Book One is Lord of the Fading Lands:
Gorgeous freaking cover, by the way! All of the books in this series have beautiful covers.
REVIEW (4 1/2 stars):
As an active reader of the community forums, I had seen many recommendations for this series before I picked up this book for my kindle. It took me a while to work this book to the top of the reading list. Once I started it, I could not turn off the darned device, reading late into the night to get to the end. Since I finished this book, I have bought the rest of the series, which I am holding at the top of my reading list for my vacation, beginning tomorrow. I am over the moon with excitement at the prospect of immersing myself in Wilson's world again.
Fantasy, even romantic fantasy, is a crowded genre. So, why would a reader pick this book over others? I would call this book superior in a couple of areas. First, the world building is interesting. This is not another urban fantasy series, set in an alternate U.S. city. Don't get me wrong, I love UF, but the market is flooded with it. This is genuine fantasy, with a completely separate world. I liked the world, and even more, I liked the mystery. Even at the end of this book, I have very little idea what the Fading Lands genuinely look like. The author has allowed the world to unfold at a leisurely pace, and allows the reader to learn about the world as things become important. I always find myself enjoying "immersive" fantasy much more than "explicative" fantasy.
I also like the heroine, Ellysetta. She has secrets, and these are secrets that she herself doesn't even fully understand. With this first book, it is clear that there is much, much more to her story. I cannot wait to find out the rest. C.L. Wilson has beautifully crafted a story that provides both suspense and anticipation. And, of course, the Hero, Rain, is delectable, or, as one of the characters in the book put it, "magnificent."
This book comes very close to being a five star read for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and highly recommend it.
Book 2 of the Series is called Lady of Light and Shadows:
REVIEW (4 1/2 stars):
Lady of Light and Shadows is the second of the presently 5 book Tairen Souls series. In the last two weeks, I have read the entire series from beginning to end, losing myself in the world of the Fading Lands and the Fey. I cannot praise this whole series highly enough.
This second book is a transition book. When it begins, truemates Rain and Ellysetta are still in Celieria City, and are still struggling to get through the wedding ceremony that Elly's mother and father are demanding. There is a great deal of tension in this book, and the fate of their wedding remains poised on the razor's edge until the very end of the book. It is actually possible to stop reading this series after this book, although I cannot personally imagine why anyone would want to stop.
I am not going to provide a plot synopsis, because the product description does that well enough, and I don't want to inadvertently spoil the book for anyone. I read a lot of high fantasy, and I genuinely love the world that C.L. Wilson built. Her magic is fascinating, with the weaving of the 4 elements of earth, air, fire and water and the 2 elements of spirit. Ellysetta begins to come into her own in this book, and will eventually leave behind the gawky woodcutter's daughter persona that has defined her for these two books. Rain is a marvelous hero, strong, protective, and deeply loving. I love the concept of truemating, and the mate bond. This is absolutely one of the most romantic books I have ever read. The courtship scenes between Rain and Ellie are beautiful.
Wilson's writing is also beautiful. She has a talent for figurative language that is compelling without being annoying. The only tiny little criticism of these books is her constant description of the twin's hair as being "mink brown." And, actually, I am generally annoyed by Elly's twin sisters Lillis and Lorelle. While they are only children, they are two of the most annoying children ever put to paper in fiction. However, as I said, this is a small criticism and did not impair my enjoyment of the book at all.
The only advice I have to give relating to this book is that anyone who begins it had better have an extra $25.00 laying around so that you can buy the next three books in the series. Because you are going to want them in your hand before you finish the Lady of Light and Shadows.
Book 3: The King of Sword and Sky.
REVIEW: (4 1/2 stars):
King of Sword and Sky is the third of the presently 5 book Tairen Souls series. In the last two weeks, I have read the entire series from beginning to end, losing myself in the world of the Fading Lands and the Fey. As a whole, I cannot praise this whole series highly enough.
This book begins the second cycle of the series. Rain and Elly are wed, and intend to return to The Fading Lands, behind the Faering Mists. C.L. Wilson begins the slow process of revealing to her readers the Fey Queen, Ellysetta, who supplants the gawky woodcutter's daughter, Ellie Baristani. There has been a great tragedy in the preceding book, and most of the Fey, as well as Ellie's family, flee the Celierian court for the safety of the border between Celieria and the Fading Lands.
Again, I will not provide a plot synopsis for fear of accidentally posting a spoiler. This third book begins the long, slow climb to the climactic events contained in the fifth book. Rain and Ellysetta, Feyreisen and Feyreisa, begin to forge their truemate bond, and the High Mage of Eld contains his evil plotting to steal Ellysetta's soul. There is a great deal of tension in this book, as Ellysetta tries to see her purpose clear as Rain's truemate and the savior of the Tairen. We also, for the first time, meet the Tairen themselves. They are wonderful characters -- fierce and beautiful.
Again, I absolutely loved this whole series. I was sorry to see it end with the Crown of Crystal Flame.
Book 4: The Queen of Song and Souls
REVIEW (4 1/2 stars):
Queen of Song and Souls is the fourth of the presently 5 book Tairen Souls series. In the last two weeks, I have read the entire series from beginning to end, losing myself in the world of the Fading Lands and the Fey. I cannot praise this whole series highly enough.
This book is the penultimate entry in the series and sets up the tremendous battle that occurs in book 5, Crown of Crystal Flame. It ends very sadly, even tragically, with some deaths that are deeply affecting. In this fourth book, Ellysetta and Rain visit the Elves, in order to deepen their understanding of Ellysetta's powers. The High Mage continues to exploit mortal umagi to dig a deeper foothold into Celieria in preparation for a war that he does not intend to lose, that will drive the Light from the world forever. The bond madness begins to take hold of Rain. This whole book is a gathering and a drawing together, in preparation for the end of the tale to be revealed in book 5.
As such, it is not, perhaps, as much fun to read as some of the others. It is similar to The Two Towers, in the Lord of the Rings series, in that sense -- much of what the reader does in this book is wait and learn and deal with the tension created by not knowing how the series will end. Fortunately, I had Crown of Crystal Flame ready to read once I reached 100% in this kindle book.
There is so much emotion and drama contained in this series. It is romantic and beautiful, as well as beautifully written.
Book 5: The Crown of Crystal Flame
REVIEW (5 stars):
This is the fifth, and last, book that tells the story of truemates Ellysetta and Rain Tairen Soul. I devoured all five of these books in a period of about three weeks. I cannot recommend this series highly enough.
The Crown of Crystal Flame is an intensely affecting wild ride. C.L. Wilson has successfully built so much dramatic tension that it is literally impossible to read this book fast enough. From the beginning of the book, to the ending, I read nearly nonstop.
I loved this series so much. The secondary characters are terrific. While the two primary characters, Rain and Elly, are wonderful, they do not accomplish their tasks alone. This was one of the things that I really liked about this series -- Elly is powerful, but she is more powerful when she is helped by others. As a result of Wilson's wonderful character development, there are several Fey warriors who are more than deserving of their own books. I understand that Wilson does plan a return to the Fading Lands at some point in the future.
Ms. Wilson has become an automatic buy for me with this series. In my opinion, it provides a nearly perfect example of how to write a fantasy romance series. All to often fantasy authors refuse to wrap up a popular series, continuing to write books well after the point that the books are enjoyable. The Crown of Crystal Flame is an ending to Rain and Ellysetta's story. There is no cliffhanger. There are plenty of stories left for C.L. Wilson to write, and few threads left loose, but for the most part Ms. Wilson respected my desire for a conclusion, and, yes, a happy ending, to this series. And she did it so beautifully that my eyes filled with tears at the end of the book.
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