Review: Of Darkness and Light by Ryan Cahill

Blurb:

The hotly anticipated second book in Ryan Cahill's break out debut series, The Bound and The Broken.

Heroes will rise. Nations will fall.

Behind the towering walls of Belduar, Calen Bryer and his companions stand in defense of the city and its new king. In over a thousand years, Belduar has never fallen. It has stood as a bastion of hope. But the Lorian empire are at its walls once more, and the Dragonguard are coming.

In the North, with Faenir by her side, Calen's sister Ella arrives at the port of Antiquar. She holds no fear of the unknown. She will see this through, no matter what - or who - gets in her way.

Meanwhile, at the embassy of the Circle of Magii in Al'Nasla, Rist Havel hones his newfound powers in preparation for the trials. Unbeknownst to Rist, he is being watched, measured, and judged. He was not taken into the Circle by chance. There is greatness in him. But great men can do terrible things.

As Lorian forces land on southern shores and Aeson Virandr's letters of rebellion find their way to the right hands, only the Knights of Achyron see the true danger. The danger that stirs in the darkness. The coming shadow will not stop. It will consume all in its path. It wants for nothing but blood and fire.

Review:

"There is nothing more important in the darkness than a ray of light."

"I will stand by your side until my lungs take their last breath and my heart ceases to beat. In darkness, and in light, by blade and by blood, I am yours. Let me be your sword."

And this is why I’ve said, from the very beginning, that Cahill was crafting something truly special with The Bound and the Broken series. Of Blood and Fire was really good. The Fall was fantastic: one of my favorite novellas ever. Of Darkness and Light sauntered onto the scene, said “hold my pint of mead,” and then proceeded to blow my expectations out of the Veloran Ocean.

Of Darkness and Light is gritty and real and bloody and heroic in ways I rarely see in fantasy books. There are real consequences for these characters as they try to light a fire in a world that is growing increasingly dark as the Empire and tainted blood magic of Efialtir rise in power.

Everything that I loved from Of Blood and Fire and The Fall is here in Of Darkness and Light, except better. Ella is given more page time and has transformed into an active, threatening force to be reckoned with as her connection to Faenir continues to develop. Rist spirals deeper into the Circle of Magii with the formation of increasingly concerning tendencies and biases.

Calen and Valerys are phenomenal. Heartbreaking moments where it feels like my heart is being enveloped in dragonfire and then triumphant moments where I’m literally soaring, fists pumping, feeling like I want to shout at the top of my lungs. Cahill doubles down on their bestial, emotional bond and the result is spectacular.

I can already tell that Dayne and the rest of his Valtaran family of wyvern riders are going to be new favorites. I cannot wait to read more about Dayne in The Exile. 

There are so many more amazing character moments that I could mention but I won’t to keep this review spoiler free. 

Of Darkness and Light blows open the continent of Epheria, injecting lore and magic and intrigue at an astounding rate, making this world feel real and lived in. I can sense the complexity and depth of this world bubbling around me, immersing me in the rich imagination of Cahill. Of Darkness and Light is one of the best sequels I have ever read. It is a brutal amalgamation of the best that epic fantasy has to offer, burning with dragonfire and dripping in blood. If there has ever been any question as to the viability and future of epic fantasy, this series is your answer.

“There is a darkness in this world, my brothers and sisters. A darkness that does not stop, does not sleep, does not tire or wane. It is relentless in its pursuit of all things. It is to stand in the path of this darkness that we were chosen. To stand in Achyron’s name. To be his light.”

“Their lives hang on the tip of our courage. And in that, I do not mean you cannot hold fear in your hearts, for courage is not the absence of fear. It is the will to act in spite of fear.”