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The Greater Lands Saga #2
The Bygone Archive
Some walls were built for a reason.
Things are looking up for the Masker family. Fel, the adventurer of the clan, has stocked the antiquity shop with valuable contraptions unearthed during his journeys. Sales are strong, customers are happy, life is good. But rival families know the Maskers are unlocking ancient secrets about the arcane devices, and their spies will stop at nothing to have them. The promise of a lost archive sealed within the fabled Greater Lands Wall could give the Maskers the edge to ward off their foes and uncover the wisdom of old.
Fel knows the most precious treasures are protected by the most dangerous traps, but is anyone ready for what the Greater Lands have in store?
Dragons, harpies, kobolds… If Fel Masker wants the secrets of the past, he must face its monsters.
Things are looking up for the Masker family. Fel, the adventurer of the clan, has stocked the antiquity shop with valuable contraptions unearthed during his journeys. Sales are strong, customers are happy, life is good. But rival families know the Maskers are unlocking ancient secrets about the arcane devices, and their spies will stop at nothing to have them. The promise of a lost archive sealed within the fabled Greater Lands Wall could give the Maskers the edge to ward off their foes and uncover the wisdom of old.
Fel knows the most precious treasures are protected by the most dangerous traps, but is anyone ready for what the Greater Lands have in store?
Dragons, harpies, kobolds… If Fel Masker wants the secrets of the past, he must face its monsters.
- GenresFantasy
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2021
15 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 14, 2023
A solid sophomore installment to Lallo’s recent series.
I am really liking the Greater Lands Saga books so far. Lallo’s got such a creative mind and it comes through so well with his unique takes on fantasy.
In this installment, we learn more about the giant, imposing wall that separates the Greater Lands from the rest of the world. Or But it cleverly adds as much mystery as it simultaneously gives a reader more world-building. We also learn more about the Greater Lands, as one of Fel’s quests goes a bit awry and what had started as one of the Masker family’s quests to gain entry into the wall unwittingly turns into fights for survival, new quests, new friends, and new challenges when Fel, Tome, and Parch find themselves propelled far past the wall and deep into Greater Lands territory.
But the book offers more than just that. We have new alliances and relationships being forged with the rest of the Maskers. Epiphany, Vivian, Martin, they also have their arcs, facing their own brand of danger, although clearly Fel has the most interesting and hazardous life. I had wished that Allie the barkeep would have expanded a bit more in this book, but maybe in the future.
This book was also very intellectually sophisticated with a lot of heady machinations, intrigue, and technical issues involving both magic, contraptions, and the juxtaposition between the Greater Lands and the rest of the world. There’s a little taste as to why that wall went up, but not a lot. Plenty of story to tell here and I for one am happy to have another Lallo series to enjoy.
I am really liking the Greater Lands Saga books so far. Lallo’s got such a creative mind and it comes through so well with his unique takes on fantasy.
In this installment, we learn more about the giant, imposing wall that separates the Greater Lands from the rest of the world. Or But it cleverly adds as much mystery as it simultaneously gives a reader more world-building. We also learn more about the Greater Lands, as one of Fel’s quests goes a bit awry and what had started as one of the Masker family’s quests to gain entry into the wall unwittingly turns into fights for survival, new quests, new friends, and new challenges when Fel, Tome, and Parch find themselves propelled far past the wall and deep into Greater Lands territory.
But the book offers more than just that. We have new alliances and relationships being forged with the rest of the Maskers. Epiphany, Vivian, Martin, they also have their arcs, facing their own brand of danger, although clearly Fel has the most interesting and hazardous life. I had wished that Allie the barkeep would have expanded a bit more in this book, but maybe in the future.
This book was also very intellectually sophisticated with a lot of heady machinations, intrigue, and technical issues involving both magic, contraptions, and the juxtaposition between the Greater Lands and the rest of the world. There’s a little taste as to why that wall went up, but not a lot. Plenty of story to tell here and I for one am happy to have another Lallo series to enjoy.
August 8, 2021
Book two continues following the Maskers, with Fel taking the lead on expeditions to find more contraptions while his mother and father run the store and repair whatever he finds.
His sister is trying to avoid giving their most precious contraptions away to the government (I forgot the real name), and she's on a mission to find sell them instead of having them taking away. This leads her to a bazaar, where she meets a man who isn't what he seems.
From there, Fel is off to the Bygone Archive, a library full of books on contraptions that details how to make and fix them. It's a treasure trove if they can get their grubby hands on them.
Tome, the paper mage and Oiler, the contraption that always wants to fix things are along for the ride. Oiler just happens to repair a trap at the wrong time, and after a solid dunking in a river, find themselves inside the wall.
Or outside?
From there the group is off to meet the wizard... um, off to meet a dragon who's been trapped since the Bygone era occurred. Fel, who makes a living of disabling traps, is tasked to release the dragon.
I won't spoil what happens after that, but it's a lot of fun. This isn't an overly long book, but it's richly developed and each Masker plays a key role as they try to keep their competitors from taking what it theirs.
And if the name Masker means something (and it does), then what does the name Graves stand for?
Besides the obvious.
I really enjoyed book 2. The opening was confusing as all get out because I'm still trying to remember who is who, and then this is tossed in, like a grenade in a green salad. It's crunchy, but you certainly don't expect it.
After that the book picks up steam quickly. I'm looking forward to finding out what the Maskers (and their new associates) get up to in book 3.
Recommended. 5/5*
His sister is trying to avoid giving their most precious contraptions away to the government (I forgot the real name), and she's on a mission to find sell them instead of having them taking away. This leads her to a bazaar, where she meets a man who isn't what he seems.
From there, Fel is off to the Bygone Archive, a library full of books on contraptions that details how to make and fix them. It's a treasure trove if they can get their grubby hands on them.
Tome, the paper mage and Oiler, the contraption that always wants to fix things are along for the ride. Oiler just happens to repair a trap at the wrong time, and after a solid dunking in a river, find themselves inside the wall.
Or outside?
From there the group is off to meet the wizard... um, off to meet a dragon who's been trapped since the Bygone era occurred. Fel, who makes a living of disabling traps, is tasked to release the dragon.
I won't spoil what happens after that, but it's a lot of fun. This isn't an overly long book, but it's richly developed and each Masker plays a key role as they try to keep their competitors from taking what it theirs.
And if the name Masker means something (and it does), then what does the name Graves stand for?
Besides the obvious.
I really enjoyed book 2. The opening was confusing as all get out because I'm still trying to remember who is who, and then this is tossed in, like a grenade in a green salad. It's crunchy, but you certainly don't expect it.
After that the book picks up steam quickly. I'm looking forward to finding out what the Maskers (and their new associates) get up to in book 3.
Recommended. 5/5*
January 24, 2022
Lallo adds a fine part 2 in this saga. I actually enjoyed this one more than the first. Not a lot of major twists and turns here but enough to keep the story moving at a decent pace. Another successful effort in storytelling by Lallo.
March 31, 2024
I'm really finding a lot of enjoyment with this world and its characters.
We join the Maskers as they prepare for another set of adventures. Epiphany for maintaining a new questionable business partner, with whom she finally learns more about; Fel who, begrudgingly, brings Tome back to the wall to dig into their new discoveries.
Once more the wall to the greater lands proves to be trickier and leads them to an adventure and new acquaintances they could not have been prepared for. Personalities clash, weaknesses are on display, and leaks are found.
The Bolovan's are causing more chaos and some uneasy alliances are made
The ending of this book does have a bit of middle book in a trilogy issue however the ending is satisfying enough to not have any _Immediatw_ dangling chains.
Audiobook narration is excellent and the mixing is well done.
We join the Maskers as they prepare for another set of adventures. Epiphany for maintaining a new questionable business partner, with whom she finally learns more about; Fel who, begrudgingly, brings Tome back to the wall to dig into their new discoveries.
Once more the wall to the greater lands proves to be trickier and leads them to an adventure and new acquaintances they could not have been prepared for. Personalities clash, weaknesses are on display, and leaks are found.
The Bolovan's are causing more chaos and some uneasy alliances are made
The ending of this book does have a bit of middle book in a trilogy issue however the ending is satisfying enough to not have any _Immediatw_ dangling chains.
Audiobook narration is excellent and the mixing is well done.
August 5, 2021
Book two
Mistakes: Another well written story. I only found one spot where I'd have used a different word.
Plot: We are going over the wall. There may or may not be a dragon or two involved.
Characters: I enjoy the Maskers and how competent they are.
8/10
Mistakes: Another well written story. I only found one spot where I'd have used a different word.
Plot: We are going over the wall. There may or may not be a dragon or two involved.
Characters: I enjoy the Maskers and how competent they are.
8/10
March 11, 2022
A solid story from an excellent author. The story builds as the reader uncovers the underlying plot and pertinent facts. Yes, it did seem obvious where the plot was headed, however we find that there are additional twists to make this story ever so intriguing! On to book three!
February 5, 2023
This is the second volume of The Greater Lands Saga. As of today, there are a total of six books in this series, but only two of them are available on audio. Since it's hard to multitask with a Kindle in your hands, I have to take in book three in more than one sitting.
But it will be worth it.
But it will be worth it.
May 31, 2025
If the characters left out of the page in the first book, then they danced a jig while singing with this one. Plots thicken as they should. Keeps getting better.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews