AN HEIR OF DARKNESS AND RUIN

In Brower’s second fantasy-series entry,a demigod learns how to wield her powers, but her teacher has ulterior motives.

Following an attack on the safe-haven dimension of Taria, the dark magic that demigod half-siren Renna Strongborn has suppressed for years awakens within her. In her agony, she accidentally opens a portal leading to Sethos, a fae with whom she had been close during her first lifetime and who’d declared himself her “soul guardian” seven years ago. Renna trusts Sethos, so she enters the portal and joins him in his fortress in Daya. She learns that she and Sethos were both abused by Renna’s father, Am-Re, the god of darkness, chaos, and ruin, and despotic ruler of the Vasarys dimension. Eight years ago, Sethos overthrew and killed Am-Re, who’d adopted him, and not only gained his throne, but also some of his powers, which flow through Renna’s veins, as well. When Sethos tells Renna that he intends to avenge his mother and homeland, Renna promises to help. He helps her learn how to wield her powers to their full, lethal potential. Their relationship becomes more intimate, but when he tells Renna about the destruction of Isyos, where Am-Re once ruled, he leaves out a vital detail: The attackers, whom he aims to kill, were the Celestial Gods who had sheltered Renna in Taria—including Khellios, her past-life love interest. While Sethos manipulates Renna, Khellios leaves Taria and goes on a quest to find her. Brower’s sequel is a captivating tale of betrayal, vengeance, and love, primarily told through the perspectives of Renna, Sethos, and Khellios; this gives readers a keen and sometimes-devastating understanding of each character’s motivations, which they sometimes hide from others. The masterful worldbuilding features well-developed systems of both magic and governance. Readers may be mildly disappointed that Renna doesn’t have any meaningful interactions with other women, but her journey—during which she learns to accept and control her powers while maintaining a sense of right and wrong—is truly compelling, as is Sethos’ relentless desire for revenge.

A brilliantly executed installment in a series about vengeance and self-determination.