The quest to save Candelaon has taken Gabrel and Kalla on a voyage across the seas leaving King Haylan behind to rid the kingdom once and for all of the threat from Dakra.
But though Gabrel and Haylan are confident of their chosen paths, Kalla is becoming increasingly uncertain of hers. Can she trust the guidance she has begun to follow? Can she trust Gabrel? Is he truly seeking to save Candelaon, or is he working to cast her into greater darkness?
There is no denying that the darkness is spreading, consuming more and more of the kingdom in the firedark’s absence. Even if Kalla and Gabrel succeed in their quest and find the answers they seek, will there be anything left of Candelaon to save?
The Lands beyond the World is book four in Mereda Hart Farynyk’s Firedark series.
Mereda Hart Farynyk has always been captivated by fairy tales and far off places. From the earliest age, she would wander the forest, looking at the light filtering through the branches, and dream up endless fantasies of fairies and princes and great evils being overcome. She would drink up the study of ancient civilizations and marvel at how mysterious and foreign they were. Growing up in theatre and dance, she immersed herself in countless lives and emotions and perspectives, and what started out as a simple fascination with the magic and mystery of other worlds soon became a deep love of how those other worlds could help us to better understand the richest truths of this one.
Spanning a variety of genres, her books explore questions of spirituality, love, the search for truth, and the motivations of the human heart.
She grew up in North Carolina and resides there still with her husband and two sons.
A great installment in a series that has sucked me in!
This book is yet another example of the reason I enjoy Mereda's writing so much- she explores deep, biblical themes in the context of an engaging story, a fascinating setting, and with characters that seem lifelike and real.
4 books in, I feel very attached to the primary characters and appreciated how they continue to develop as a response to all they are discovering and experiencing (some for the better and others... well, no spoilers!) They are genuine and deep, rather than 2 dimensional fairy tale stereotypes, and even when they didn't "behave" the way I might have preferred, I bought it 100%.
The story went places I definitely didn't expect and very much enjoyed! Can't wait for book 5!!
So much detail revealed in this fourth book of the series! And the relationships between character, oh certainly that was my favorite part...watching people grow closer, stronger, braver. Cannot wait to read the final book!
Chills! Goosebumps! As Mereda continues to reveal and unfold her story, she has masterfully woven in a wonderful allegory/retelling of our own world’s Creator and creation. She hits the nail on the head in her themes that, left to themselves, humans selfishly choose darkness instead of Life. And she doesn’t shy away from letting her characters illustrate the raw pain, frustration, and ugliness of this biblical truth, but she also paints it in a light that also gives great HOPE—for both her characters…AND her readers. Because there is One whose love for his creation is greater. That’s right, goosebumps! And actual tears. Many times. Go read it!
At the same time as she graces us with deep dives into spiritual truth and the human soul, she also hits us with times of witty humor that take me off guard and cause me to actually laugh out loud. She is a master wordsmith. Delightful!
In this book of the series, I found myself reading late into the night—couldn’t put it down! I love the parallels with our relationship with God that strongly develop in this book. The characteristic battle between good and evil has begun and the sides are now clear, as is the path to victory. Love it!