Outlaw. Assassin. Aspiring warlord. Connor Magnuson’s been called many names, but which of them are true?
Through his connection to the Wraith King, Connor has access to far more power than he realizes. His shadow blades give him the strength of a god, granting him the limitless potential of a man with no equal.
But no matter what good Connor does, the people still fear him. Even those he saves run screaming in his overwhelming presence. He wields the sort of power people unite to destroy, and word of his growing abilities spreads fast. In the north, Teagan Starling rallies the most fearsome army in Saldia, hoping to destroy the new Wraithblade before the man can master his gifts. Despite Connor’s noble deeds, despite all the good he has done, the world fears him. They always will. To protect his home, his friends, and his family, he must embrace the Wraith King’s bloodstained legacy and truly become power incarnate.
Hell itself is on the warpath. When it reaches Connor, he will do what he has always done—look Death in the eye and draw his swords to faceit.
Boyce is known for action-packed epic fantasy, powerful heroes, and riveting magical stories filled with twists and intrigue. And, of course, a bit of humor sprinkled through it all. Pick up your kindle and get lost in the journey.
This sequel to Wraithblade was an improvement on the first instalment. I think that was mostly because it did not suffer from the same incredibly slow start as we were already familiar with the characters and the world so it was easy to get into the story from the first page.
This series is action fantasy set in a fairy dark fantasy world but one that never gets too grim thanks to having a few likeable characters and a bit of humour to lighten the tone from time to time.
The plot was just a straight continuation of the first book. Connor and his allies are still on the run while he masters his new Wraithblade powers. On top of that Connor has to deal with a few pressing demands from his bargains with the Wraith Lord and Sofia while juggling having to deal with Quinn as his prisoner. Meanwhile the usual villains were all scheming to grab power for themselves. Notably in this second instalment we got to learn a bit about the Queen and see how she might end up a formidable adversary for Connor in the future.
All in all it was a pretty fun second outing of this action fantasy series. Connor remains an easy lead character to root for while the secondary characters that surround him in Quinn, Sofia, and Murdoch are interesting and likeable characters in their own right with pretty solid backgrounds and personal motivations that drive them.
All in all a fun read!
Rating: 3.5 stars. I’ll round up to 4 stars this time as this lacked the same slow start as the first book. It was an engaging enough 33 hour ride in audio!
Audio Note: This was narrated by Wayne Mitchell. I thought he did OK but can definitely see folks having a few issues with him. He was very melodramatic in terms of his performance style. He also struggled a bit voicing the female characters. All that said, after listening to the guy for 60 hours I’ve gotten used to him!
That was a long read but oh how I loved it. I felt a lot of emotions while reading this one. Love, pain, grief, anger, sadness and it really made me feel for these characters. Mainly Conner, Quinn and Nocturne, our awesome dragon prince. The one thing I want in the next installment is some real bonding between Conner and Nocturne. 5 stars!
SO MUCH FUN! This series is perfect to read when you just want to relax and see the good guy beating the bad guy. Nothing here is incredible or unique. But is well made.
But i hope that the third one arrives just in 2023. These books are too long.
Entertaining and I liked all the characters. I enjoy seeing the story from different POVs. Love the Wraith King and the humor that he and Murdoc provide. But also the King’s backstory and his more sinister side. I was sorry to see Murdoc and Sophia reduced to bystanders after Amazing Quinn came along. I admit I skimmed through the Quinn chapters because it was all the same…scowling and badass fighting. We get it, she’s spectacular and has daddy issues. Not sure if I’ll read the next one as I have a feeling it will be more of the same.
Spoilers….
I found Sophia and Murdoc much more interesting especially given that Murdoc is allergic to magic. Their one scene together was very good and I enjoy the relationship between them and the other characters….when they get a chance to do more than gape at Amazing Quinn and stumble around.
Also, if I were Connor I would be p*ssed if two of my team (Nocturne and Amazing Quinn) made a pact to destroy me if I turned “bad”. Who are they to say? How about just standing by him and supporting him and advising him as he makes decisions…as in being part of the team, instead of the morality police. He’s done well so far on his own…give him a chance.
Too many chapters about characters I have no real interest in, Zander is in the book early then totally disappears, Nyx well she rips up some papers, Celine she orders everyone about, Teagan broods & orders everyone about just in different places. Too many inconsistences, one minute Connor is an all powerful Demi-God, that it will take a dragon + Quinn to defeat & then he's getting it handed to him by Teagan, even though it's Quinn & Connor! No furtherment in Murdoc's back story although Sophia get's hers, even the Wraith isn't in it as much. Also a couple of mistakes, especially towards the end, almost like the author was in a rush to finish- she get's Fiona & Kiera mixed up for one piece. I enjoyed it but am left wondering how many books will be in the series?
Ultimately it was a good story. I don't regret reading it and I will be moving on to book 3 as time permits. That said, there are some hiccups. A few missing periods, a run on sentence or two, and a couple of word choices that simply don't work. None of that is bad enough to make it unreadable, it just interrupts the immersion. Where the first book had a fairly slow build, this one dumps you right into the action - and never slows. It doesn't always balance that action well, however. No spoilers, but I found myself rolling my eyes for a huge action section in the beginning. A very fun read overall though!
Wraithforged has high adventure, a secret weapon, a pending war and a treasure hunt all wrapped up in a well written narrative. Conner, our protagonist is followed up in the second tale in the world of Saldia where the principle of might is right hold sway by most of the people in power and they want to hold onto it as long as they can. Connor has the added complication of dealing with Quinn, the Lightseer who surrendered too easily. What she wants only time will tell.
This book is amazing! If you love grim dark fantasy, but are a noble bright soul, this series is for you! I don’t want to get too in depth because it really is worth the read, but the character development feels so REAL. The choices Connor and squad have to make are tough ones and no one will be the same afterwards, but were the right choices? When the Fates come calling, will it all have been worth it? I’m excited for the next book and if you pick up Wraithblade and Wraithforged, you will be too!
First of all I love the main storyline. The part that I don’t like or the as a couple of other people mentioned are the different perspectives to the story. I don’t really mind when there are different points of view but in this particular case they go on way too long. The main storyline is awesome and it would be OK to get a couple side characters perspectives for a few pages or maybe even a few paragraphs but we end up with pages and pages of stuff that honestly really aren’t that exciting to read outside of that I love the story
It's a pretty dope book, not perfect for me because in particular I could use some more dialogue that's just for fun/character building between characters. Almost all the long talks between main characters are very serious or strategy based which is fine, but could use some contrast. Overall I thought the authors form was a lot better in book 2 and I was impressed by the progress, I'm sure a lot of hard work was put in and it shows. I look forward to the next one.
I have read a lot of books, mostly fantasy, over the years and I don't use this word often. Unputdownable. This book was "stay up late to finish the chapter" good. I was pleasantly surprised that the female lead was treated with respect and as a complex character. She left book 2 still a strong character; I was worried at the beginning of book 2 that she would become the helpless love interest. The world building is very in-depth, and the swapping from one character to the next at chapters is easy to follow. Great read!
After reading book 1, I immediately started book 2! If you like action, adventure, magic, and lots of surprises, you will enjoy this. The characters are very well developed so the story comes to life. This would make a great onscreen series! I will be reading book 3 next, 1 win but I think it is just the beginning for Conner and his small band. Some say the books were too long but I would disagree, they do not drag on. Don't miss out on this series!
Wraithforged is not merely a cliche fantasy story that you would compare to others of similar stature, but a fantastic story brimming with depth and questions that have no easy answers. A truly thrilling experience, leaving you with lessons learned, questions to ask, and a fierce desire to see where the journey will take you next. Alas, the wait for the sequel shall be a test of patience for any who read this book.
This 2nd book is a great addition to the series. It follows from where the first started and adds more to the story, making the plot interesting and igniting the curiosity of the reader. As more information are revealed about each character so is our knowledge about the unknown pieces that are missing from the puzzle that is their past. Couldn’t ask more from a 2nd book of a series.
enjoyable reading as good to better than first book
An enjoyable reading time! Well worth the time and cost of reading! I have to say this is as good to better than the first book! Definitely will be picking up book 3 when it comes out. No complaints about the writing, characters or storyline. Overall well done novel enjoyable reading and worth the price of time and cost to purchase!
Captivating, mesmerising, and entirely to easy to read
A brilliant release that was absolutely to ready to read, and will be getting the next in the series immediately after this. Characters are well written, fleshed out, and full of strengths and flaws in the best way possible. Both the world and the magic system are well constructed with obvious thought, and make for excellent locations for the story to unfold. Highly recommend!
I didn't think it was possible but this book is even better than the first. I love the banter between the characters, some of which made me laugh out loud. Also the character development is excellent. I love the story and the world it is set in. Really looking forward to where the story goes next.
This is the best series in this genre i have read in 20 years. Its so good to read a full length novel also instead of groups of short chapters which is the norm these days.
Cant wait for the next installment. So keen to see how the Starling dragons are written in to the saga!!
I have been reading this genre since I was probably 10 years old. I’m 75 now and I state categorically that this is the finest writing I have EVER read. The writer is the penultimate Master of the works. I sincerely hope that she continues the story arc. Congratulations! You are brilliant!
One of the best High Fantasy series I have come across in recent years. This series has a very interesting Magic system, the world building was good and different characters PoV were good and most interesting part is the blend of dark story with the character building.
I read the first book in this series and got hooked. Connor is such a wonderful hero or antihero. When I read this one I fell in love with his little band of friends. Don’t get me started on Quinn. Let’s just say I want to be her. Barring that, I’ll read along with her. You need to get hooked on these books too.
Great second book in the series. Very original, with fascinating characters that represent the most noble of mankind, and the worst too. Very well crafted, weaving storylines, characters and their histories into a great central story. Anxious to read the third and final book in the series. Thanks and appreciation to the author!
Unpredictable suspense around every corner and the characters are like family members because of the superb writing. I started reading the first book, trying to find a new series, and I can't put them down. I would recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a very good read.
The sequel of Wraithblade was definitely an improvement over its predecessor. The tighter plot, faster starting pace, and stronger character focus all contributed to this enhancement. While still nothing incredible or unique, this series is consistent in its characters and follows satisfactory plot turns that make it an enjoyable experience, even if formulaic at times.
Another awesome book, absolutely love it. The story pretty well keeps you on your toes and waiting for what comes next the entire time. Also cant wait to see how the relationships between the characters develop even further down the line.
I have read the first two books, and I couldn’t put either one of them down. Really enjoyable and easy reading, and great characters. I’m looking forward to the next instalment
Kept me hooked from start to finish. The writing is high quality and the character development is great as well. Despite being a long book it never felt slow. Highly recommend the read. Looking forward to book 3!
Thank you for a good and entertaining story. I'm not your usual reader,because I am 85 yrs and an Amazon unlimited fiction reader. I liked how you put your story line together and kept it moving. Thanks jerry vorce