Sandy M’s review of King of Sword and Sky (Tairen Soul Series, Book 3) by C.L. Wilson
Fantasy Paranormal Romance published by Leisure 30 Sep 08

If you have not read this series of C.W. Wilson’s, you are missing out on some so spectacularly special.  Ms. Wilson weaves her brand of magic in the pages of this beautiful fantasy world of the Fading Lands where the Fey and the tairen live. Her characters of full of honor and dignity, heart and passion, and, of course, love.  The villainy she etches into her evil characters only causes you to root for the good of her hero and heroine to triumph.  And her imagination is simply amazing.  You just have to read this series!

In this book we finally get to the Fading Lands.  We’ve been reading about them and waiting for them since the first book.  But even before that we have to endure the Faering Mist with Rain, King of the Fey and the Tairen Soul, and Ellysetta, his truemate, daughter of a wood carver.  The Mist is a barrier around the Fading Lands to keep all within its borders safe from evil, especially the Mages of Eld, who are on the rise once again after being vanquished in the Mage Wars a thousand years ago.

Their entourage makes it through the Mist relatively unscathed — it’s Rain and Ellie who are delayed by their past that the Mist throws in their path, doubling their fears and vulnerabilities.  Coming together, however, they fight their way through so that Rain can ready his men for the war that is sure to break out with Eld and Ellie can begin her search for answers to save the tairen.

From the mists of Ms. Wilson’s imagination, the tairen are large, very large, cats with wings and are able to breath fire.  My favorite scenes are Ellysetta flying through the air toward the sky on Rain’s back.  They’re breathtaking.  Ellie arrives too late to save the most recent truemated pair and one of their kitlings from the mysterious deaths that have plagued the tairen for so long.  It become’s Ellie mission to save the remaining kitlings, which forces her to do something she never thought she would do, even knowing Rain would be disappointed in her.

In the meantime, Rain must make opitmal use of his men in order to defeat the High Mage who is out for more and more power, and he knows that’s related in some way to his truemate.  This Mage is one mean and ugly villain.  He uses torture to keep a truemated pair in captivity to do his bidding, healing him when he comes face to face with Ellie’s magic or he uses too much of his own for his twisted purposes.

Rain even goes so far as to train his men in the ways of forbidden magic, asking Gaelen, a newly restored Fey who was banished from the Fading Lands when he turned to forbidden magic.  He also has to fight the Massan, the council of the Fading Lands, those who governed when Rain spent years in his madness following the death of his heart mate during the wars.  Danger and evil come at him and Ellie from every corner and it’s only together they will find all the answers they need to save their world and those they love.

You will be amazed and mesmerized by Ms. Wilson’s writing.  You will be under her characters’ spell completely after just a few pages.  You will not be able to put these books down once you start reading.  And you must start reading at the beginning.  Don’t think you will be able to figure out what’s going by picking up this third book.  Pick them all up at once and start at the beginning.  You will not be disappointed.  Even the secondary characters are so well written that several of them will become your favorites before you know it.

Even if you’re aren’t a fantasy reader, do not let that stop you.  I made that mistake myself early on, and once I finally began reading Lord of the Fading Lands, I was hooked in no time at all.  And you will be too.  I can pretty much guarantee it.

Grade: A+

Read more reviews of this and other books by clicking on the Tairen Soul Series tag.

Summary:

Returning to the Fading Lands with his Celierian truemate, Rain discovers a dissension among the most powerful members of his own council. As the Eld plot their next deadly strike, Ellysetta struggles to master her powerful magic and discover how to save the tairen, while Rain confronts open challenge to his rule and prepares to lead the Fey army to war.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: