Curses, Plagues and Intrigues

by R.J. Eliason

With the king dying, the possibility that Bracklin will be married off for political purpose grows with each mile they ride south. But that is hardly the only danger. A plague grows in the south, and they will pass the dreaded Cursed Sands. And that’s just the journey.
Bracklin’s fears about a political marriage didn’t take into account Justin of House Smythe, a handsome young man with a brash wit. Maybe she could be happy with such a match after all, but what about the Squire Domus? Is there any hope left for that love?
And there’s still a former king, the power-hungry Seth, and fifty thousand knights between them and peace. Will there be a bloody civil war before the next king takes the throne?

388 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2018

About the author

R. J. Eliason writes immersive science fiction and fantasy stories that feature diverse characters. Her writing spans many sub-genres from alien contact, apocalyptic stories and epic fantasy. She also writes in a wide variety of formats, from full length novels to an ongoing serialized adventure. Her writing can be found in digital and print formats anywhere online that books are sold. Or check out her website at rj.eliason.com and sign up for a free book.

Reviews

[Daniel Willers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an Advanced Review Copy from the author in return for an honest review.

The second book in the Serephim series, Curses, Plagues and Intrigues introduces several new characters, including point of view characters. They are interesting and generally a good addition to the story. The story itself is interesting, and indeed includes curses, plagues, and intrigues.

You will like this book if you're a fan of realistic fantasy with a "magic" system based on the workings of a science fiction trope. I think this is a great idea and the author makes sure to keep with the restrictions they set up. The intrigues are interesting and the stakes are both personal and political. The curses and plagues are frightening and well used.

You may not like this book if you're a big fan of high fantasy. The magic is very restricted and characters are real. A really good fighter can still get his butt stomped by a better fighter. Political maneuvering can take down anyone. At its heart, this is a political book, not an action adventure. If you don't like that, this may not be the book for you.

I like this realistic aspect of the book and I'm a political junkie, so this was a hard book for me to put down. A great addition to the series and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.