ilyon fans, and will doubtless do well! Good story! 



Warnings:

Language/Profanity: None

Violence/Frightening Scenes/Gore: There is an arena scene-not overly gory but clearly violent and horrible, MC's threatened by ryriks multiple times, character is attacked by wolves, a bone is broken, multiple injuries described-not too bad, a bad character tries to drown a main character, multiple battle scenes, a man forcefully kisses a woman. 

Sex/Nudity: There is a clear knowledge that an evil character is having bedroom rendezvous with various men, this is not explored deeply nor is it just sensationalism, it is for the purpose of honestly portraying evil. An evil ryrik wishes to rape a woman, she is saved and it doesn't happen. Several comments and places are suggestive of sexual interaction. 

I wouldn't recommend this book for readers under 13. Past that it really depends on maturity and personal convictions of readers. For those 13 or under I would run past a parent before reading. The mature elements do not feel purely sensational, they have purpose.

 
"I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own."

[C.B. Cook]

I CANNOT WAIT!!!!! :D

[Katie Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

WELL.

WELL, I DO DECLARE.

I'm speechless. I say it freely, and without reservations--I'm speechless.

Small list of things rendering me speechless:

Characters:
- Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace. Baby boy, you sure done made your mama proud this time <3
- Jace and Kyrin together . . . *insert silent fangirl flailing* DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF ADORABLE. They're just so gentle and patient and loyal, both of them; and they never once forget to ask each other "Are you okay?" whenever Stuff Happens, even small stuff. Which, I hardly need remind you, boys and girls, is the best way of knowing if someone's love is genuine--how often they remember to ask you if you're doing okay and to tell you to be safe. All that romantic fluff is just icing on the cake; and I just adore the way Jaye's writing showcases that truth. *end small rant about True Love* ;-)
- Note: this is not to imply a lack of swoon-worthy romantic moments in "Exiles." Quite the contrary :-P But Jaye makes sure to emphasize that's never the most important part of any relationship; and I love that.
- PRINCE DANIEL. LET ME YELL FOR A MOMENT BEFORE I AM CALM AGAIN OKAY. He's awesome!!!!! I will admit that I *whispers* didn't much like him in the earlier books, even though a lot of my friends did; simply because he seemed kind of a reflection of the "lazy, rebellious charmer" trope and that is Not My Thing. But guys . . . he's so much more in this book. It's beautiful. He still struggles with his old faults, but it really is a struggle--he's not just giving in to them. And on top of that, he's super courageous and super selfless and just--aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh. Can't not love him.
- Speaking of which: IS THAT A NEW SHIP I SPOT ON THE HORIZON. Ahem.
- Also speaking of new ships: Timothy and Leetra. All the preciousness. I am a new convert to this one, true; but I will defend it ceaselessly 'cause it's the bomb. *heart eyes*
- And finally: Trask and Anne. Um . . . whoa. *slow clap*

Plot:
- It was fantastic.
- Yes, it started a bit slowly and didn't really build into a full-on Rush of Perilous Events till the last third or so of the book; but you know what? I think I like that. I like how each of the Ilyon books follows something of a set pattern--gentle and peaceful start; which segues into some kind of journey or quest or mission beginning in excitement and cheer and ending in disaster; and then a heart-stopping freak-out fest of HOLY MACKEREL THEY'RE ALL GOING TO DIE SAVE ALL PRECIOUS CHARACTERS. It reminds me of the imaginary adventures I used to go on with my older brother; we would always start out relatively small and unambitious, and then build and build into progressive levels of insanity as the afternoon wore on 'til the game ended swimmingly and we both collapsed on the floor from exhaustion. Reading the Ilyon Chronicles never fails to take me back to those years; and I love it--love reliving the innocence and joy and sheer zest for life that went hand-in-hand back then. Thank you, Jaye <3
- *end of rambles about lost childhood* ;-)
- Random note: Character deaths always mean something in Ilyon. Nobody dies without a purpose. I appreciate that.
- *zips lips because #spoilers*
- The bit about the ryriks' heritage was awesome.
- We got to visit both the cretes AND the giants?? And the cretes have an entire city consisting of nothing but gigantic tree houses??? SIGN ME UP, SIR. I am a fan.

The Epilogue:
- This absolutely deserves its own category.
- Because HOLY GUACAMOLE FAM I AIN'T READY FOR THIS.
- But it's going down anyway and my heart will just have to handle it somehow.

Let the fun and games begin.

[aria ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series really isn’t what I thought it would be. I’m slightly disappointed but I’m enjoying myself nonetheless. Same problems I had in the previous books but story-wise, Daniel’s chapters were my favourite.

[Lilian · Rating 5 out of 5]

😭❤️

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my heart.

Ilyon keeps getting better and better. Which also means situations keep getting worse and worse for the poor characters. What pain. What sorrow. What joy. What love. My sister once called it the emotional equivalent of Expedition Everest at Disney World, and while I've never ridden it (I hate roller coasters, I refuse), I have to agree. This book is an emotional roller coaster. And it is so, so good.

Typically, when I read a book with multiple storylines, I primarily care about one of them. This was even true for previous Ilyon books. I couldn't wait for it to get back to Jace and Kyrin. This book was different. It follows three stories: Jace and Kyrin, Trask and Anne, and Prince Daniel. Every storyline is gripping. Every storyline left me wanting more when it switched to the next, but then the next pulled me in.

How do I talk about it without spoilers? Oh dear. Well, there are going to be spoilers for previous books. If you haven't read up through Samara's Peril, stop reading now, and go buy the other books. Read them immediately. I'm serious.

Jace and Kyrin. Even though now they're officially courting, it doesn't mean the struggle is over. Jayrin is very much in love (I love those two 😊), but Jace still struggles with crippling fears. Can he be the husband Kyrin deserves? Can he be a father to their children someday? But they don't have time to sit around camp and work it out. Daican is threatening Dorland, and the cretes refuse to do anything about it. Balen leads a group to reason with the cretes, but this is a book, so things never go perfectly smoothly. They run into lots of danger, meet lots of new people, and experience life-changing discoveries.

Trask and Anne. I know Trask is popular, but as someone who never cared for Robin Hood stuff, he wasn't my favorite. I started loving Anne in Samara's Peril when she stood up to Rothas (go Anne!), but it took me until this book to really love Trask. And now that I do...Those two! Just because they stay in Landale doesn't mean they don't have plenty of issues to deal with, and plenty of danger to face. Oh, boy, do they! There are heart wrenching moments, moments where my heart was in my throat, and moments when I really wanted to punch Goler in the nose. Not everyone makes it out alive.

Prince Daniel. Things changed when Daican executed Elon. Prince Daniel is not the same young man he was. Davira's just as awful, Daican's just as awful, but Daniel is different, and people are starting to notice. Then when he's accused of being a traitor, things really go crazy. Daniel is such an interesting character, and his story is amazing. Oh my goodness, it's so good.

There are so many twists and turns in Exiles. There's a somewhat high body count, which made me sad and glad by turns. Plot twists galore.

This book, people. Go read it.

[R.J. Rodda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dramatic ending with a number of unexpected twists. The stand-out character in this book is Daniel who, as the Crown Prince and a secret believer, comes under increasing pressure from his family as do Anne and Trask and their relatives. The world heats up for those who do not follow the official state religion.

Fans of the series will enjoy the way a number of romantic threads are resolved. The first half is quite slow-paced, but the second half picks up a lot.

Jace and Kyrin are still present in the book but other characters are more prominent in terms of plot. I still wish to rename this the Jace Chronicles because he is still one of my favourite characters ever. I really liked the nice thing he found out about his heritage.

Needless to say if you haven't read the Ilyon Chronicles yet, start with Resistance. This series is best read in order (with the exception perhaps of Half-blood, which should be read after Resistance or could be skipped).

[gabi]

There is a title and short description! *runs around screaming*

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so in love with this series! I loved Daniel's plotline and character arc. And the ramifications of Saul and his people and what that means for Jace? So good!

[Leah Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

2023 Re-Read
I echo the sentiments of my original review. This book has the perfect ending for a book in the middle of a series. It leaves you feeling content while also wanting more.

I'm so enjoying reading through this series again and finding I love it just as much six years later (for this particular book) as I did when it first released. I'm excited to see what Jaye comes up with now that she's written "the end" on the Ilyon Chrnoicles.

Original Review: 2017
I hit 100% on my Kindle progress bar wishing for more yet thoroughly content.

I'll be reviewing this book on my blog as part of Jaye's book release blog tour, but for now, suffice it to say that reentering the world of Ilyon and spending time with Kyrin, Jace, Kaden, Rayad, Trask, Anne, Daniel and the rest didn't disappoint (AT ALL). They are such rich characters and their journey has yet to fall flat.

One of the things that really stood out to me was how, despite the main characters' storylines occuring in three wide-spread geographic locations, providence guided their every step. Whether in triumph or tragedy, you could see how what was going on in one place had the potential to impact and advance the "big picture" story. It was a good reminder to me that, as a Christians, each of us might only see our piece of the story, but it's being used to good purpose in a much bigger tale.

Anyway! Definitely worth pre-ordering and reading. :) Can't wait for book 5!

[Jazzy-girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

initial review: Holy smokes! I honestly can't breathe right now... gahhhh!!! review to come!!!

update: read full review here http://thrivinghope.blogspot.com/2017...... there are a lot of gifs jsyk xD

The book is magic. Pure, entrancing magic that will grip your spiritual, mental, and physical being with its tasteful characters, engrossing plot, and enraging twists. (I'm trying to sound sophisticated-- is it working?) I, along with so many other fans, have awaited this book's release for a year, and can I just say, it was so worth the wait.

When I first started reading it, I got a little mixed up with the Ilyon Chronicles peoples + world and the Blades of Acktar peoples + world. Because, let's be honest, they are pretty similar! And then I was a little afraid it was going to disappoint because Samara's Peril set the bar pretty high for the series. BUT OH MY GOODNESS. I am so sorry to ever have doubted your abilities, Ms. Knight.

particular things and stuffs that make jazzy's heart happy:

Let's start off with the writing. I am completely blown away with Jaye's ability to take different situations and bend them at her will. I was constantly caught off guard, which led to my poor, weak heart to suffering (in that good way that all bookworms understand). Her way of writing is just so enthralling! Even when the chapter ended well, and I could have closed it and gone to sleep... I felt drawn back to it, thirsty for more. It's that kind of book. Before you read it, you have to warn your family that you'll be disappearing for a day.

The plot was a roller-coaster. There were SO many things happening all at once, that I could barely breathe while reading! So much tension. And doubt. But also happiness. And tears. *sigh* so many things, BUT I CAN'T SPOIL IT FOR YOU-- HOLD ME BACK!!! I'm so terrified for the coming books... YIKES YIKES YIKES.

I loved flying all over Ilyon, seeing new places, meeting new people. It was so interesting learning about the other races! Especially the Cretes, I reeeaaaaally like the Cretes for some reason. Maybe because I reeeeaaaally like Talas. Mebbe.

Their faith! The Resistance faces so many obstacles, constantly struggling for a foot hold. It was so amazing to see their faith put into play, even if they were drowning in fear and doubt.
SHIPS. SHIPSHIPSHIPSHIPSHIP. So many ships, so many happy vibes. Things FINALLY get a'rolling with *argh* can't say... but yea. There is quite healthy amount of otp development in this book!

CHARACTERS. THE CHARACTERS. OH BLESS ME. They are literally (literally, not even kidding) cinnamon roll nuggets. I am so serious right now. That is EXACTLY what they are. And if you don't agree, then you can just fight me.
Image result for then you can just fight me nacho libre gif

JACE: ohhh ohhh ohhh... this is my child. I love how, even after Elom has saved him, he still struggles with self-doubt. I think many people, myself included, can relate. To see him slowly release his grip on those insecurities and give them to the Lord is very encouraging. I am SO proud of him, he has grown SO much since Resistance! I also love how he is so passionate about his loved ones. It just makes him ENTIRELY TOO ENDEARING TO BE LEGAL.

KYRIN: I've always loved Kyrin because she is such a strong, compassionate character. But to be completely honest, I don't think there was much growth in her character in this book. I mean, Jaye spent so much time working on her in the last three books, that I feel like in this book the focus was less on her. Which I mean was a little bit disappointing, but Jaye focused on other important stuff. She was still very present, and strong as ever, but just as far as character development goes, she was lacking. Which isn't a bad thing, because Jaye got to focus on other characters!

KADEN: My lil fireball!!! I just have this obsession with him. It may be a problem (?). He's so confident and guyish, that I just adore is outlook on things. He's not so immature anymore, he's grown up a bit-- but he's still got a heavy dose charm. Unfortunately, like Kyrin, Jaye didn't really focus too much on his character growth, but him just being there was enough for me (I named my aloe vera plant after his dragon Exsis).

MICHAEL: I mean, he wasn't THAT big in the book, but he was still a lot more there than the other books. And that was GOLD because he is adorable and I'm really realllllly hoping he'll have a bigger part in the next book hehehe <3 div="">

DANIEL: HOLY SMOKES. MY HEART HAS FOUND A NEW HOME. And this is part of the reason why the twins were no longer the main character focuses: we got to spend time with Daniel! *happy sigh* *sniffs* *cries* He is something. It is just so weird to think that the son of the evil Emperor Daican is a believer. Like mind = blown. His walk with the Lord may be the roughest, just because of his position. I was so full of dread whenever I read about him, anticipating some kind of attack... AGHHHHH. SO STRESSFUL. It was SO awesome to see him leaning on the Lord when his flesh wanted so bad to give in. I am just so pleased with how well Jaye developed his character. Like #glowup

LEETRA: Can we just appreciate the fierceness of this girl? LIKE SHOOT. I loved getting to know her better. In the other books, she was always just that mean short girl that dated the traitor and always grumbled if she couldn't fight with the men (sounds strangely like me tbh). That was Leetra. But holy cow! She's way cooler in Exiles, you guys. Watching her struggle with forgiving herself, and dealing with her own insecurities... how she builds walls to protect herself from being hurt. UGH. Those kind of characters always always always get to me! Like, LET ME PROTECT YOU MY PRECIOUS HUMAN. But she is so strong, so fierce, yet she's so broken and raw. AGH. Thank you Jaye, for creating such an amazing person like Leetra.

ANNE: Okayyy... Anne is pretty much goals. Like, you guys, she's so elegantly fierce! How?!? I was so happy to read more of her, because she is SO AMAZING. She's so proud and sassy, but so afraid yet brave (that made so much sense, ik). Through the entire book, she's treading on dangerous grounds, but her performance is so incredible! BUT UGHHH. Poor poor girl had to endure so much in the book. *cries* *cringes* All the female characters in this series are so strong. Not perfect, they still fall every now and then, but


If you haven't read these books yet... GO DO SO RIGHT NOW OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND THROW SAND AT YOU. Thank you so much Jaye L. Knight for blessing this world with the Ilyon Chronicles... and thank you Elom for blessing this world with Jaye L. Knight! I love you both!!!

* I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my review.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ✨

“You love your family. You stick with them, put up with them on their bad days, you fight for them and sacrifice for them. That is true love.”

4 down 2 to go! What another fantastic installment to this amazing series! I love how much this series has grown over the course of each book. New journeys, lands and characters. Each book comes with its own unique twist and keeps the reader fully engaged, at least for me personally. I’m buddy reading this with my son and it’s so much fun to read along and gush about each thing that happens. Which makes it super special for me. 💗
Looking forward to the next book!!

[Hailey Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this book promised more of Prince Daniel's story--I'll be brutally honest--I wasn't terribly excited. Daniel was never a favorite character, and I didn't care too much about what happened to him. But Jaye masterfully wove Daniel's tale within streaks from our other favorite characters, and I soon found myself loving him just as much. There was a lot in this book that made me have to step back and breathe for a long minute, thinking "I SO did not see that coming." Especially the ending!!! EEEKKKKKK!!!!

Something I didn't like so much was how slow the first half of the book was. It reminded me a little of Resistance in that I wasn't glued to the book. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it wasn't absolutely gripping.

Enter the halfway point.

*screams*

You'll need a seatbelt, believe me. It was nonstop action from there on out! So many unexpecteds. So many surprises. So many shocks. Oh my heart.

Overall, I recommend this book (and the rest of the series) 100%. YOU. MUST. READ. IT. *shoves towards books*

[Celestria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book!!! I loved Daniel's chapters and the drama with his family. We get to see more of the Crete's, and meet the Giants which is super fun. My main complaint with this book is that we dont get to see more of Timothy and Leetra together. We get like two significant interactions between them within the last, what, 3 books, and then suddenly they're a couple. I want details!!! I want to see them becoming friends!!! Also once again, poor Jace is put through heck. Why is it always him??? he gets no rest 😭

[✧Bella✧]

Well, I don't feel like I can really rate or review this book properly considering that I took a months-long break in the middle of reading it. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't take so long to read it because it wasn't interesting, but because other books took precedence, and then there was the matter of my reading ahead.

Yeah, with about 10 chapters left, I read all the rest of Daneil's POV scenes. The temptation was too great. He's my fav POV character, all the most interesting things were happening in his scenes, and he had the least amount of page time. Already knowing the end probably affected my desire to read it lol.

All thing considered, I do still really like this series (although I think The King's Scrolls is still my fav book so far), but my feminist self was not happy with some things. I already had some issues along those lines in Samara's Peril with a certain marriage, and Kyrin suddenly needing Jace to save her every time she was in trouble. Well, the Kyrin situation continues in this one (not to mention that ever since Jace became the MC, Kyrin has seemed... less interesting), and then there's the matter of Leetra.

So, Leetra is a warrior. She seems to be the only female warrior in the series. But it seems like there's always some reason she can't fight in the big battles. In the last book it was because they needed her to help with the wounded since so few people had medical training. Alright, I understand that. In this one, they need her to get help. And maybe it's true that she would be the best one to do that. But we're in Jace's POV at this point, and he thinks about how it makes sense to keep the women away from the fight. AND THEN, they all allow a THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD boy to fight because, as he puts it, he's man enough. *deep breath* And, well, that rubbed me the wrong way. Is that just me? It can't be just me, right?

Anyway, in spite of that, and in spite of the long break, I did enjoy this book, and will be reading the other two novels (I already own them, after all). Not sure about the novellas, but we'll see.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!!!

[Avery Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

no words

[Victoria Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five shining stars. This book is just as phenomenal as it's predecessors and I can't wait for the rest of the series. It gripped me and kept me reading even though I have been struggling with staying in a book lately. It ignited my passion for a story that has been missing for the last 6 months or so. The action was awesome and had me on the edge of my seat, and the in-between descriptions and world building were phenomenal as well.
Anyone who enjoys fantasy will enjoy this book and I am so excited to read the rest of the series.

*content advisory* Lots of violence in various forms, battles, injuries and some brief insinuations that a rape took place or someone felt threatened in such a way. Idols being worshipped etc.

[allison riera :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

really enjoying this reread. forgot how much i love the characters. and despite a less than ideal writing style, i'm loving going back through this series.

[A.L. Buehrer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll preface this review by saying I can tell this was a difficult book to write. It was also an important part of the series—it couldn’t be skipped. There were a lot of different story threads within this book, and the author had the formidable task of focusing on all of them and eventually working them together. Knight’s gearing up for the final couple of books in the Ilyon Chronicles here, and she’s got a lot on her plate starting off.
My feelings about this book may be very different from the typical Ilyon reader. I know I’m kind of the odd one out in this fandom, so don’t take my word for everything. This was my least favorite of the series. (TKS has been the best so far.) I’ll explain my reasons why, but we’ll start off with the pros, as usual.
Things I Liked:
• The Crete world Hurray! Tree-house cities in giant trees with rope-bridges and dragons and flutes and drums and amazing waterfalls and guys with long hair. I’ve been waiting for this long enough. I wish I lived in Arvael. I liked that it had kind of a camp-out atmosphere. I thought Knight described it well and set the mood for Crete life. And why in the world doesn’t Kyrin want a Crete? I would want a Crete if I could get one. I could also imagine Dragon Rest really well. It was a great moment when we got our first glimpse of a rope-bridge plunging into the forest. Once again, it’s just too bad we were stuck in Jace’s worrying head for that scene.
• Awesome dragon battle the dragon warfare in this one was even better than Samara’s Peril, for me. That was overall, a pretty intense battle, but the best part of it was definitely in the air. I kind of got the same feeling reading about it as I do watching good space combat in Star Wars. It was exciting. I can’t remember if I’ve heard Knight say she had trouble with action-scenes, but if you’re reading this Jaye, just go for it. It doesn’t show. She can write action. I want to see more of it before this series is out.
• Exploring Ilyon We got to see a lot of Ilyon in this book. There was a lot more travel than in any of the others, and it was interesting to get a couple of major changes of scenery and have adventures in fresh settings. The conflict with Daican has swollen to encompass almost all of Ilyon at this point, and we get to see it firsthand in Exiles.
• Talas and Kaden They didn’t get a lot of page-time, but I always like it when they do. They get to have all the fun. I’m also glad that in the midst of a cast that’s pairing up at an alarming rate, they’re both still single and fine with that. I hope they hold out for a while. We’re okay on the amount of love-stories in this series, but more on that later.
• Daniel Prince Daniel’s story featured strongly in this book. It was probably my favorite story-line. I was always glad when we got back to it. The tension mounted every time we visited him, and the peril felt very immediate. I was also really surprised how it turned out…I didn’t see that coming. Kind of crazy.
Things I Didn’t Like:
• Way too many ships In my opinion, if there must be romance threads in a series, it’s really best to focus on one or two not…however many there are here. I’ve sort of lost track. I just can’t care about that many romances. I mean, we had two engagements and two weddings in one book. Then we had another couple acknowledge their feelings, and yet another young love sprouting up, and then a hint of another still very near the end. There was a situation with a villain trying to get the hand of a heroine, and she had to pretend to be interested in yet another guy to ward him off, and we had to observe that a couple of characters we had just met also had something going, and there were a good number of other flirtations around the edges to comment on. Just way too much romance for me.
• Slow start If I wasn’t already invested in the series I have to admit, I would never have made it through chapter one. It was literally almost entirely people hanging around talking about the status of various relationships…I may have mentioned a few of those. The first part of the book played pretty slow. I would blame a lot of the pacing issues on the fact that there were several story-lines going at once. That always slows things down. That’s actually one of my biggest complaints about Lord of the Rings. Knight’s in good company, there.
• Repetitiveness This problem comes up mildly in Knight’s writing, but it kind of got to me in Exiles. Certain little things tend to happen over and over. Like Jace belly-aching over something or other and Kyrin “offering him an encouraging/warm/kind/gentle smile” and magically making it better. That’s probably the main one that stands out. People “offer” smiles quite a bit in general, actually.
• Timothy and Leetra I will continue to ignore this ship. I kind of hoped at least it would turn out to be sort of slow-burn, but no. Meltdown. I literally had to skim that scene. I couldn’t take it. That is all.
• Characterization flattening? Is it because of the romance? Can we blame the romance, please? I have the subtle feeling like certain character’s personalities are weakening. Particularly Kyrin. I want to see more complexity. She’s just encouraging/warm/kind/gentle now. She’s also grieving, and in love, but those aren’t actually personality traits, and they’re fairly predictable. I wish something unusual would happen with her.
• Why the uniformity in marriage customs? Okay, so we’ve got some geographically separated cultures with different outlooks and ways of doing things. You would think they wouldn’t go about courtship the same way. And yet, they do. What’s more, guys, this is another world. They have two moons, for heavens’ sake. Why are their wedding ceremonies ordered exactly like traditional Protestant weddings? Why do they all do the weird little “talk to her father” ritual? Why are marriages and engagements typically signified with rings, or jewelry, or white dresses, even? None of this is spelled out in the Bible. Where are they getting this from?
Things I thought were weird:
• Plot twist at the end So, I was leafing through the book before I had finished and saw something I really couldn’t believe. (Don’t do that, kinds.) I still couldn’t believe it when I read up to it and through it. I just didn’t expect that in this book. You who’ve read it might know what I’m talking about. That was a surprising move.
• Time period? So I know that this story is set in another world with an alternate timeline, but I keep finding myself jumbling Robinhood, Jane Austen, and pioneer days in my head. It feels mediaeval sometimes but then there are log-cabins and then…I don’t know. It just feels all pastel and lacy sometimes.
• Crete dancing Please tell me I wasn’t the only one who imagined a completely different style of dancing when you read that the Cretes loved to dance. I was definitely thinking group dancing—kind of leaping and spinning and stomping around in fast circles sort of thing. I wasn’t imagining girl’s hand on guy’s shoulder, guy’s hand on girl’s waist dancing. But hey, at least it makes a good set-up for a cute awkward situation between Timothy and Leetra, right? Right?!

[serena482* · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating 4.5 stars. I was very excited to get back to Illyon! :D I really likes it. :) It was a little slow at the beginning, but picked up pace further on. POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT! This is totally my opinion. I didn't really like how Jace was all of a sudden like perfect no more doubts and fears. He didn't really feel real to me. Kyrin too felt a little off. Like they weren't really there. *shrugs* END OF SPOILER ALERT There was some awesome action scenes. We also got to see more of Daniel which was really awesome. :) Yeah, I really liked this book, it was pretty exciting. Jaye did a good job. The setting was super cool too.

[Serethiel ⏾]

And now, for a very thorough description of just how excited I am for this book:

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i cant wait

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading this book before it’s release. Of all the books I’ve read by Jaye, I think this is one of my favorites. All the turmoil in the characters, the uncertainty, and getting out of their comfort zones. It was all so deep and true to real life. I learned a few things from the book even though it’s fantasy AND fiction. I highly encourage you to read this book, and the whole series.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FINISHED IT I FINISHED IT AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Review on my blog: http://ramblings-of-a-red-head-girl.b...

[Addy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely incredible book.

JAYYYEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! you gotta give these characters a break :((((

Language: more of the 'Thank Elom's', but they are never said in a way that would be dishonoring
Romance: two weddings take place, kisses, feelings, embattled feelings, hand-holding/hugging, impatience to be married, one non-consensual kiss, several scenes that suggest immorality (characters forced into the bedroom off-screen), one character laments their past of 'seducing' characters to their room, another character has conceived multiple times because of her foolishness but has aborted the children countless times, characters look at a girl with lust
Violence: war, fighting, dragons fighting in the air, kidnappings, characters being severely wounded - one stabbed in the shoulder, another's arm broken, pierced in the side, many near death experiences
Blood/Gore: as a result of the fighting, many characters nearly lose their lives. vivid descriptions of agonizing wounds, almost bleeding out, a sprained ankle, bruises, broken bones, etc. Will definitely make a sensitive reader uneasy.

OKAy. Deep breaths, Addy.

WHAT A SERIES!!!!!

what a series this has been so far. I love love LOVE each of the characters. I love the different POV's and being able to see inside characters' minds. Jaye write's beautifully.

I wish that the characters didn't have to go through all that they have, but I've seen firsthand their strengthened trust in Elom and their perseverance and endurance. I love the humor mixed in between Kyrin and her brothers (Kaden could be a part-time comedian if he wanted to, alongside being a soldier). It provided a breath of fresh air. I loved seeing them travel to different countries and witnessing the different cultures, getting to know the royalty, and yes, even following them to the war. Seeing how protective Jace is of Kyrin makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Their love for each other is beautiful.

I am looking forward to book 5.

Maybe there Kyrin and Jace will get married. Haha!!!! I neeeeed this wedding.

Don't let the content turn you away. The violence, the blood, the more descriptive 'gory' details are necessary. While they'd be disturbing to a younger, or more sensitive reader, they didn't turn me away. It just shows the rawness and fallenness of their world and I love that Jaye didn't shy away from writing it like that.

Onwards!

Recommended for ages 13+ due to violence and gore. Sensitive readers use caution!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for violence, mildly scary scenes, and mild romace.
Best for Ages: 15 -25

This is one of the few fantasy series that has completely captured my attention and imagination. Anyone who has been reading my reviews for long can guess that I am not really into fantasy. While will occasionally dip my toes into it, it isn’t normally my thing. This series is different. It has the scope of an epic fantasy, but is so full of faith and lacks so many of the elements that normally make me shy away from the genre (dark feeling, battles every few pages, and magic) that make it amazing. This book was no different.

My favorite parts of the story? Getting to see more of this world. The land of the Cretes was my favorite. I so wish I could visit their city now, it sounded amazing and beautiful. The giants and their land also were interesting. As well as a couple other places that were visited that I won’t mention due to spoilers.

This book was a lot about Prince Daniel (don’t worry, it was a lot about the old gang too). I can’t say I have been one of Daniel’s biggest fans, but I also really did find his story intriguing. It took so many unexpected twists and turns. The ending of this book? It left me gasping and ready for the next.

Of course, Jace and Kyrin’s story continues to be my favorite. Jace continues to grow, and I loved, loved, loved what he discovers in this book. It made me want to jump up and cheer as well as give him a hug. I love how he and Kyrin continue to deepen their relationship and overcome obstacles.

I always feel blessed coming away from Knight’s books. Even her early works (published as Molly Evangeline) always left me blessed and thinking about God and His goodness. I think that she strikes a perfect balance between emotional, realistic, and hopeful. I can hardly wait for the next book.

I highly recommend this series to those who like stories of faith, non-magical fantasy, and adventure.

[Kaytlin Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ack! That was a big book well worth the read! Man, that was enjoyable!

Characters:
There are so many, and they are all so original and unique! We got to meet more Cretes and Giants and Ryriks and all sorts of characters in this one!
I loved Daniel's POV! So good!
Balen is a great side character! I love him and his heart so much!
JACE is my favorite! But then Kaden and Talas are close seconds... but let's not forget Timothy and Aaron (even if Aaron was mostly just mentioned).
Oh, and Anne had a POV, which I surprisingly enjoyed.
Kyrin is always great!
Oh...and Leetra! My heart goes out to this Crete girl! I love her!
And the dragons! Ack...
Oh, Rayad! How did I forget him...and Holden! And Trask! And Saul! May goodness... There are so many good characters!

Themes:
Unity, teamwork, love, overcoming fears...trusting God, so many awesome and beautiful themes!

Language:
N/A

Romance:
Yes! Eeek! So many little romances popping up!

Overall:
I love these books! I'm literally obsessed! I need physical copies but shouldn’t spend that much money right now...lol...
These are fantastic books! Definitely worth checking out and reading and loving!
Recommend ages 14+