The Severaine by K.J. Simmill
Ages 14+
Published 9/1/2016
Check out our review of the first book of the series, Darrienia (The Forgotten Legacies Series Book 1)
“Sequel to the Award winning book, Darrienia.
Civilisations rise and fall leaving only dust and legend in their wake. Kingdoms were lost, and races forgotten. Across the countless span of time one threat rises, heralding the end of man’s rule, and laying to waste those who defiled its mistress. It is known as the Severaine, a power that in vengeance could bring even the Gods themselves to their knees. Each era overcame this peril so a new world could rise from the ashes of old. Lost within such wisdom could be the answers our heroes seek, a means to stop the threat before a new cycle is born.
But legends can lie and history can be mistaken.
There is another tale, a fable on the lips of few, it speaks of the means to force this power into submission, and there are those who would seek to bend this devastating might to their will.
Creatures rise, guardians wake, and sometimes even the meddling hands of man can turn divine plans awry. The prophesies of old were reforged by death and whisper now a chilling truth. If this path continues unobstructed there is only one conclusion. The end of man and god alike.
But there are some secrets that should never be uncovered and paths which mortals must fear to tread.
When revenge knows no boundaries there are some bonds even death cannot destroy.” – Blurb from the Publisher
The Review –
For a follow up to the solid Darrienia, we were not disappointed. The Severaine gives us everything we expected and then some. Miss Simmill’s vivid writing does not disappoint as she continues to build a beautiful world. While we could talk of Miss Simmill’s virtues all day, let us first examine the work critically.
Perhaps the greatest weakness of The Severaine is in the same billowy descriptions we have come to love. We can only find ourselves impressed so many times before we begin to gloss over some of the finer details. This heavy style, coupled with the long length of the book, could make it a cumbersome read for those who are not wholly invested in the characters or the story. Sometimes it even feels as if these descriptions reiterate details that we may have already inferred elsewhere. All author’s have this issue from time to time and it has been described in the past as a lack of confidence. We see that here, where perhaps Miss Simmill does not believe an idea was conveyed adequately to the reader, and so it is reinforced. To Miss Simmill, we say this: you are a talented writer and you convey much more than you may believe. Allow that confidence to guide your hand and you may lighten the load placed upon the readers. While we are not dismayed by a wall of text, some readers might be, and as we have all seen, less can indeed be more.
Now, this doesn’t mean what we loved in Darrienia wasn’t found here. Though we move past some of the central issues of Darrienia, everything we said about the first book in the series can go for the second. Ambitiously written, this fleshed out world with the vibrant characters is sure to impress.
The Rating – A-
Our reviews are designed to be critical, picking at the weakest parts of any book. No book is perfect. Though we all strive for perfection, we can, and will, fall short. Just because there is room for improvement does not mean The Severaine was a bad book, quite to the contrary in fact. The Severaine continues an amazing epic fantasy series and we look forward to seeing more from Miss Simmill. Her style is still mesmerizing, and though the descriptions could wear down the weary, her characterizations are some of the best we have ever seen. That, coupled with strong world building and a darn good story, gives The Severaine high marks by our standards. One could hardly ask for more.
Do you want to read Darrienia (The Forgotten Legacies Series Book 1)
