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The Landkist Saga #2
The Emerald Blade
The Dark Months have faded, but the light cannot last.
For Kole, Linn and the newly-minted heroes of the Valley, their recent victory is short-lived.
The King of Ember is alive. But the man who once led his people against the forces of darkness is changed. His mysterious path seems to be leading him to the middle of a war between two would-be gods.
Linn too, is no longer what she once was, as the power of a Sage burns within her. Something Kole must come to accept lest it tear the fellowship apart.
And while our heroes gather allies to follow the King, others head for the northern deserts, intent on discovering what power the Emberfolk left buried in the sands.
At the heart of it all is the Eversword. A weapon with the power to change everything.
NB: this is a republished edition of the previously titled The Emerald Blade. The new edition contains fresh editing.
For Kole, Linn and the newly-minted heroes of the Valley, their recent victory is short-lived.
The King of Ember is alive. But the man who once led his people against the forces of darkness is changed. His mysterious path seems to be leading him to the middle of a war between two would-be gods.
Linn too, is no longer what she once was, as the power of a Sage burns within her. Something Kole must come to accept lest it tear the fellowship apart.
And while our heroes gather allies to follow the King, others head for the northern deserts, intent on discovering what power the Emberfolk left buried in the sands.
At the heart of it all is the Eversword. A weapon with the power to change everything.
NB: this is a republished edition of the previously titled The Emerald Blade. The new edition contains fresh editing.
455 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2017
132 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Steven Kelliher
15 books198 followersSteven is a fighter-turned-writer who resides in the Boston area. A former sports and entertainment writer, he now focuses exclusively on his true passion: epic action fantasy and sci-fi. He wishes all disputes were still settled with a friendly game of hand-to-hand combat, is a fan of awesome things, and tries to write books he’d want to read.
He hopes you like them.
He hopes you like them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 3, 2020
The Emerald Blade is the second book in the Landkist Saga, and follows on directly from Valley of Embers. The flame-wielding warriors known as Embers are struggling to move forward in the aftermath of the previous book’s dramatic climax, and must now embark on an epic journey to the legendary Emerald Road.
The writing here is a real step up from Valley of Embers. The descriptions of settings are particularly evocative; the atmosphere upon entering the Emerald Road reminded me of Dombâng in Brian Staveley’s Skullsworn. The setting functions as an integral part of the story, and is practically an antagonist in its own right (as if Kole and company didn’t have enough enemies already!) Readers will, at varying points in the story, witness the steam rising from the cracks in an Ember’s armour, shiver as the damp ground-mist seeps into their boots, hear the creak of branches just beyond sight and feel the prickle on the back of the neck that lets you know you’re being hunted.
This pervading sense of threat is enhanced by Kelliher’s descriptions, which invoke a variety of senses. Above all else, though, the author uses visual imagery to convey vividly spectacular battles that are as realistic as they are breathtaking. Once he hits his stride, Kelliher’s action scenes are flawlessly tense and exciting, and at times it feels as though we’re watching a fight in slow motion with every punch and every spray of saliva rendered in HD for our viewing pleasure.
The rest of the characters’ experiences are rendered in just as much detail. This creates a sense of solidarity between the reader and the characters as we accompany them throughout their toils, day and night, rain or shine. However, a downside of this is that some chapters feel repetitive, which draws the reader’s attention to recurring instances of over-description. I won’t lie: I found myself at times frustrated by ‘microtelling’ that had me skipping over exposition scenes in which characters repeatedly blush, shift their gaze to the horizon, or draw their brows together into a frown. These scenes cause the story to lose impetus, dragging the reader back into stilted details when all they really want to know is WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, DAMMIT?!
That level of investment in the story is precisely what made me so keen to push through the uneven sections; to stick with the characters (no matter how winding their path) and learn what comes next. And if there’s one thing The Emerald Blade does better than Valley of Embers, it’s making us care about its characters. Speaking for myself, I struggled to connect with any of the protagonists in Kelliher’s debut. However, from the very beginning of Blade I felt myself sympathising with them – particularly Linn, who really comes into her own. Kole is much more uncertain of his own abilities and his place in the world after the events of Embers (which makes him far more engaging than the angry, mopy tween of the first book), while T’Alon Rane adds an entirely new and exciting perspective on the main conflict.
This is one of many ways in which The Emerald Blade is darker than its predecessor, though never gratuitously so. Kelliher is not one for needless gore - or for gore at all, really. He has the skill to sketch enough of the details that our own minds are more than capable of filling in the (occasionally gruesome) blanks. The more we learn about the Landkist, too, the more we realise that the various powers gifted by the earth are much more complicated – and dangerous – than the simple wielding of elemental swords. The characters, too, shift slightly away from the light, with their minds conflicted and their motivations nebulous. Valley of Embers gave us darkness vs. fire, death vs. life, evil vs. good. The Emerald Blade gives us shadows and mist, and power that can be used for whatever cause its wielder sees fit to champion.
For all their varying shades of grey, Kelliher writes his characters in colours so strikingly different that they’re virtually impossible to measure against the same moral scale. In a similar way, the secondary characters – including the Emerald Blade himself, of course, as well as Baas Taldis, Brega Cohr, and Shadow – make for a shifting but colourful backdrop that complements and accentuates those who burn brightest.
Oh! And speaking of colourfulness . . . LOOK AT THAT COVER. It’s (in my humble opinion) even more striking than the cover for Valley of Embers, and I like to think that the boldness of style and solidness of colours represents a more confident and focused writer; one who knows exactly where he’s going, is keen to improve, and is optimistic in his vision for the future of his series. In short, The Emerald Blade represents the next step in a writer’s journey. It isn’t perfect; nor should it be. But it shows a clear learning curve, as well as a willingness to experiment and take risks with the story. There’s a certain freedom in that. Whether it works for you or not, the author’s determination to remain loyal to his own vision is admirable.
Kelliher’s second Landkist novel is an improvement on the first in almost every way, and I now wait eagerly for the third. Now go, and give this series a try if you haven’t already.
The writing here is a real step up from Valley of Embers. The descriptions of settings are particularly evocative; the atmosphere upon entering the Emerald Road reminded me of Dombâng in Brian Staveley’s Skullsworn. The setting functions as an integral part of the story, and is practically an antagonist in its own right (as if Kole and company didn’t have enough enemies already!) Readers will, at varying points in the story, witness the steam rising from the cracks in an Ember’s armour, shiver as the damp ground-mist seeps into their boots, hear the creak of branches just beyond sight and feel the prickle on the back of the neck that lets you know you’re being hunted.
This pervading sense of threat is enhanced by Kelliher’s descriptions, which invoke a variety of senses. Above all else, though, the author uses visual imagery to convey vividly spectacular battles that are as realistic as they are breathtaking. Once he hits his stride, Kelliher’s action scenes are flawlessly tense and exciting, and at times it feels as though we’re watching a fight in slow motion with every punch and every spray of saliva rendered in HD for our viewing pleasure.
The rest of the characters’ experiences are rendered in just as much detail. This creates a sense of solidarity between the reader and the characters as we accompany them throughout their toils, day and night, rain or shine. However, a downside of this is that some chapters feel repetitive, which draws the reader’s attention to recurring instances of over-description. I won’t lie: I found myself at times frustrated by ‘microtelling’ that had me skipping over exposition scenes in which characters repeatedly blush, shift their gaze to the horizon, or draw their brows together into a frown. These scenes cause the story to lose impetus, dragging the reader back into stilted details when all they really want to know is WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, DAMMIT?!
That level of investment in the story is precisely what made me so keen to push through the uneven sections; to stick with the characters (no matter how winding their path) and learn what comes next. And if there’s one thing The Emerald Blade does better than Valley of Embers, it’s making us care about its characters. Speaking for myself, I struggled to connect with any of the protagonists in Kelliher’s debut. However, from the very beginning of Blade I felt myself sympathising with them – particularly Linn, who really comes into her own. Kole is much more uncertain of his own abilities and his place in the world after the events of Embers (which makes him far more engaging than the angry, mopy tween of the first book), while T’Alon Rane adds an entirely new and exciting perspective on the main conflict.
This is one of many ways in which The Emerald Blade is darker than its predecessor, though never gratuitously so. Kelliher is not one for needless gore - or for gore at all, really. He has the skill to sketch enough of the details that our own minds are more than capable of filling in the (occasionally gruesome) blanks. The more we learn about the Landkist, too, the more we realise that the various powers gifted by the earth are much more complicated – and dangerous – than the simple wielding of elemental swords. The characters, too, shift slightly away from the light, with their minds conflicted and their motivations nebulous. Valley of Embers gave us darkness vs. fire, death vs. life, evil vs. good. The Emerald Blade gives us shadows and mist, and power that can be used for whatever cause its wielder sees fit to champion.
For all their varying shades of grey, Kelliher writes his characters in colours so strikingly different that they’re virtually impossible to measure against the same moral scale. In a similar way, the secondary characters – including the Emerald Blade himself, of course, as well as Baas Taldis, Brega Cohr, and Shadow – make for a shifting but colourful backdrop that complements and accentuates those who burn brightest.
Oh! And speaking of colourfulness . . . LOOK AT THAT COVER. It’s (in my humble opinion) even more striking than the cover for Valley of Embers, and I like to think that the boldness of style and solidness of colours represents a more confident and focused writer; one who knows exactly where he’s going, is keen to improve, and is optimistic in his vision for the future of his series. In short, The Emerald Blade represents the next step in a writer’s journey. It isn’t perfect; nor should it be. But it shows a clear learning curve, as well as a willingness to experiment and take risks with the story. There’s a certain freedom in that. Whether it works for you or not, the author’s determination to remain loyal to his own vision is admirable.
Kelliher’s second Landkist novel is an improvement on the first in almost every way, and I now wait eagerly for the third. Now go, and give this series a try if you haven’t already.
November 9, 2017
My Video Review:
https://youtu.be/R6KtdATncqQ
https://youtu.be/R6KtdATncqQ
May 30, 2017
Kole Reyna and his battle-seasoned friends have left their sheltered Valley and made their way into the World. The Sages have amassed vast amounts of power in an attempt to defeat each other, yet the consequences fall upon people who only mean to preserve their way of life. The Landkist of the Valley mean to right the wrongs inflicted upon the World by the Sages, and to seek out their once-sovereign, the Ember King. His alliances have shifted over the long years of his life, and Kole believes he is integral in bringing the Sages down.
The scope of The Emerald Blade is much wider than its predecessor, Valley of Embers. The writing allows the reader to easily envision the sweeping breadth of the World as the Valley Landkist step into it for the first time in a generation. I found an interesting parallel between the reader's experience and our group of protagonists; we're experiencing the World right alongside Kole, Linn, Baas, Misha & Jenk, which is both enthralling and at some times, confusing. Their lives were spent cloistered away in the Valley, the ways of the World unknown to them and to the reader as well. There were times in the story when I wasn't able to keep track of the new characters from Center, as some of them are referred to by a title, and some of those titles seemed interchangeable. All was made clear by the end of the book, but I struggled a little in the first half, having to go back and reread to get a better understanding of what was happening and to whom.
I really enjoyed Linn's progression, having come away from the battle with the White Crest with more than anyone expected. How she handles that change comes across as authentic, and it was a delight to see her come to embrace it in time. My favorite Landkist is Baas Taldis. He is Rockbled, having the means to manipulate the earth around him. He's a human with World-given gifts, but is essentially described as a personified boulder with a gentle & wise soul, careful not to waste his words on anything without purpose or thought. I love the contrast between his demeanor and his physical strength, giving his character depth.
This is a series worth reading if you are a great fan of epic fantasy. Things don't go as you'd expect them to, and you're treated to a detailed world filled with interesting and unique characters.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchanged for an honest review.
The scope of The Emerald Blade is much wider than its predecessor, Valley of Embers. The writing allows the reader to easily envision the sweeping breadth of the World as the Valley Landkist step into it for the first time in a generation. I found an interesting parallel between the reader's experience and our group of protagonists; we're experiencing the World right alongside Kole, Linn, Baas, Misha & Jenk, which is both enthralling and at some times, confusing. Their lives were spent cloistered away in the Valley, the ways of the World unknown to them and to the reader as well. There were times in the story when I wasn't able to keep track of the new characters from Center, as some of them are referred to by a title, and some of those titles seemed interchangeable. All was made clear by the end of the book, but I struggled a little in the first half, having to go back and reread to get a better understanding of what was happening and to whom.
I really enjoyed Linn's progression, having come away from the battle with the White Crest with more than anyone expected. How she handles that change comes across as authentic, and it was a delight to see her come to embrace it in time. My favorite Landkist is Baas Taldis. He is Rockbled, having the means to manipulate the earth around him. He's a human with World-given gifts, but is essentially described as a personified boulder with a gentle & wise soul, careful not to waste his words on anything without purpose or thought. I love the contrast between his demeanor and his physical strength, giving his character depth.
This is a series worth reading if you are a great fan of epic fantasy. Things don't go as you'd expect them to, and you're treated to a detailed world filled with interesting and unique characters.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchanged for an honest review.
June 1, 2017
The Emerald Blade boasts a cover so stunning, gorgeous, mindboggling, eye-goggling, I am running out of adjectives here. Mr. Kelliher's imagery and lyrical prose add to the overall presentation. I see a marked improvement in The Emerald Blade compared to the Valley of Embers regarding consistency and exposition. The characters are many, but each major player has a significant and more or less well-rounded presence. The dialogs addressed characters by the last name, and the narration mentioned the first name. It took some and adjusting but no biggie. Shadow is wow! Love what Mr. Kelliher did with her. No spoilers. I know. Bummer.
Unlike its predecessor, The Emerald blade doesn't start with gripping action. Instead, there is some traveling, talking, and no sign of Kole or Linn for some time.
However, The Emerald Blades has its positives. The world here not too different. The subtle changes in scenery are evident after we are through a few chapters. The initial 'talk' actually makes way for the later plot twists. To be honest, I loved how Valley of Embers started with a bang. I thought I was going to miss that in The Emerald Blade. But once Kole and Linn appear, the story picks up the pace. The slow build up of a right amount of drama, mystery, and tension helps this epic fantasy heighten our anticipation and keeps our attention captivated to the last. The last part of the book (after two-third) is sensational. What an ending! I can hardly wait for the third book in the series. Will it be the finale? Will the cover outdo this one? Sorry. Patience.
4 Bohostars.
Thank you, Steven, for the free advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. I bought my own copy yesterday once the book went live.
You can read my review of the first book in the series, Valley of Embers, here.
http://bohomind.com/emerald-blade-lan...
Unlike its predecessor, The Emerald blade doesn't start with gripping action. Instead, there is some traveling, talking, and no sign of Kole or Linn for some time.
However, The Emerald Blades has its positives. The world here not too different. The subtle changes in scenery are evident after we are through a few chapters. The initial 'talk' actually makes way for the later plot twists. To be honest, I loved how Valley of Embers started with a bang. I thought I was going to miss that in The Emerald Blade. But once Kole and Linn appear, the story picks up the pace. The slow build up of a right amount of drama, mystery, and tension helps this epic fantasy heighten our anticipation and keeps our attention captivated to the last. The last part of the book (after two-third) is sensational. What an ending! I can hardly wait for the third book in the series. Will it be the finale? Will the cover outdo this one? Sorry. Patience.
4 Bohostars.
Thank you, Steven, for the free advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. I bought my own copy yesterday once the book went live.
You can read my review of the first book in the series, Valley of Embers, here.
http://bohomind.com/emerald-blade-lan...
March 16, 2018
Action! Adventure! Quests! Magic! Monsters! IT HAS IT ALL!
I listened to the first and second books in this series on Audible. I'm very particular about narrators and this one didn't grab me by the short and curleys, but he wasn't at all bad (I'm just really picky about my listening). That being said, I still fell into the story and the characters and their frikkin' awesome powers and abilities!
BOOM! POW! This is super heroes meets magicians, super villains meets monsters... but it's also so much more.
Political intrigue, history and mystery. Camaraderie, allies and enemies - new and old. Exciting meetings, clashes and confrontations, as well as suspense, the series continues to impress and I look forward to listening to book three.
Kelliher is on a roll.
Cheers,
JP
I listened to the first and second books in this series on Audible. I'm very particular about narrators and this one didn't grab me by the short and curleys, but he wasn't at all bad (I'm just really picky about my listening). That being said, I still fell into the story and the characters and their frikkin' awesome powers and abilities!
BOOM! POW! This is super heroes meets magicians, super villains meets monsters... but it's also so much more.
Political intrigue, history and mystery. Camaraderie, allies and enemies - new and old. Exciting meetings, clashes and confrontations, as well as suspense, the series continues to impress and I look forward to listening to book three.
Kelliher is on a roll.
Cheers,
JP
May 28, 2017
The Emerald Blade (The Landkist Saga #2) by Steven Kelliher is a fantasy adventure novel given to me to read by the author. It is book two and really should be read after book one. Book one is really awesome and recommend book one but found book two not to live up to book one. I liked it but found it a little wordy in places. I liked the plot and characters but found a good editing would have made it flow smoother and would have held my interest better like it did in book one. It is worth the read for sure but I guess I liked book one so much that I was a bit disappointed it wasn't as good. lol. The review was voluntary.
July 1, 2017
I wrote an extensive review of The Valley of Embers, Book 1 in this series, so I won't go into lot of detail why I love this book. Suffice it to say I was enamored with Kelliher's prose style, lyrical plotting and dreamlike description in the first book - and I think this one does it even better. It's bizarre, sometimes unsettling, and always mesmerizing. An amazing follow up, and if Kelliher isn't careful, this could end up being one of my favorite fantasy series ever. I'm watching you, Mr. Kelliher...
June 12, 2017
Started slower than first but hey first had battle form first few words which was wicked as never seen this from a debut. As I said in my review of first that I marked it down due to my views of debuts due to fact most authors have had this book in front of them for few years playing and tweaking also world building and background on characters. This book showed me more about Steven and his style and I must say it pleasantly surprised me and showed skills of a wordsmith extraordinary .... pace was good just enough to keep u wondering what happened next , he hooked me on main characters all in this book was bursting with excitement and carefully crafted battle scenes . That have left me wanting more ... so move it Steven ...
June 5, 2017
Full review is here, on my blog :)
It took me a few chapters to reorient myself into this world. A lot happened at the end of the last book and it's been a couple of months since I read it. I couldn't remember who was who for a bit... that sorta thing. Worry not, however, as my brain eventually got comfy in the world. Snuggled into some nice Ember heat and off we went! The first few chapters or so did a good job of bringing me back into the world. This one was an easier read for me than volume one, actually. It flowed better for me, so it felt like it went quicker and was more immersive. That's probably just me, but there it is. Editing was on point for this one as well. All told, I thought this one was stronger than the first, and I quite liked the first!
The Emerald Blade, like its predecessor, is influenced a lot by Miyazaki and Avatar: The Last Airbender. This one gave me a real big Avatar vibe, and like with book one, I was totally okay with it. Perhaps a little more here, since, ah... well someone is sort of the last airbender in this particular tale. The Emerald Road itself had a huge, huge Princess Mononoke vibe going on as well (great forest spirit and all - a lovely homage). Don't get me wrong though, it's certainly influenced by these things, but it's still original. It takes its own path, and has its own story and its own characters, but that story and those characters just happen to bring to mind some of my favorite animation, just as the first book did. In this volume of the story, the King of Embers is on his way to a land called Center, where the Emerald Blade, another Sage-like being similar to the White Crest is said to live. Kole and Linn gather a group together to follow him to Center, because where he goes, the Eastern Dark is bound to be close, and fuck that guy and his evil shenanigans. At the same time, Linn's Faeykin sister Iyana travels north to the deserts to see what the Embers' ancestral homelands have to hide, and what can be done there to revive the Embers of the Valley, who are becoming fewer every generation. A grand adventure is had by all. Well, a grand adventure is had by Linn and Kole at any rate. :D
I liked how we saw things from the POV of some of the antagonists (more or less) from time to time, and their POV of course disagreed in many ways with that of the protagonists, so that was kind of neat. The plot had plenty of twists and turns in it, and kept me guessing about things like certain characters' motivations. I really liked The Emerald Blade as a character, where I wasn't sure I would at first. I was expecting to see more from Iyana and her company, but as soon as both groups split up, that seemed to be the end of anything from Iyana and her group. Oh well.
My one real criticism of this one is that it could have been a bit shorter. It's a veritable tome of a novel, and while lots of interesting things do happen in it, there are times when the pace slows down considerably. The pacing is mostly fine, especially during the exciting parts, but the slow parts sometimes drag along a bit and I found myself wanting to just get back to the exciting stuff. It didn't happen too often, but often enough that I thought about it, I guess. Let's just say that I still managed to find time and motivation to read the whole thing on my vacation, so even with that gripe, it can't have been too bad, amirite? 😁
Other than the slower parts, as I said, I thought this one was wholly better than the first. I still like Kole and Linn a lot, as characters, though I do wish that this series had a tad more romance in it. Kole's relationship with Linn is often portrayed as very close but ambiguous and I wish it wasn't. It's okay if they're just friends, but if that was made more clear, it would weigh less on my mind, I think. I would hope less for intimacy between them if I knew for sure that their relationship wasn't like that. Either way, I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
Also, I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review of it. :D It took me a while to read, but to be honest, I'm on vacation, writing this review at my mom's house, lol.
It took me a few chapters to reorient myself into this world. A lot happened at the end of the last book and it's been a couple of months since I read it. I couldn't remember who was who for a bit... that sorta thing. Worry not, however, as my brain eventually got comfy in the world. Snuggled into some nice Ember heat and off we went! The first few chapters or so did a good job of bringing me back into the world. This one was an easier read for me than volume one, actually. It flowed better for me, so it felt like it went quicker and was more immersive. That's probably just me, but there it is. Editing was on point for this one as well. All told, I thought this one was stronger than the first, and I quite liked the first!
The Emerald Blade, like its predecessor, is influenced a lot by Miyazaki and Avatar: The Last Airbender. This one gave me a real big Avatar vibe, and like with book one, I was totally okay with it. Perhaps a little more here, since, ah... well someone is sort of the last airbender in this particular tale. The Emerald Road itself had a huge, huge Princess Mononoke vibe going on as well (great forest spirit and all - a lovely homage). Don't get me wrong though, it's certainly influenced by these things, but it's still original. It takes its own path, and has its own story and its own characters, but that story and those characters just happen to bring to mind some of my favorite animation, just as the first book did. In this volume of the story, the King of Embers is on his way to a land called Center, where the Emerald Blade, another Sage-like being similar to the White Crest is said to live. Kole and Linn gather a group together to follow him to Center, because where he goes, the Eastern Dark is bound to be close, and fuck that guy and his evil shenanigans. At the same time, Linn's Faeykin sister Iyana travels north to the deserts to see what the Embers' ancestral homelands have to hide, and what can be done there to revive the Embers of the Valley, who are becoming fewer every generation. A grand adventure is had by all. Well, a grand adventure is had by Linn and Kole at any rate. :D
I liked how we saw things from the POV of some of the antagonists (more or less) from time to time, and their POV of course disagreed in many ways with that of the protagonists, so that was kind of neat. The plot had plenty of twists and turns in it, and kept me guessing about things like certain characters' motivations. I really liked The Emerald Blade as a character, where I wasn't sure I would at first. I was expecting to see more from Iyana and her company, but as soon as both groups split up, that seemed to be the end of anything from Iyana and her group. Oh well.
My one real criticism of this one is that it could have been a bit shorter. It's a veritable tome of a novel, and while lots of interesting things do happen in it, there are times when the pace slows down considerably. The pacing is mostly fine, especially during the exciting parts, but the slow parts sometimes drag along a bit and I found myself wanting to just get back to the exciting stuff. It didn't happen too often, but often enough that I thought about it, I guess. Let's just say that I still managed to find time and motivation to read the whole thing on my vacation, so even with that gripe, it can't have been too bad, amirite? 😁
Other than the slower parts, as I said, I thought this one was wholly better than the first. I still like Kole and Linn a lot, as characters, though I do wish that this series had a tad more romance in it. Kole's relationship with Linn is often portrayed as very close but ambiguous and I wish it wasn't. It's okay if they're just friends, but if that was made more clear, it would weigh less on my mind, I think. I would hope less for intimacy between them if I knew for sure that their relationship wasn't like that. Either way, I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
Also, I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review of it. :D It took me a while to read, but to be honest, I'm on vacation, writing this review at my mom's house, lol.
June 1, 2017
Last year I read Valley of Embers, the first book in a promising fantasy series called The Landkist Saga. This book continues us on with the journey of Kole, Linn and Iyana. And I ended up being quite taken with this book. It certainly was a big step up from the first book I feel.
The world of the Landkist saga has created its own magical system and world surrounding it. Where in the first book it takes place in the valley, this book takes them out of the valley to a place called Centre with more forests and different kinds of people, different Landkist (those with magic) and creatures. I think that was great because we slowly get more taken into this world without it moving too fast. Where in the first book there was some info dumping at the start of the book I didn’t feel that was the case in this book. Of course we do already have the basic information from the first book so it just builds on that well. I do have to say it took me a bit to get back into this world. There is just so much to remember from the first book, with character names also, that it took me a bit. But this is more of a fault with me as the reader than I think this is the fault of the book. These are just best binged after one another when you remember all of it the best. But once I was back up to speed with everything I was sucked right in.
The book starts us of back at their hometown where they are preparing to travel. For the first part the large group travels together but nearing the half of the book they separate. One large group with Iyana go to the Northern deserts while Kole, Linn and three other Landkist go to the Centre. I expected to get alternating chapters between each travel but we followed Kole’s group to the end of the book with an added point of view of their supposed enemy. I was very pleased with that. It gave us the chance to really get into their journey and struggles. Not that I am not interested in the other group but when focusing on just one makes it easier to be sucked into the story, especially when there is new territory to learn about.
I would say that the first 150 pages are on the slow side. It took them a while to actually get travelling. But after that the pacing flows well for me. It alternates between talking and battle scenes. These battle scenes are well written, but maybe can go on a tad long for those that aren’t as drawn to detailed battle scenes. Even so it creates a realism of the battles and shows they are well thought out. Also this group is not stupid. They are intelligent.
As for the characters, in my review of the first book I said I did not prefer one over the other. That they were serious. That last still stands. But I have grown quite fond of some of these characters. Kole has something. His struggle with his powers, his revenge but also doing the right thing is subtle. In part it isn’t right in your face which is something that I can appreciate. His relationship with his dog is also so very endearing. I’ve grown to like Linn. She is also struggling with what she is becoming but doesn’t shy away from what she needs to do. Baas is a rock, quite literally at moments. Jenk and Misha are okay. I have to say I kind of missed Nathan from the first book.
But most of all I have fallen a bit for our Ember King. Yes. There is something about learning about his side of everything and the side of the battle that completely drew me into the story. He was a great addition and I’m still upset about that ending.
The world of the Landkist saga has created its own magical system and world surrounding it. Where in the first book it takes place in the valley, this book takes them out of the valley to a place called Centre with more forests and different kinds of people, different Landkist (those with magic) and creatures. I think that was great because we slowly get more taken into this world without it moving too fast. Where in the first book there was some info dumping at the start of the book I didn’t feel that was the case in this book. Of course we do already have the basic information from the first book so it just builds on that well. I do have to say it took me a bit to get back into this world. There is just so much to remember from the first book, with character names also, that it took me a bit. But this is more of a fault with me as the reader than I think this is the fault of the book. These are just best binged after one another when you remember all of it the best. But once I was back up to speed with everything I was sucked right in.
The book starts us of back at their hometown where they are preparing to travel. For the first part the large group travels together but nearing the half of the book they separate. One large group with Iyana go to the Northern deserts while Kole, Linn and three other Landkist go to the Centre. I expected to get alternating chapters between each travel but we followed Kole’s group to the end of the book with an added point of view of their supposed enemy. I was very pleased with that. It gave us the chance to really get into their journey and struggles. Not that I am not interested in the other group but when focusing on just one makes it easier to be sucked into the story, especially when there is new territory to learn about.
I would say that the first 150 pages are on the slow side. It took them a while to actually get travelling. But after that the pacing flows well for me. It alternates between talking and battle scenes. These battle scenes are well written, but maybe can go on a tad long for those that aren’t as drawn to detailed battle scenes. Even so it creates a realism of the battles and shows they are well thought out. Also this group is not stupid. They are intelligent.
As for the characters, in my review of the first book I said I did not prefer one over the other. That they were serious. That last still stands. But I have grown quite fond of some of these characters. Kole has something. His struggle with his powers, his revenge but also doing the right thing is subtle. In part it isn’t right in your face which is something that I can appreciate. His relationship with his dog is also so very endearing. I’ve grown to like Linn. She is also struggling with what she is becoming but doesn’t shy away from what she needs to do. Baas is a rock, quite literally at moments. Jenk and Misha are okay. I have to say I kind of missed Nathan from the first book.
But most of all I have fallen a bit for our Ember King. Yes. There is something about learning about his side of everything and the side of the battle that completely drew me into the story. He was a great addition and I’m still upset about that ending.
May 26, 2017
Searing blades, heated blood, epic battles, powerful forces long lost have returned, but are they the warriors they once were or is the man known as the King of Embers now fighting for an agenda of his own?
THE EMERALD BLADE wields the magic and power of his namesake. Witches, Sages, Willows, dark forces, forces of light, foes worthy of battle, the powers of the Emberfolk, powers of ice and cold, the land has become a battlefield from the South to the Center lands to the North. It is time for the Landkist to declare their place in the world, but not until both heroes and enemies have fallen. Will the battle between light and dark never end?
As Kole and his allies stand for good, they will falter in their resolve, but their quest is not over. Follow them as they wield the powers of their fire and their weapons against death from the skies and all around them. Witness their growth as a team, as limbs of one great tree as they prepare to face a power that even the Eastern Dark fears.
From start to finish, the action and turmoil is non-stop as THE EMERALD BLADE continues the saga that began in THE VALLEY OF EMBERS. Magical beings, hideous beasts, and dark powers who are like puppets dancing to the strings controlled by others. Where does reality end and the veils of the myriad of magical powers begin?
Steven Kelliher’s world is epic fantasy come to life. Rich in detail, high velocity action, uniquely created characters and scenes that put readers into the action, feel the immense size of the battlefields as described by this author’s pen and watch as even a simple color becomes part of the powers in play.
Each character comes to life with unique abilities, in-depth physical descriptions and realize that sometimes what meets the eye is not always the true reality. This epic fantasy dares you to leave your simple world behind and become part of a world where anything can and most likely will happen. Rest up, this journey is filled with non-stop challenges and surprises as our heroes fight to control the energies they possess as they are called upon by their very hearts and souls to vanquish evil.
Steven Kelliher has stepped up to the plate and hit this one out of the ball park!
I received this copy from Steven Kelliher in exchange for my honest review.
Saga: The Landkist Saga - Book 2
Expected Publication Date: June 1, 2017
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Number of Pages: 636
Purchase links not available at time of review
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
THE EMERALD BLADE wields the magic and power of his namesake. Witches, Sages, Willows, dark forces, forces of light, foes worthy of battle, the powers of the Emberfolk, powers of ice and cold, the land has become a battlefield from the South to the Center lands to the North. It is time for the Landkist to declare their place in the world, but not until both heroes and enemies have fallen. Will the battle between light and dark never end?
As Kole and his allies stand for good, they will falter in their resolve, but their quest is not over. Follow them as they wield the powers of their fire and their weapons against death from the skies and all around them. Witness their growth as a team, as limbs of one great tree as they prepare to face a power that even the Eastern Dark fears.
From start to finish, the action and turmoil is non-stop as THE EMERALD BLADE continues the saga that began in THE VALLEY OF EMBERS. Magical beings, hideous beasts, and dark powers who are like puppets dancing to the strings controlled by others. Where does reality end and the veils of the myriad of magical powers begin?
Steven Kelliher’s world is epic fantasy come to life. Rich in detail, high velocity action, uniquely created characters and scenes that put readers into the action, feel the immense size of the battlefields as described by this author’s pen and watch as even a simple color becomes part of the powers in play.
Each character comes to life with unique abilities, in-depth physical descriptions and realize that sometimes what meets the eye is not always the true reality. This epic fantasy dares you to leave your simple world behind and become part of a world where anything can and most likely will happen. Rest up, this journey is filled with non-stop challenges and surprises as our heroes fight to control the energies they possess as they are called upon by their very hearts and souls to vanquish evil.
Steven Kelliher has stepped up to the plate and hit this one out of the ball park!
I received this copy from Steven Kelliher in exchange for my honest review.
Saga: The Landkist Saga - Book 2
Expected Publication Date: June 1, 2017
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Number of Pages: 636
Purchase links not available at time of review
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
May 22, 2017
This is a wonderful continuation of a fantastic story. I love the world that the author creates, the characters are wonderful and it is a well crafted story. This is an author to watch out for in the future in my humble opinion, a full review will be on my blog when the book releases officially. Thank you Steven for providing with me with the EARC, reading this story has been a real pleasure.
June 16, 2021
Wow another great, the second in the series. Loved this one as much as the first. Just kept me reading until I was finished. Definitely can’t wait for more. Received an ARC.
May 30, 2017
I loved this book and found that I was very quickly drawn into the world of the characters, and was so hopeful the author would let everyone find bliss and happiness, but alas this is a series and this
answers some questions, while leaving loads of room for further escapades. I am looking forward with great eagerness to the next installment. The characters are complex, with flaws and strengths dependant on their own story, and are very believable.
Well worth getting and reading.
answers some questions, while leaving loads of room for further escapades. I am looking forward with great eagerness to the next installment. The characters are complex, with flaws and strengths dependant on their own story, and are very believable.
Well worth getting and reading.
October 16, 2017
So I loved this book. Somehow the author made it even better than the first book, which I also enjoyed. The writing is incredible and there were times where I was unable to stop reading. The battle scenes are particularly engrossing, though if you do not like very descriptive fight scenes this may not be the book for you. Overall this story had a lot more character growth and development. The new characters added a lot of nuance and depth to the plot. The story of the Sages and Landkist was advanced really well with some mysteries revealed and others added. During the battle scenes there was a lot of tension regarding questionable alliances. Also, I really liked the overall setting and I think it is a really creative world that is being built.
The only thing that almost took a star off the book is just that the beginning is a slow start. There is a lot of time spent on the initial journey and I am not sure the pay off is there for that section of the book. It was all very good and well written, I am just still not sure I got the closure from that section that I wanted. But hey there is book 3 coming soon!
The only thing that almost took a star off the book is just that the beginning is a slow start. There is a lot of time spent on the initial journey and I am not sure the pay off is there for that section of the book. It was all very good and well written, I am just still not sure I got the closure from that section that I wanted. But hey there is book 3 coming soon!
October 31, 2017
Another exciting, action packed read. I felt like the writing improved over book 1 and the characters became more fleshed out, along with the world they inhabit. Really enjoyed getting the antagonists perspective as well. Nice to meet a few other Landkist along the way, with their own cool little abilities. An intriguing ending left me excited and interested to see where the series will go next.
December 13, 2019
I don’t know what it is with this series.. The first one didn’t really click with me, and at the time, I thought that was because I wasn’t really able to delve into the story because of life and stupid stuff getting in the way, but I found myself struggling with this one as well and without an excuse. Maybe, it was the book and not me…
I liked how we got a lot more world-building in this one and I enjoyed seeing how Kelliher has improved as a writer – this book is simply much better written than the first one and he has especially gotten better at developing his plot and conveying his story to his readers. The setting was interesting and it was exciting to see a different corner of this world.
That being said, this book never really became a great book. I couldn’t connect to the characters and it felt like I was always kept at an arm’s length; I never really felt like I knew what was going on in the heads of these characters and how they truly felt. They just came off very underdeveloped to me.
Now, Kelliher DID improve on certain points in his writing between the first and second book, so I’m kinda curious to see if and in which way he is going to improve between the second and third book. I’m seeing this to the end, baby!
But seriously.. I need a map! And glossary or something of the different Sages because this girl got confused a few times!
I liked how we got a lot more world-building in this one and I enjoyed seeing how Kelliher has improved as a writer – this book is simply much better written than the first one and he has especially gotten better at developing his plot and conveying his story to his readers. The setting was interesting and it was exciting to see a different corner of this world.
That being said, this book never really became a great book. I couldn’t connect to the characters and it felt like I was always kept at an arm’s length; I never really felt like I knew what was going on in the heads of these characters and how they truly felt. They just came off very underdeveloped to me.
Now, Kelliher DID improve on certain points in his writing between the first and second book, so I’m kinda curious to see if and in which way he is going to improve between the second and third book. I’m seeing this to the end, baby!
But seriously.. I need a map! And glossary or something of the different Sages because this girl got confused a few times!
June 18, 2017
I received an advance copy from the author.
Rocky start: The first 40-50 pages were slow going, could have been made tighter with no loss in information imparted. I guess this was more evident because the first book opened with a bang. Not that an action-packed opening is necessary or even desired, but the slowness and repetition of the first 10% made for a rocky and noticeably contrasting start.
The first book, VALLEY OF EMBERS, introduced the characters and the world—including the beliefs and history that purportedly shaped it. Book 1 essentially and ultimately laid waste to what the people believed to be their origin and the nature and reasons for the current plight. It saw the world as they knew it stand on a precipice, no longer certain of truths taken as gospel for as long as the oldest living resident could remember. Most everyone emerged from the first book changed--physically, psychologically, philosophically--ushering a period of adjustment.
Book 2 delves deeper into the world and the lives of the characters. It wears its heart on its sleeve as relationships start to form or become apparent. Being more emotional, Book 2 necessarily makes you care more about the characters, to be invested in their survival despite a growing suspicion that they will not all likely endure much less survive.
Steven Kelliher ratchets up the intrigue. First, he casts doubt on his own protagonist Kole, constantly calling into question his motives, doubting the source of his power, and suggesting that his power controls him rather than vice versa. Second, he casts doubts on Kole's friends and allies—questioning whether or not they truly are working towards the same objective or even that any such common objective is desirable or worthy of their efforts. Third, he multiplied the number of apparent foes, forcing his protagonists to fight on multiple fronts. Fourth, he obscures the nature, impetus, and ultimate objectives of the designated antagonists. If their version of history is correct, then they might not be enemies at all. Or perhaps all enemies are not created equal. Is the enemy of your enemy truly some kind of an ally or simply an enemy on a different front? Is aligning with a not-quite-ally merely delaying a war until a common foe is vanquished? Fifth, Kelliher subtly suggests that foes are not outside the realm of redemption—that a seeming foe is as likely to turn right as left. If such person indeed stands at a crossroads, should efforts be exerted to steer him towards the true road or should he preemptively be vanquished as a precautionary measure? A complex, sophisticated antagonist is a requisite to a multi-layered story.
All of this is put in play because Kelliher has lined up a wide array of players, each one injecting their own demands and interests, most or even all rather reasonable, where many appear to be neither friend nor foe. There exists several versions of "the truth", each plausible or believable and not necessarily mutually exclusive. Questioning the very origin and history of the people who populate his world adds layers of complexity and sophistication to the story. In calling everything into question, gods become less divine, kings become less regal and more capricious, wars become less necessary. He laid the foundation to make The Embers—the humans with mysterious elemental powers—equally likely heroes or pawns. The magic is not neat or tidy, it is mysterious as it often should be—appreciated and wielded with pride but often arbitrary rather than deserved or in any way predictable or even understandable. The story feels more realistic, more believable—life's choices are rarely between black and white, most are varying shades of grey—and certainly more engrossing.
In all the subtlety of the machinations going on, I almost forgot to mention the fights. Almost. There is nothing subtle about the gnarly skirmishes, clashes, scrimmages, dustups, etc. Flames are thrown about, wind directed to and fro, the very land under their feet upended, moved and reduced to dust. Okay, there is some subtlety--when a power exists that rends one from the inside out. The fights have a lot of heart and sometimes literally crushes hearts. Battle rating: On Fiyah!
The story ebbs and flows, sometimes not so seamlessly, stalling or bogging down the narrative at some points. The prose occasionally lends itself to repetition, seemingly untrusting of the writing skill or perhaps the reader's ability to grasp it with only a singular impression. Yet Kelliher will sometimes deliver a startling jolt, succinctly creating visual images, calling forth a palpable atmosphere, or evoking powerful emotions with brevity and a remarkable turn of phrase:
“Brega knew this land better than the rest of them. He knew how it could betray travelers too weary or too proud to think better, just as he knew it could take a man in an instant beneath the same boughs that had sheltered him moments before.”
“This was a town both large and small enough to lose something without losing sight of it.”
“'If there's anything more dangerous than a Sage who fancies himself a god,” Wend said, “it's one who fancies himself a man.'”
“How quickly the wielder could become the wielded. How quickly archer could become arrow.”
“But we're in a dance with gods now, Linn—or forces that consider the sun and stars their kin rather than their betters.”
xxx “the sounds betrayed an abundance of things that killed to live and died to let others do the same.”
“They passed under branches that might have been roots and over roots that might have been branches.”
“It took a fire to fight, but a coldness to kill.”
Like the series, Steven Kelliher is geometrically growing with and in the telling of The Landkist Saga. While the first book showed clear promise, this second one makes good on that promise and commits to new ones—it fleshes out characters to cheer for even if they falter, makes desirable the survival and endurance of an imperfect world, and delivers a conflict that is complex, possibly impossible to entirely resolve, yet worthy of the effort.
A promise is a promise, Mr. Kelliher. I have high expectations for Book 3.
Rocky start: The first 40-50 pages were slow going, could have been made tighter with no loss in information imparted. I guess this was more evident because the first book opened with a bang. Not that an action-packed opening is necessary or even desired, but the slowness and repetition of the first 10% made for a rocky and noticeably contrasting start.
The first book, VALLEY OF EMBERS, introduced the characters and the world—including the beliefs and history that purportedly shaped it. Book 1 essentially and ultimately laid waste to what the people believed to be their origin and the nature and reasons for the current plight. It saw the world as they knew it stand on a precipice, no longer certain of truths taken as gospel for as long as the oldest living resident could remember. Most everyone emerged from the first book changed--physically, psychologically, philosophically--ushering a period of adjustment.
Book 2 delves deeper into the world and the lives of the characters. It wears its heart on its sleeve as relationships start to form or become apparent. Being more emotional, Book 2 necessarily makes you care more about the characters, to be invested in their survival despite a growing suspicion that they will not all likely endure much less survive.
Steven Kelliher ratchets up the intrigue. First, he casts doubt on his own protagonist Kole, constantly calling into question his motives, doubting the source of his power, and suggesting that his power controls him rather than vice versa. Second, he casts doubts on Kole's friends and allies—questioning whether or not they truly are working towards the same objective or even that any such common objective is desirable or worthy of their efforts. Third, he multiplied the number of apparent foes, forcing his protagonists to fight on multiple fronts. Fourth, he obscures the nature, impetus, and ultimate objectives of the designated antagonists. If their version of history is correct, then they might not be enemies at all. Or perhaps all enemies are not created equal. Is the enemy of your enemy truly some kind of an ally or simply an enemy on a different front? Is aligning with a not-quite-ally merely delaying a war until a common foe is vanquished? Fifth, Kelliher subtly suggests that foes are not outside the realm of redemption—that a seeming foe is as likely to turn right as left. If such person indeed stands at a crossroads, should efforts be exerted to steer him towards the true road or should he preemptively be vanquished as a precautionary measure? A complex, sophisticated antagonist is a requisite to a multi-layered story.
All of this is put in play because Kelliher has lined up a wide array of players, each one injecting their own demands and interests, most or even all rather reasonable, where many appear to be neither friend nor foe. There exists several versions of "the truth", each plausible or believable and not necessarily mutually exclusive. Questioning the very origin and history of the people who populate his world adds layers of complexity and sophistication to the story. In calling everything into question, gods become less divine, kings become less regal and more capricious, wars become less necessary. He laid the foundation to make The Embers—the humans with mysterious elemental powers—equally likely heroes or pawns. The magic is not neat or tidy, it is mysterious as it often should be—appreciated and wielded with pride but often arbitrary rather than deserved or in any way predictable or even understandable. The story feels more realistic, more believable—life's choices are rarely between black and white, most are varying shades of grey—and certainly more engrossing.
In all the subtlety of the machinations going on, I almost forgot to mention the fights. Almost. There is nothing subtle about the gnarly skirmishes, clashes, scrimmages, dustups, etc. Flames are thrown about, wind directed to and fro, the very land under their feet upended, moved and reduced to dust. Okay, there is some subtlety--when a power exists that rends one from the inside out. The fights have a lot of heart and sometimes literally crushes hearts. Battle rating: On Fiyah!
The story ebbs and flows, sometimes not so seamlessly, stalling or bogging down the narrative at some points. The prose occasionally lends itself to repetition, seemingly untrusting of the writing skill or perhaps the reader's ability to grasp it with only a singular impression. Yet Kelliher will sometimes deliver a startling jolt, succinctly creating visual images, calling forth a palpable atmosphere, or evoking powerful emotions with brevity and a remarkable turn of phrase:
“Brega knew this land better than the rest of them. He knew how it could betray travelers too weary or too proud to think better, just as he knew it could take a man in an instant beneath the same boughs that had sheltered him moments before.”
“This was a town both large and small enough to lose something without losing sight of it.”
“'If there's anything more dangerous than a Sage who fancies himself a god,” Wend said, “it's one who fancies himself a man.'”
“How quickly the wielder could become the wielded. How quickly archer could become arrow.”
“But we're in a dance with gods now, Linn—or forces that consider the sun and stars their kin rather than their betters.”
xxx “the sounds betrayed an abundance of things that killed to live and died to let others do the same.”
“They passed under branches that might have been roots and over roots that might have been branches.”
“It took a fire to fight, but a coldness to kill.”
Like the series, Steven Kelliher is geometrically growing with and in the telling of The Landkist Saga. While the first book showed clear promise, this second one makes good on that promise and commits to new ones—it fleshes out characters to cheer for even if they falter, makes desirable the survival and endurance of an imperfect world, and delivers a conflict that is complex, possibly impossible to entirely resolve, yet worthy of the effort.
A promise is a promise, Mr. Kelliher. I have high expectations for Book 3.
August 30, 2017
Massive thanks to Steven Kelliher for hooking me up with a ARC of this book.
Excellent pick up and return to the Landkist Saga, I felt that this book was written much better than Book 1, Valley of Embers. Steven Kelliher is one indie author to watch out for, especially if his books keep getting better and better. He listens to his readers (whether praise or criticism), and improves upon his writing!
Excellent pick up and return to the Landkist Saga, I felt that this book was written much better than Book 1, Valley of Embers. Steven Kelliher is one indie author to watch out for, especially if his books keep getting better and better. He listens to his readers (whether praise or criticism), and improves upon his writing!
June 22, 2017
Firstly a big thank you to Steven Kelliher for sending me a arc copy of this book for review.
In August of 2017 I reviewed the first book in The Landkist Saga, "Valley Of Embers" (review can be found here). Now here we are 10 months later and as of 1st June Steven Kelliher has released the second book in The Landkist Saga, "The Emerald Blade".
The Emerald Blade picks up straight after the climactic ending of Valley of Embers and we quickly get to see how everyone is dealing with their actions and the consequences. When I first picked up The Emerald Blade I found it slightly difficult to remember most of the characters actions within Valley Of Embers but thankfully Steven Kelliher has the characters discuss to a certain degree what occurred at the end of Valley Of Embers. Due to this I quickly found my footing in the world and like Valley Of Embers found myself getting lost in the world and its beauty.
The only issue I had with the start of The Emerald Blade is that I felt certain scenes were dragged out due to the over analysis of characters and how they were dealing with the current situation due it being done from multiple character perspectives. Unfortunately this continued on and off until approximately the 20% mark of the book. Even though I somewhat said the same thing about the start of Valley Of Embers I feel it had the stronger start due to the actions scenes. With that though I do understand why Steven has written it the way he did and I believe a lot of people will like this level of interaction but for me I just felt at times this just dragged out a little to long.
There were many times while reading this that I found some of Steven Kelliher's writing style seemed very Tolkien-esque due to the complexities and depth he gives to his characters as well as how deep to which he shows this of from other characters perspectives.
Once I got over the initial hump at the start I quickly found myself delving deeper into new areas of the world and being introduced to some new and interesting characters. For me I really enjoyed the introduction of the Emerald Blades wielder and the personality he brought to the groups dynamic as I feel they brought a well needed balance to the groups attitude towards what they are trying to accomplish, it allowed me to experience the consequences of what is happening from a completely new perspective, which I found a breath of fresh air.
The Emerald Blade is certainly the second book in a series as I found it had a lot of the same problems that many second books face, such as pacing, increased detail orientation and less action. I sometimes find this can hinder your enjoyment of a book, thankfully this wasn't the case with The Emerald Blade as I still found myself enjoying it and I think this is not only because of Steven Kelliher's writing style but also the extremely interesting characters and world he has developed.
All of the work Steven put into developing the story and characters throughout this book pays off big time because I found myself particularly engrossed by the final 20% of the book and the climactic ending (no spoilers, just going to have to read it yourself).
With all of the above in mind I can say that I certainly enjoyed The Emerald Blade, not as much as Valley of Ember but that's because I believe they both have their own individual strengths and weaknesses. If you enjoyed Valley of Embers then I would highly recommend that you pick up The Emerald Blade as you will certainly enjoy it and it will also get you extremely excited for the next book in the series.
In August of 2017 I reviewed the first book in The Landkist Saga, "Valley Of Embers" (review can be found here). Now here we are 10 months later and as of 1st June Steven Kelliher has released the second book in The Landkist Saga, "The Emerald Blade".
The Emerald Blade picks up straight after the climactic ending of Valley of Embers and we quickly get to see how everyone is dealing with their actions and the consequences. When I first picked up The Emerald Blade I found it slightly difficult to remember most of the characters actions within Valley Of Embers but thankfully Steven Kelliher has the characters discuss to a certain degree what occurred at the end of Valley Of Embers. Due to this I quickly found my footing in the world and like Valley Of Embers found myself getting lost in the world and its beauty.
The only issue I had with the start of The Emerald Blade is that I felt certain scenes were dragged out due to the over analysis of characters and how they were dealing with the current situation due it being done from multiple character perspectives. Unfortunately this continued on and off until approximately the 20% mark of the book. Even though I somewhat said the same thing about the start of Valley Of Embers I feel it had the stronger start due to the actions scenes. With that though I do understand why Steven has written it the way he did and I believe a lot of people will like this level of interaction but for me I just felt at times this just dragged out a little to long.
There were many times while reading this that I found some of Steven Kelliher's writing style seemed very Tolkien-esque due to the complexities and depth he gives to his characters as well as how deep to which he shows this of from other characters perspectives.
Once I got over the initial hump at the start I quickly found myself delving deeper into new areas of the world and being introduced to some new and interesting characters. For me I really enjoyed the introduction of the Emerald Blades wielder and the personality he brought to the groups dynamic as I feel they brought a well needed balance to the groups attitude towards what they are trying to accomplish, it allowed me to experience the consequences of what is happening from a completely new perspective, which I found a breath of fresh air.
The Emerald Blade is certainly the second book in a series as I found it had a lot of the same problems that many second books face, such as pacing, increased detail orientation and less action. I sometimes find this can hinder your enjoyment of a book, thankfully this wasn't the case with The Emerald Blade as I still found myself enjoying it and I think this is not only because of Steven Kelliher's writing style but also the extremely interesting characters and world he has developed.
All of the work Steven put into developing the story and characters throughout this book pays off big time because I found myself particularly engrossed by the final 20% of the book and the climactic ending (no spoilers, just going to have to read it yourself).
With all of the above in mind I can say that I certainly enjoyed The Emerald Blade, not as much as Valley of Ember but that's because I believe they both have their own individual strengths and weaknesses. If you enjoyed Valley of Embers then I would highly recommend that you pick up The Emerald Blade as you will certainly enjoy it and it will also get you extremely excited for the next book in the series.
October 2, 2017
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author for a review.
The Emerald Blade more than lives up to the standards set by its predecessor. The World of the Landkist is explored further as our characters leave their secluded Valley in pursuit of the King of Embers, where they are caught up in a fight between two warring factions and those pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Once again, the novel starts off a little slow, but the pace picks up soon after the party leaves the Valley and continues on to the end, with several slight lulls in between. The action sequences are as awesome as I remembered and the new addition to the cast are some of the best in the series yet, particularly the King of Ember himself.
Suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and look forward to future entries into the series.
The Emerald Blade more than lives up to the standards set by its predecessor. The World of the Landkist is explored further as our characters leave their secluded Valley in pursuit of the King of Embers, where they are caught up in a fight between two warring factions and those pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Once again, the novel starts off a little slow, but the pace picks up soon after the party leaves the Valley and continues on to the end, with several slight lulls in between. The action sequences are as awesome as I remembered and the new addition to the cast are some of the best in the series yet, particularly the King of Ember himself.
Suffice to say I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and look forward to future entries into the series.
August 8, 2017
Thoughts: I thought the first book blew me away, but book 2 was astounding. The comparison between the two books is like a river to an ocean. I loved how Steven Kelliher added a twist about the Sage of Balon Rael's powers. I also loved the relationship between Linn and Kole, some of the main characters. I also thought Linn's powers - which weren't described as much in the first book - are super super super cool. I adored the battles between The Emerald Blade and Kole, Linn, and the Sage of Balon Rael. This added so much suspense and action to the story. I also loved the perspective from T'Alon Rane, another one of the main (ish) characters. Overall, this was amazing, edge-of-your-seat book.
May 25, 2017
Get the landkist saga if you love fantasy and all things magic love this book
August 8, 2018
I absolutely loved the first book in this series and though I enjoyed reading this, the second book as well, I must admit I did find it dragging at times and there were too many battle scenes. The battle scenes are epic, so don't get me wrong I loved the battle scenes but even the best can get a bit boring if we get too much of it and I feel that we did get too much in this book! The heroes are terrific, they seem to all be getting stronger in their Landkist powers and are working really well as a team. I particularly love the character of Baas the Rockbled, he is strong, many times silent and when he works his own magic he is tremendous and one to watch out for, I also loved the character of Maro who was such a great fighter even without the emerald blade. The willows were new to the series and fascinating but the King of Ember is so dodgy, is he to be trusted or not? Onward now to probably the final battle which will take place in the North with an adversary who might be even worse than the Sage of Balon Rael! So many sages have been downed now, yet there is still one to go and of course the Eastern Dark himself! Can our trusty team see evil wiped out of the world and peace reigning after so long of living with the dark looming over their lives? This is what Kole has finally realised, he is no longer seeking vengeance but peace, can he see this through? I do believe that we will see Linn ve-ran taking a bigger role in the next book too, she is really finding her strength now. I also hope that we get to know what happened to the team of Lyana who went off to the desert as we never got a closure in this book about this strand of heroes. Definitely reading the 3rd book as this is a real epic fantasy to compare with some of the best sagas ever!!
October 20, 2018
An excellent read. This is a great follow up to book 1, taking our young heroes out into the world they know next to nothing about. There is a lot of character development in this novel making each character more rounded and interesting. The new characters we meet also quickly develop a fullness to them that grabs you, but never fear if it is action you want this one has it and the fight scenes are well described without crossing the line. The landkist and their various powers give these fights that little something to set it apart from the standard fantasy novel.
Do not pass by this series without reading these first 2 novels. It has great characters, great action that will grab your attention and keep you up at nights reading just one more chapter.
Do not pass by this series without reading these first 2 novels. It has great characters, great action that will grab your attention and keep you up at nights reading just one more chapter.
September 12, 2018
Gripping and unique fantasy
This series has the high stakes you'd expect from Epic Fantasy, but the author doesn't skimp on in depth character interactions, and does an excellent job creating a unique world for the story.
This series has the high stakes you'd expect from Epic Fantasy, but the author doesn't skimp on in depth character interactions, and does an excellent job creating a unique world for the story.
November 6, 2017
Finished last night. At times, it was a slog, at times, it was rather good. If you look below, you'll see it took me two weeks to read this, where I would normally consume a book this size in an evening. Partially that's me and the status of my life, partially, its the book - I could but it down, and did. Many times.
It wasn't bad, but it was never great. Standard fantasy fare, mostly - the various tropes were there there, and handled appropriately, but after the first book, there wasn't much new, surprising, or exciting for me. Perhaps my review would be more positive had I read it during more normal times - take this review w/ a grain of salt.
It wasn't bad, but it was never great. Standard fantasy fare, mostly - the various tropes were there there, and handled appropriately, but after the first book, there wasn't much new, surprising, or exciting for me. Perhaps my review would be more positive had I read it during more normal times - take this review w/ a grain of salt.
June 18, 2017
Three and a half stars
I really enjoyed the first novel. Lots of action, decent characters and the plot caught my attention. This book was sort of the same. What I wasn't expecting was a lot more word building. The pace seemed to really drag. The writing was fine and the story was good just wasn't expecting this kind of change in writing style. I will definitely read the next installment.
I really enjoyed the first novel. Lots of action, decent characters and the plot caught my attention. This book was sort of the same. What I wasn't expecting was a lot more word building. The pace seemed to really drag. The writing was fine and the story was good just wasn't expecting this kind of change in writing style. I will definitely read the next installment.
March 12, 2018
Another amazing installment from Steven
I once again loved every word from this amazing author, I would recommend this to everyone. Kole is shown to change in a great way and seeing Linn get control of her powers is very satisfying. I cannot wait to read book 3, and if 3 is like its prequels, 4 whenever it is released.
I once again loved every word from this amazing author, I would recommend this to everyone. Kole is shown to change in a great way and seeing Linn get control of her powers is very satisfying. I cannot wait to read book 3, and if 3 is like its prequels, 4 whenever it is released.
April 10, 2021
Very impressed with the second book in this series. Lots of adventure as Kole once again sets of on another journey. Loads if action, set in an amazing world, as Kole and his Landkist's continue in this epic saga. Having read the original series before, I must say that I enjoyed reading the re-release and getting to grips once again with these great characters
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