Photo Credits: Эльвина Якубова (pixabay), Oberholster Venita (pixabay) Edited by Vaishali Title: Fallen King Series: Court of the Sea Fae #2 Author: C.N. Crawford Publisher: Self published Year of Publication: 2018 Format: EBOOK copy Genre/Themes: Fantasy Romance, Fantasy Fiction, Adult Fantasy, Urban fantasy, Romance, Fae, Magic, Paranormal Romance Review...Dark king (opener to the series) courted a moreish sense of thrill in me. I already had its sequel prepared to launch myself into immediately after. The first book did have its foundational shortcomings but I was delighted enough by the impression that I easily saw myself ready to plow through the remaining books in this trilogy. The plot continued with interest, excitement and mystery, the suspense and foreboding enmeshed in its atmosphere, the movements were swift, seductive, sultry and actionable, the thrill of having Aenor and Salem in the same room again set my veins abuzz and I looked forward to the relatable wit that made book one the fun adventure it was. As enthused as I was for another urban fantasy fae adventure, I confess that while entertaining and imaginative, I wasn't as impressed by the outcome of Fallen King. The flaws of book one did what I didn't want them to do: they perpetuated with book two. The follow up is productive, targeted, pointed, fast-moving and very sexy but the elements that anchored this continuation still felt fairly shallow. Perhaps the authors have cemented a deliberately stylistic choice in the way they've concocted their storytelling voice but what we often get in heaps and hills with action, pace and suspense, we lack in narrative depth, character depth and meaningful integration. To approximate a likeness to a well known phrase, it seemed to thrill in swiftness, atmosphere, activity and sensuality over a balance with substance. As soon as something happens it's swiftly suppressed with imminent developments without a thought to the gravity of any one particular thing. The authors could likely benefit from curbing some plot activity in favour of slowing down with some character development. Or, at least, creating some parallelism between outward action and inner depth. As much as I enjoyed the character personalities on page - the dark, devious and downright unrepentant Salem and the driven, independent protector of the seas that is Aenor - there really isn't a palpable sense of character building or character connection either. I have to say that I was disappointed by that, but by looking to book one by example, I should have assumed the same for Fallen King. Even with a clear goal, the story developments lean more into the abstract as opposed to a wider, well-handled orchestration. It's more a case of one conflict arising immediately after another, forming a sequence of energised movement which is the primary driver that forces Aenor to take immediate action where the situation demands it. And since it's a world-changing, world-bending, lives-at-stake kind of engagement, it's a lot for a one-woman effort. Even still, the story does make for entertaining reading with likeable elements, and there's a reason I've made it a point to remain open to the author's backlog of urban fantasy. I just feel less enthusiastic to read the trilogy closer than I was to read the sequel due to the flaws that marred this experience. Whether I make the decision to finish the series is up in the air for now. This might be disturbing to admit to some readers but I'm rarely averse to the idea of a love interest swap, moreso because Lyr and Aenor didn't have the deepest connection bar the sexual intensity of their attraction to begin with. I was thirsting for it as soon as Salem entered the dynamic in book one. Had the shift in romantic interest been tactical, well-handled and interestingly orchestrated I would have loved it. In truth? It very advantageously buried any interest between them as soon as the book begins without an adequate need for explanation. And whatever feelings may have been there between our couple of book one, were abandoned as if the relationship they had wasn't worth the scrutiny of a more considerate etiquette. If it was the intent to distance Lyr from Aenor with a gesture of mistrust, the apparently widening gulf between them conveniently in place, the transition should have mattered more than it seemed to. As it was, Lyr's withdrawal was vague and suspicious, even if some suggestion can be implied. As a personal opinion though? As sultry, thrilling and forbidden her relationship with Salem was, I can't say it felt superior to her relationship with Lyr. That might be a bold thing to confess but I also use the term 'relationship' very loosely. Book one burned with the potent seduction attraction-wise (I still remember how I felt reading the sizzling intimacy scenes) but book two had a different kind of heat in translation for Salem and Aenor. In so many words, I'm just going to say that I expected a superior sexual - and otherwise - connection to that of book one and this did suffer on that front. What C.N. Crawford does very well? Imbuing their protagonists with a powerfully palpable presence, of fierce purpose and intention. The descriptions of magic, power and desire are burnt to the page like the marks of a fingerprint. Our anti-hero in particular received the best of this quality, the essence of their gifts brought to life with a divine supernaturalism. Whether it be cutting visions of doom, the visage of a world on fire, the burden of a great power, or a lust for the forbidden, the story burns with a longing for sensation and desire, of every kind. This isn't a series about love, romance nor even relationships forged I'm coming to realise. The only yearning you'll find in this series of Fae authority is that for lust, desire, destruction and possession; of powers, of long awaited fates, cravings and a return for stolen things. The writing superbly stokes up a smut scene with a searingly sexual impact, and I was not unaffected by it. Whether it be the disturbingly deviant history of Salem and the visions of a fiery doom his presence prophesises or Aenor, as a fierce fae of the sea, with a great desire to safeguard the very element that is the life source of her magic from him, the writing enlivens the sensations with a palpable delicacy. More than anything, Aenor wants to be reunited with her magic. Slaying Salem is a close second though since she's convinced that her captor is set to burn the world. But he's just as determined to return the favour. There's a lot of fun tension to be had in two people silently prepared to kill the other, couldn't be more different in desire for their lives and fates and whose fated pairing could mean utter annihilation in facing the worst imaginable that could come to pass. The foreboding visage of a world on fire; that's what Salem's presence shall deliver should be meet his destiny. Everything Aenor is trying to prevent. When Aenor runs into a breed of Fae she's never seen before, she knows that this encounter can only mean doom. And that the Evening Star - none other than Salem, her soon to be captor - is responsible. He has life changing, world changing plans, and Aenor's bound by an unbreakable enchantment to help him get what he wants by any means necessary. And potentially set fire to it all. Her mission remains the same: Salem has to die, only faster now that recent discoveries have revealed the kind of damnation he intends to enforce, knowingly or unknowingly. To carry forth this series we have a new love interest, a Fae legend who burns like smoke, flame and ash with a disturbingly devious history, more prophesies and predictions, visions of world damnation, a very likely catastrophic pairing who could fall to either extremes and forbidden intimacy that shifts from enemies to lovers to I-still-may-have-to-kill you. An interesting, action-packed follow up but the lack of depth and reasoning can alienate a reader's experience. Which did mar my own unfortunately. But that's not to say that readers won't enjoy this sequel since I'm sure it'll prove plenty entertaining for other readers. If you liked book one, you'll likely enjoy this instalment as well! But Fallen King still gets a solid three stars from me. Maybe a stronger integration of book one's humour and pop culture references might have enhanced the experience to some degree, but as it is, I can't say I feel as confident for the trilogy closer since it fell short on the fulfillment factor. I gave this book 3 stars - Content warning/Listing: general warnings for violence, conflict and blood. Some profanity. Mentions the (past) intentional killings of children as sacrifices. Depravity, Imprisonment, enslavements, mentions starved emaciated bodies. Smut scenes (imagined, hallucinated and one sex scene on page). ___________________________ M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read ___________________________ ______________________________ R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● BOOK REVIEW: Dark King by C.N. Crawford ______________________________ EXTRA THOUGHTS (WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS!): 1) I'm very familiar with the mythology of fated mates and fated pairings but I have to admit that cosmically matched or not, the concept loses its credibility when two love interests (determined to end the other for most of the story) are only thwarted by those killer desires because of the baser instincts of their mated destiny. I wanted more intricacy and nuance in the development of Salem and Aenor's 'relationship'. Sure, they're not going to want to hurt or harm the other, and there's a nice play between an intense inner conflict when desires are wholly unmatchable to the force of instinct, but it bothers me when that's used as a way to pair two people together when necessary development is also needed to foundation that. Just because a bond is preventing you from harming someone, you'd likely harm them anyway were any bond not in place, so on that front - and referring back to my earlier point about character connections - their attachment felt underdeveloped. Salem may very well have killed her if that wasn't the case, and Aenor may very well have killed Salem had the bond influenced her not to. 2) Just to pick on something other readers have commented on, I wanted to point out that I personally didn't experience any likeness to ACOTAR with this series, bar the swapping of a love interest and some Tamlin vibes courtesy of Lyr. The series, the worldbuilding, the characters, the tone and developments are completely different. I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below! SHARE ON FACEBOOK Leave a comment and let's talk about |
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February 2024
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