Power Awry

Wild Heritance #2

by S. Lynn Helton

* Readers' Favorite 5-Star Seal *

A devastated city, a mystical attack, a lost brother, unthinkable threats to the monarchy and heir, secrets exposed and a looming battle between gods... And Namid's command of her magic is fracturing.


An autumn of peril and heartache behind her, Namid turns to helping the Shadowers rebuild in the city of Rhadanthus. But after escaping a mystical attack, Namid resolves to find her one remaining brother before disaster engulfs him too.

Namid’s search leads her back to her childhood home and to lands beyond, to the far reaches of the Six Realms of the Monarch. An old foe reappears with designs to embroil her in unthinkable plots that could tear the monarchy apart.

Secrets long kept by the gods begin to slip out and a battle between gods looms. Namid challenges the gods’ interference in affairs in the Six Realms, at the same time confronting threats to the very life of the heir to the monarchy. But she cannot count on her magic, as her command of it begins to fracture.

413 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

I'm Lynn, an author who lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, U.S.A., with my family and a couple of crazy cats. I write fantasy books. ( I also write as Lynn Helton. )

I enjoy the mountains, playing games, learning new things, and crafting. I'm also an avid reader (various genres, but fantasy and science fiction are favorites). And I enjoy writing, of course!

THE DELIBERIA CHRONICLES


WILD HERITANCE
_

My limited time needs to be directed toward my writing, so I don't chat/socialize via messaging. I also don't accept inquiries about reading/reviewing others' books - I review only through the specific reviewing mechanisms in some groups here on GR.

Note to fellow authors: I've switched away from "friending" fellow authors to "following", to hopefully help keep algorithms on some sites from misinterpreting the "friendship" and removing/disallowing reviews because they decide we are "perceived to have a close personal relationship..."

Visit me
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SLynnHeltonAuthor
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Reviews

[Gary Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with Book 1 in this series, this review is based on a verified Amazon purchase, not an ARC.

Picking up where Book 1 left off, I enjoyed the early stages whic, for me, were not so much world building as character building. It was good to see the characters dealing with the aftermath of those world-shattering events.

Then a major plot twist happened, which I totally saw coming, and yet was not prepared for it to happen how and when it did, which is always positive. I also continued to love the whole breaths-of-time thing, which seemed to come up more in this book than the previous one.

The one thing that I felt let down this story was that the ended seemed rushed. I had to re-read the last few pages, thinking I must have missed something, but I hadn't. After all the build-up, I could have used a bit more extended drama at that point and perhaps a bit of an epilogue/coda to round things off a little less abruptly.

But overall, I enjoyed it. The smaller, tighter cast in the early stages helped with getting to know them better and the return of familiar faces helped this to feel like a coherent world.

Looking forward to finding out what happens next.

[Phillip Murrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waited too long to read

I read a novella and book one for this series years ago. I waited too long. Reading book two didn't capture me the same way. I felt the first entries were like an exciting first level in an RPG. This one felt more like spending two hours in the first main city learning lore and gathering quests. It moved very slowly for my tastes with barely any action. Of course the last chapter promised tons . . . once I read book three.

[Tristen Kozinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a context of providing usefuL information, sequels are difficult to review; they are most commonly similar to the first book: same characters same author, same narrative style. That is much the case here, if you liked the first book you’ll like Power Awry, but the author has also made some distinct improvements. The narrative is much tighter and more driven in this book with the events propelling the characters energetically and organically through the narrative, resulting in a plot that flows well. I also liked the smaller cast (though it grows again toward the end of the narrative) and that they were all competent; the cast worked well together without any of them needing to be worked around or managed or protected.
The story is slow to start however, with the first twenty-ish percent of the book being devoted to elements other than the driving plot and peril of the narrative. The character work and worldbulding are more or less on the level of the first book.

[Dennis Strubbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power Awry, the second book in the Wild Heritance series, starts with both a mystery and a surprise, launching the main character, Namid, into an adventure that pits her against the gods-who-are-not-gods themselves. Old friends reunite as an old enemy resurfaces, the latter threatening Namid’s estranged family and forcing her to seek out her long-lost brother in the hopes of restoring balance to the Six Realms. My description may sound vague, but that’s only to avoid spoiling a rich and complex plot that keeps the pages turning from beginning to end. S. Lynn Helton has crafted a vivid world, brought to life through characters who feel as though they might climb right off the page and join you for a drink and a conversation. If you enjoyed Book One, Duplicity of Power, then I promise you will not be disappointed by Power Awry, and it will leave you anxious for the final book in the series, which I myself can’t wait to read!

[Bruce Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First up, I will say I think this is one of those sequels where you will need to have read the series opener to follow the plot. It’s not a specially complicated story but there are plenty of references to the previous book that won’t make a lot of sense otherwise.
I enjoyed the first book and found many of the same things to like in this sequel. Most importantly, the author has a good hold of the plot and the story moves along at a strong pace without too many of the segues and sub-plots that could detract. The pace is the strength of the book in my opinion.
Dialogue is pretty well-handled, always a test of any writer’s ability. I had a few minor quibbles with some of the invented phrases – e.g. “breath-of-time” meaning a moment – that one just annoyed me for some reason. Other than that, another solid effort and I’m looking forward to the next one.

[Amber Daulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 picks up right where book 1, Duplicity of Power, left off. It’s been about a year since I read the first book, and it took me a little while to immerse myself back into this fantasy world. Namid, our brave heroine, is having some trouble with her powers at the worst possible time. She reunites with some old friends, and the return of an old enemy sends her on a quest—she needs to find her long-lost brother to restore the balance in the Six Realms.
The pacing was a little slow at the beginning, but it picks up midway through and really ramps up near the end. Book 3 is set up, which should be a great read.
I’m not big into fantasy books, but this one kept my attention. The world building was well detailed and described. I could easily visualize the scenes.
For readers who love fantasy, you should consider giving this one a try.
4 Stars

[P.J. Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mild fantasy fun suitable for a wide audience

The plot kicks off immediately after the first book. I don't think you need to have read the previous though as a lot of information is fed to you during this book as it progresses. When Namid and Aahmes are attacked, Namid sets off on a quest to find her brother. She returns home, discovers that her father is under the control of a Dark Priest, and must leave to find a way to save him.

The plot takes a while to get going before the quest starts, but there's some nice character development and worldbuilding. The mc is a likeable character who learns more about her power as the story progresses.

I really enjoyed Power Awry, it's a fun fantasy in a unique world.

[Gene Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second novel in the series, S. Lynn Helton continues the story of Namid, picking up where the first book left off. There’s a journey back home, palace intrigue, and an impending battle amongst gods. From my perspective, it’s another throwback fantasy novel with excessive world-building and familiar genre tropes. It feels a little long and it seems the story takes its time before it gets moving, but these aren’t really issues if you’re invested in the fantasy. If you’re a fan of the old school epics that followed Tolkien, you’ll surely enjoy Helton’s world.

[E.K. Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read

This is the fourth book in the Wild Heritance series that I’ve enjoyed and it’s my favourite so far. We join Namid as she begins rebuilding Rhadanthus, before she’s joined by some familiar faces as she goes on a quest to find her brother, Tal.

The book is really well-written, full of magic, suspense, and action. The pacing kept me engaged and I loved the relationships between the well-developed characters.

Overall, I definitely recommend Power Awry to fans of epic fantasy and those who have enjoyed earlier books in the series.

[Joseph Minart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Power Awry (Wild Heritance, #2) by S. Lynn Helton (Goodreads Author) follows the two characters, Namid and Aahmes, as they wander around a fantasy world between towns, displaying their uses of Power and encountering other characters in their travels. I liked the way the author used thought-talk and hand-talk within the dialogue. It was an okay read.