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This is the sequel to The Green Rider which I really enjoyed and wanted to read the sequel as soon as I discovered it and luckily was able to request this copy through bookmooch .
The story again follows Karigan G’ladheon, two years after the first book. The foundation of the story is the dark magic seeping into Sacoridia through the cracks in the D’yer Wall causing strange things to happen to everyone in the kingdom, including the Riders. Unlike the first book there is not the same sense of crisis and resolution, instead I think this book is building up to the third book in the series The High King’s Tomb. However that doesn’t mean this book wasn’t equally exciting and interesting; we discover a lot more about the main characters, giving them more depth, as well as the Green Riders through the appearance of the first Rider Lil Ambrioth.
The only thing I dislike about the book was the disruption to the story caused by the different narratives added through the extracts of a diary and a being in the Blackveil Forest. Although I recognise these were important to the story I felt they got in the way as I wanted to read more about Karigan’s adventures. The only other slightly negative comment is the amount of winking and eyebrow raising that took place, it seems that just about all the characters could communicate through their eyes alone!
I found this book completely gripping and completed it in less than a day. It was complete escapism for me. In fact, I enjoyed it so much and I read it a second time while I was away rather than start one of my other books. I am looking forward to the release of the third book (hopefully in November, but that is hardback only), but I fear I will still want more after that book because I am still thinking about the characters a week after finishing the book.