Customer Reviews

Lord of the Fading Lands

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was really anticipating this book and wasn't disappointed in the least. When I received the book, I had that same excited feeling that I'd get when a new Christine Feehan book would come. Just the synopsis made me feel that Wilson was onto something new & exciting.

At some points in the book, I could feel the dread building in me--waiting for the author to use the BIG MISUNDERSTANDING card or have something horrible happen to the h/h just to further the plot. I can quite happily say that Wilson resisted this impulse and instead gave me a story that was uplifting & engrossing, but not sugary-sweet. The interactions between the h/h were believable & intense. I like that the author showed the heroine's vulnerability regarding the hero's past marriage. If she hadn't addressed this, I would've wondered.

I would agree with another reviewer who said that they would be put this in the fantasy category, rather than paranormal romance. While it is definitely a romance, it has plenty of elements that would make this "acceptable" to those who avoid romances.

I can't wait for the next book, and I am overjoyed that I won't have to wait a year for it. Kudos to this new author, and here's hoping that we see plenty of books from her in the future!

Rainier vel'En Daris Feyreisen, the Tairen Soul, King of the Fading Lands, and Defender of the Fey has got to do something to save his people. There is only one fertile female tairen, and her offspring are dying inside their eggs. His people are dying, his land is barren, and there is nothing he can do about it. Desperate for a cure, Rain seeks out one of the more powerful Fey objects, a magical crystal called the Eye of Truth. After punishing him for having the audacity to seek answers from such a holy object, the Eye tells Rain that she salvation of his people and himself lies in a land called Celieria and shows him the image of a red-haired, green-eyed girl. Though he hates that cursed land since it reminds him of love lost and battles fought long ago, Rain decides to accompany Marissya, the only remaining female Fey, on her trip to Celieria in the hopes of finding the girl and saving his people.

Ellysetta Baristani is the peasant daughter of a woodcarver in Celieria. She is not the biological child of this family, but they found her in the woods and raised her as their own. Ellie has never felt that she was anything but a full member of the Baristani family, even though there is a darkness inside her that she struggles to contain. When it is learned that the Tairen Soul is coming to Celieria, Ellie's younger twin sisters ask her to accompany them to the ceremony. No one has seen the King of the Fey in more than a thousand years, and Ellie acquiesces to her sister's demands. In the crowded mass of people gathered to see the visiting Fey, one of Ellie's sisters is injured. When she kisses her sister's wound to make it better, the spark of magic between them calls the Tairen Soul from the sky and changes Ellie's life forever...

As the Fey king, Rain will sacrifice anything for his people, and once he meets Ellie and learns that she is his truemate, he will do anything to protect her as well. These two barely even hook up, but the romantic tension was palpable and the passion between them was evident at every turn. Ellysetta is just a sweet, simple country girl who just wants to be happy. She never aspired to be a queen, let alone the wife of most powerful Fey alive. She has no idea the power that she wields and instead just wants to find happiness with Rain and live a simple life. But of course that's not going to happen. There are dark forces who wish to do her harm, and those who think that the Fey king deserves better than a peasant Celierian.

I read a lot of books--romance, fantasy, paranormal, literary fiction. I cannot remember the last time I have been so utterly dazzled by storytelling. C.L. Wilson's magical world is the best of all genres. The fantastical Fey with their tairen souls (tairen are winged cat-like creatures that can fly), the dark Eld who wield sorcery in an attempt to wrest control from the Fey and dim their Light, the stunning royal court with its mystery and intrigue--this book has something for all readers. I don't know what else to say except to pick up Lord of the Fading Lands when you have hours to spare because you won't want to put it down. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Lady of Light and Shadows.

I seem to be in the minority who like this book but don't think its outstanding. Seriously, as good as LotFL is, to give it five full stars is ridiculous. It has good points, but it has some bad points just the same.

I don't want to waste time summarizing the plot, so I'll suffice to say that this is basically a romantic fantasy, much more relationship oriented than most fantasy, but it is too deeply steeped in the traditions and worldbuilding of fantasy for anyone to label it as purely romance with a few fantastic elements. Make no mistake about that. The whole plot is rife with mages, magical powers, non-human races, flying venemous fire-breathing dragon-cats, and is set in a world other than our own. It's fantasy, albeit one a bit heavy on the romance.

Pros:

*This book is insanely fun. I read it in less than a week and enjoyed it all through, particularly the parts that focused on the main characters. Whether you like the writing and story or not, it's impossible to deny that the entertainment value is through the roof with this book.

*Worldbuilding is one of C.L. Wilson's strong points, unsurprising given the extensive articles that talk about it on her website. I very much liked the extensive world set up and the touches of culture that differentiated it from our own.

*The prose was adaquate and conveyed the story efficiently.

*Characters were well-drawn and believable, with well-rounded personalities, for the most part.

*The final chapters were actually pretty good, considering that this and "Lady of Light and Shadows" were originally one book that was split in half for publication.

Cons:

*While the characters were drawn well and their actions were certainly intriguing, I found most of them unlikeable for the most part. The Fey have some rather ridiculous gender roles and behavior. Ellyseta's mother was rather annoying with her brutally honest comments and mule-stubborn opposition to all things magic. Ellyseta was too modest and incorruptibly pure at the beginning.(The last few chapters make up for this when a very dark side to her is hinted at.) Rain comes across as rather possessive and controlling, and the whole truemate business is rather uncomfortably in-your-face right from the start. Den Brodson was two-dimensional from the get-go and served as little more than a foil for Rain. Etc.

*The story is not very original. It borrows quite liberally from the Wheel of Time, and comes packed with a force of cliches from both the fantasy and romance genres. If you really like long descriptions about how gorgeous one person finds another and how bad they lust for them, then this book might be perfect for you.

*Dialogue is only a little above mediocre, and sounds a bit unbelievable at times.

*The author tells too much in some instances, such as the first chapter, which contains several infodumps. Wilson also has a tendency to repeat what's already been said too many times. For example, we're told on the back of the book that Rain once scorched the world. We're reminded of this THREE times in the first fifteen pages. Three times! By the end of the book, I've been reminded that Rain once scorched/almost destroyed the world 11 times. Just four or five times would have been plenty.

In conclusion, this is a good story that is certainly entertaining and worth reading, but no masterpiece. It kind of reminds me of the Twilight Series, but is much better written and more heavily focused on fantasy over a few paranormal aspects. Readers of Twilight, the Wheel of Time, and similar books are encouraged to give this somewhat obscure romantic fantasy a try.

Plot Summary: The King of the Fey, Rain Tairen Soul, knows that his people and the magical Tairen beasts, are on a path to extinction. In desperation he dares to touch the Eye of Truth, and after a brutal ordeal, he's rewarded with a vision of a woman and her location. Rain travels from the Fading Lands to Celieria for the first time in 1,000 years and searches for his soulmate. She turns out to be Ellie Baristani, the adopted daughter of a humble woodcarver. Never admired as pretty or appreciated for her kind heart, Ellie is beyond shocked when the King of the Fey insists that she is the one woman who can bond with him for eternity.

This one got me into trouble today. I had a list of things to do, but I just couldn't put it down. I can't recall the last time a romance absorbed my attention so completely, so it's an easy call to give "Lord of the Fading Lands" a top rating. I think it's highly appropriate that author Christine Feehan blurbs this book on the front cover, because halfway through I thought to myself, gee, Feehan fans would probably love this. The hero, Rain Tairen Soul, is just the kind of regal, masterful, alpha hero that commands and demands attention. Ellie is the perfect counter to Rain; she's the light to his dark.

The romance between Rain and Ellie is clearly designed to play out over several books, and I wish I could find more series like this one. I love it when everything is drawn out, so it makes sense that this style would appeal to me. While Ms. Wilson ended this book on a high note, there's so much left hanging that I'm kicking myself now for not buying the second book. It'll be interesting to see how long I can hold out before breaking down and placing a quickie Kindle order for Lady of Light and Shadows.

While the romance was full-bodied, so was the fantasy world. When a novel includes a map and a glossary, I know that some serious thought and planning went into the series. The world building was complete with rich details, and I have no complaints. Nearly all of the plot took place in one location, so I'm hoping for some on-the-road adventures in the next book(s). I highly recommend "Lord of the Fading Lands" for romance fans who like magic and fantasy thrown into the mix.

"His Esteemed Majesty, Rainier vel'En Daris Feyreisen, the Tairen Soul, King of the Fading Lands, Defender of the Fey." With an introduction such as this, everyone knows that the Fey king is a force to be reckoned with. Unlike most of the Fey, Rain can call upon more than one elemental magic; he can call upon all of them. Rain knew love once, but it died along with all his gentler feelings at the Battle of Eadmond's Field, where his mate, Sariel, had breathed her last. At Sariel's death, the Tairen within him broke free and Rain succumbed to the Wilding Rage. Rain had shapeshifted into his Tairen form, a ferocious black feline with glowing purple eyes and long wings, and nearly destroyed the world in a rage of Tairen flame. That happened a thousand years ago. Since then Rain has lived in the Fading Lands, self exiled.

The Fey and the Tairen races are dying. Rain risks his life to ask the Eye of Truth how to save them from extinction. The Eye finally answers. The key to their salvation rests in the mortal city of Celieria. Only to save his people would Rain return to Celieria. The Truthspeaker, Lady Marissya, leaves the Fading Lands for her annual trek to Celieria the next day. Rain goes with her and their Fey warror escorts. Before they even reach the human king and queen, Rain's instincts react, revealing his Truemate. (A Truemate is the one person who holds the other half of a Fey's soul.) Truemates are the equal of each other. Most Fey never locate their Truemates. A Tairen Soul, such as Rain, has NEVER had one ... until now.

Ellysetta "Ellie" Baristani is the eldest daughter of a master woodcarver. No one can understand how such a lowly girl, much less a mortal, could possibly be the Truemate of a Tairen Soul. Ellie has also been betrothed to Den Brodson, a man she loathes. Rain must somehow legally break the engagement to claim Ellie as his mate. She is the rightful Queen of the Fey. Then Ellie must willingly (and unconsciously) accept their magical bond. Otherwise Rain will die, along with the Fey and Tairen races. Should this happen, there would be nothing to stand in the way of the evil Elden mages and the human race would be doomed to soul-binding slavery.

***** The spine of this book says the genre is Paranormal Romance; however, I am here to tell you that this title is in the Fantasy genre. Men, do not let this series pass you by. This series will enthrall you, even against your will. (Just ask my husband!) The second title, "Lady of Light and Shadows", is due out within thirty days of this book's release. The two are a complete story. Yet enough is left open for more books in the series, should the author decide to continue it. I, for one, sincerely hope so. I cannot recommend this story highly enough! OUTSTANDING! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

I just finished reading Lord of the Fading Lands, and I have to say the only word that comes to my mind is disappointment. I seem to be in the minority, but I still wanted to post my review to voice some of the negatives I found. I was really looking forward to reading this book after finishing the Warlands Chronicles by Elizabeth Vaughan, as it was highly recommended by her readers. I was enthralled by the story of Ellie and Rain from multiple reviews and ran to my local book store to pick up my own copy. I was at once captivated, but as the book progressed regret seeped in, since my high expectations were not met. Here's why.

1. I was surprised to see quite a few similarities to one of my favorite fantasy series' The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. My amazement had to do with the fact that this book is a romantic fantasy novel while WoT is epic fantasy, but there were parallels nonetheless. For example the death of Rain's mate triggered his rage and subsequent insanity which resulted in deaths of thousands of people. In WoT, Lews Therin Telamon went insane and broke the world after finding his Elyena dead. Also Rain is tairen (winged feline), while Lews Therin Telamon is the dragon - somewhat similar. Ellie is a poor woodcrafter's daughter, while Rand (the protagonist of WoT) is a poor shepherd. There is the light and the dark lord which is pretty much identical to the WoT, and the main similarity is the magic - five powers being wielded by the fey, which is exactly the same magic used by Channelers in the WoT. I'm not saying that these points are identical, just akin to one another.

I would be greatly surprised if C.L. Wilson never read the WoT, since there are too many likenesses between the two. That in itself is not what bothered me, since most of the fantasy writers draw from their favorite authors, legends, myths, religions, etc. What I didn't like though is the fact that even those attributes that I absolutely loved in the WoT fell flat for me in this book. Everything felt rushed, the heroes revealed too much too soon.

2. This brings me to my second point. Right from the start we are thrown into Celierian court intrigue, Feyan politics, Elden mage machinations, on top of Ellie's forced betrothal to Dan, family issues, new status as the Feyan Queen, her soul bond to Rain, search for her origin, and a number of other threads. This all happens in the first half of the book, when we are still trying to learn the characters and get used to the new world. It's like the author had all these ideas and tried to cram them into a less then 400 page book, and then tried to confuse the reader even further by adding words/sentences from a Fey language (for which no dictionary was provided by the way). I think the author could've served her readers better by concentrating on a few of the threads and leading them through to a culminating conclusion, versus trying to pack all of her ideas into one small book with no real ending.

3. I found characterization lacking for the most part. Rain killed thousands in his madness and even though I understand why he was left to live, the fact that he is arrogant enough to demand complete obedience from everyone is just ridiculous. The other Fey treat him as a close friend/companion, completely disregarding the madness that visited him before. Is it really gone? Why do they all believe that he is completely sane? How can they trust with such utter devotion when not too long ago by Feyan age he went berserk and almost killed everyone in the world? Marissya calms him down half of the time pointing out his mistakes in losing his tempter, but never have I seen her doubt \ his sanity. Also Rain apologizes to Ellie throughout the book. Either he is continuously aroused, for which he apologizes; or he snaps at her in rage, for which he once again apologizes. Or he forgets to compliment her, for which he apologizes still; or Ellie gets hurt and he nevertheless apologizes yet again for something that was completely out of his control. I found that some of these traits took away from what could've been a great protagonist.

Then there is Ellie, who is a naïve coward at heart with low self esteem. She lets her family put her in a compromising position which results in a forced betrothal, but still holds no grudge against her very unlikeable mother. That alone would be fine with me since it shows her meek acceptance due an unmarried girl of that time. But then in a couple of chapters she snaps at a queen's provocations about her height. So she seems to possess a backbone when mildly insulted by her queen, but when she is being force into marriage to an abusive brute all she can do is cry in her room. Her behavior throughout the book makes no sense, since those unexpected outbursts of spirit come randomly. I also couldn't feel her growth and development since they were baffling and sporadic.

This review is getting too long, so I think I'll try to finish it up. My main complaint about the book was the lack of magic that happens when a captivating story comes alive. I didn't feel it. The idea for the book was great and the cast of characters was well selected, but it lacked development, structure and suspense. Nothing in this book captivated my interest and I felt cheated since I expected so much more.

I am writing this after I finished the series, picking up the next book as soon as I finished the one before. Then I did something I never do - I picked up this book and just re-read it again. This series captured me in some way that no other except the Outlander series has. It is about a truly beautiful LOVE between an incredible Fey warrior king and the unlikely woman who called him from the sky and became his reason for living.

Pure fantasy, incredible romance between the Fey King, Rain Tairen Soul, and a woodcarver's daughter, Ellysetta. For the past thousand years the Tairen Soul has been in the Fading Lands of the Fey, but new threats to both the Fey and the Tairen bring him back into the world in an attempt to save the dying races of Fey and Tairen. For the first time in all eternity a Tairen Soul finds a truemate, but he must win her heart and her soul for them to be bonded as mates. If that all sounds like a strange world and language, this is a book of fantasy, and I loved it. The Fey warriors are just brought to life with this author's writing and are fun and likeable, incredibly dangerous as well as loyal, beautiful, sexy, and each of Ellysetta's five guards has his own personality. There is, of course, evil in the form of Mage's who have been working for centuries to take over the world and destroy all who live there. There are also children in this story (Ellysetta's little sisters)and their part brings in a softness of the powerful and often intimidating Fey.

Rain is bigger than life, powerful, but haunted with the souls of those he has destroyed. Because he is both Fey and Tairen (think beautiful giant panther with wings and primitive emotions) and Fey (think beautiful man), he can instantly change from one to the other and they often war within him for control. He is violent, passionate, tender, loving...... Ellysetta is very complex and learns about herself as we learn about her. Haunted by nightmares and violent seizures from childhood she senses that she is not just a normal girl, but her adoptive parents have raised her to be obedience and loving. A lot of the book is her reaction to suddenly and literally out of the blue being claimed as the truemate of a legendary Fey King and how she deals with family, the Fey, and this new unwanted fame.

This book sizzles between Rain and Ellysetta through their required courtship. The beauty of the sexual scenes are that this is LOVE with an intensity you feel through the pages. I am not a prude, but I do not like smut and sex in a book just for impact. The scenes in this book and the subsequent ones are pretty darn potent, but they are also beautiful. Not all writers accomplish that, but this one did!

Genre: Paranormal Romance (AKA Romantic Fantasy)

Thoughts:

First off before I read this book, I was prepared to dislike it. It's shelved in the romance genre, and no matter how many romance books I read I'll still always be wary of that lay of the land. The description on the back of the book had me giggling with it's silliness, and then someone told me this was a series about finding ones soulmate. Personally the over the top soulmate thing had me trying to check out before I could even crack open a page. Before I found out anything about the book I had already bought it, so I new I was going to read it. This book has loads of great reviews for it, and then there are the reviewers who are skeptic romantics like me who just thought it was hokey.

Well this skeptic has been silenced. Turns out this book has more then hot sex scenes surrounded by thin plot lines. In fact it was quite the oppisite.

The world Wilson built is a fantasy world that many an aspiring writer would love to have developed. You can see the races, sink into the life of the people, and let the history of this rich land poor over you. The Faye are intriguing people who live VERY long lives, many of the Faye characters living for over a thousand years. It's had creating character that can show the weight they carry living that long--sure Wilson doesn't really pull it off--but you can feel it at times. Its a sorrowful note that she hits. The Celierians are the humans in this book that are "good." They've had alliances with the Faye and have fought to keep the Elden off of them for generations. The Eld are the evil Mages of this tale. Who want to crush the Faye at all costs. Of course not all of the people of Eld are mages. Instead of being free people they are nothing but tools, Marked at birth until the age of six when they are nothing more then pawns for the mages to take control of there bodies. There are also other races, notably the Elves. Not much is said about them in history or in the progress of this book. I've always been a fan of elves so I'm curious to get more information on them. Plus, why aren't they really mentioned in the history?

Wilson has created a cast of characters that interact so well. Many times I found myself laughing out loud with the characters, to fist pumping in the air victoriously. Side character stole my heart just as much as our leading characters Ellie and Rain. I found myself at times respecting, laughing, and enjoying the Celierian Queen--clearly she's a bad apple. The plots that are building up around her making me worry, especially after Wilson reveled the love story around how the King came to court her. The Faye protectors of Ellie have warmed their way into my heart with their fierce loyalty and their humorous antics.

The plot builds up nicely with this title and I had no problem sinking into the politics and culture. If you're afraid that this is going to turn into sex and no plot, be assured. There's a lot of plot threads that start to build up and not all of them are resolved at the end of this book. There's a lot of lip biting moments in Lord of the Fading Lands.

The love story between Ellie and Rain plays out nicely. All that sex I was afraid this book was going to be dedicated to, not here. The Soulmate/bond thing isn't something that makes the two characters just jump in bed together. Instead Ellie still gets the choice of falling in love with Rain. It's a pleasure to watch both of them discover each other. Rain at times can be over protective, but lets be honest his enemies are going to want her dead or worse. So clearly a little over protectiveness is nice. Rain nearly destroyed the world when his lady love was killed over a 1,000 years before of the events of this book, so I was worried how much Wilson would play that card. She plays it nicely, never making the reader feel over powered by Rian's suffering, but still making us want to shed a few tears for him. At times Rain can be annoyingly ill tempered to a fault, sometimes reminding me of a spoiled pouting child. In the end that's the charm of Rain Faye to the bone, flying cat at heart. Ellie is still getting fleshed out in this book. You can see the strong and determined woman she is gong to develop into.

Bottom Line:

This book needs to be checked out just for the buzz alone that it's stirring. Don't let the soulmate and romance shelving fool you, this book could hold its own in with the Epic Fantasy. It has a fantasy world that rivals many that I've come across, plus has the added bonus of making me fall in love with more then just the main characters. You'll laugh out loud with this book, have "fist pump of victory" moments, bite your lip in worry, and just get all tangled up with this book.

Sexual Content:

Some witty sexual jokes, a few slightly graphic scenes, and then one sex scene at the end. Nothing to over the top.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

In the city of Celieria a unprecedented event has occurred, the Rain Tairen Soul has found that which he never thought possible in a time where the Mages cast their darkness over this city again. A love that shines with a rare and special glow triggers all kind of events, from betrayal to revelations of the past and a struggle for more power is always on the lookout. Five Fey warriors serve and protect with a magic all off their own as a new battle is on the horizon and an epic love unfolds itself in all its glory....

Hold on to your seats! There's a new author in town with a novel that vibrates with her talent and will conquer the bestsellers lists in no time, and her name is.....C.L. Wilson.

This is a story that lured me into a fabulous, fast paced and emotional ride that leaves me dazzled. From the first page I felt the promise that C.L. Wilson contains as a writer and she delivers big time! At the foundation of this romantic tale it is about a claiming so fierce, so seductive that it hits the reader full force. The author captures images with words of a king that is willing to do anything for his dying kingdom and an unknowing woman who just might prove to be the answer. This and much more is written with a strong affinity for the fantasy genre that gives this novel its unique approach.

The ferocity in which Rain Tairen Soul claims his Shei'tani ignites a sparkle that sets this story on fire. Those special moments between Rain and Elly weaves a soul connection between them and C.L. Wilson has a rare gift to make me feel these moments with such vivid emotions whirling inside of me. Almost as if I'm actually witnessing a blossoming legendary love so rare and so beautiful that it leaves me convinced nothing will ever keep them apart.

There's also the five Fey warriors of the highest order commanding elemental magic and are the chosen ones to protect Elly. Each one tells you more about the ways of the Tairen and Belliard, as the leader, had me at his introduction in this story! The words in which the author invokes the fantasy in this novel lets me remember the ways of once long ago in the rituals/oaths and protocol of both Celieria and Tairen world, is one that still reverberates through me and echoes with long forgotten chivalry, elegance and magic.

Everything about this novel appealed to me on so many levels that it became an instant favorite book of mine. I'm enchanted by the magic that C.L. Wilson weaves with this stunning tale, to start this books is to finish the book!

Courtesy of Realms on our Bookshelves

I just finished the series and am anxiously awaiting the next book! Featuring a highly original fantasy world, this series is full of action, suspense, adventure and romance. It's one of my favorite series. Couldn't put it down! I love the main characters and supporting cast, which include the Fey, mages and more. I won't give a detailed synopsis of the story since that's pretty well covered already in other posts, but just wanted to add my recommendations to read this series.

If you are on the hunt for more books like this, check out my list of favorites...

http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-action-romance-must-reads/lm/R214ESW3HL12HM/ref=tag_lag_rb_munk_lmfull

(copy and paste into your browser window)