RIVER OF DREAMS

Aisling and Rùnach’s adventure continues, as Rùnach steps more fully into his royal heritage, leading them back to his grandfather’s elven kingdom, where they will seek answers as to who Aisling truly is and how they might save the Nine Kingdoms.

After Aisling is sent on a quest she never asked for and meets up with Rùnach, an elven prince and mage who has lost his magic, the two travel to an array of magical places Aisling never imagined existed. But her travels with Rùnach have taught the weaver a few things, the most important one being that he is a man she can depend on. When it becomes clear that there are people who want them both dead, they seek sanctuary in Seanagarra, the magical elven realm of Rùnach’s grandfather. There, Rùnach tries to decipher an enigmatic spell book he found on his journey that might have some answers they both need in order to succeed in saving her country but which has also brought about the wrath of a black mage, who will kill to recover the book and its secrets. Meanwhile, under the mystical influence of Seanagarra and Rùnach’s grandparents, Aisling seems to become more powerful and magical in ways none of them have ever seen, even though the elder generation has some idea of who she really is and what is in her future. Aisling and Rùnach have been slowly and quietly falling in love, but the time has come to commit to one another and to Aisling’s quest and in doing so, learn of the network of people who have been watching and waiting for the day they take up the challenge in earnest. Taking up where Dreamspinner (2012) left off, Kurland continues her romantic fantasy series with the same elegant writing—though a few oft-repeated phrases do get distracting—and imagination, taking the reader on an adventure chock full of magical beings, breathtaking descriptions, and beautifully rendered characters and situations.

An enchanting, vibrant story that captures romance, fantasy and adventure with intriguing detail and an epic, fairy-tale sensibility.