My dear bookish friends!
Today I share with you my thoughts on the third instalment in Devri Walls’ Venators series: Legends Rise! I loved this book, and before I tell you why, I want to give a special thanks to Dave from TheWriteReads for introducing me to such an awesome fantasy series, and to an author that goes straight on my auto-buy list! Thank you for my spot on this blog tour, and for my ecopy of this book! Now, let’s move straight on to the synopsis and then my review!
In the third installment of the Venators series, Rune, Grey, and their companions Beltran and Verida have set off together to save their mentor Tate from the gladiator games. As their group struggles to stay together under the strain of their situation, Rune’s twin brother Ryker is falling more surely into the clutches of Zio the sorceress, who has her own plots for the future of Eon, and the Venators.
The path will be forged in sweat and blood.
Rune, Grey, the shape-shifter Beltran, and willful vampire, Verida, set out to rescue their friend and mentor, Tate, from the gladiator games. But first they must navigate the perils of Eon and its warring factions. Each of this band of four carries with them a secret that threatens to tear their group apart from within. Rune now bears the mark of the promise she made to save Grey’s life-a nixie bubble lodged in her arm that could call her away to do their bidding or spell her death.
Even as their loyalty to their cause and to one another faces its greatest test, Rune’s twin brother Ryker is forging an alliance with their mortal enemy, the powerful sorceress Zio, who has plans of her own for the Venators and Eon. Hearts will be bared, secrets unveiled, and relationships made and destroyed in this stunning new installment of the Venators series.
My Review (might contain spoilers for book 1 & 2)
Devri Walls has done it once again – she’s written ANOTHER amazing fantasy novel that I just couldn’t put down! Legends Rise is part three in the Venators series that every fantasy fan should read. When you think of a fantasy story, you will inevitably think of action, adventure, magic, probably darkness or some kind of dark power. Well, you’re not far off here. Legens Rise has all that, plus hopelessness and hope, darkness and light, tension, politiocal intrigue, lots of drama and suspense. While you have all that, the book (and with that, the whole series) is easy and fun to read, and hooks you right from the start.
In this third instalment, we meet Rune and Grey again, who, with the help of Beltran and Verida, try to save Tate from the gladiator camp he escaped from. One of the best things in Walls’ books is the characters. Their thoughts, feelings, actions and dialogues are in the limelight, and that’s what I love. It’s more like the characters are driving the plot forward instead of the actions, but the book is still far from boring. The characters we know and love from books 1 and 2 of this series face the consequences of their previous actions, but also new problems, and also new mysteries that I enjoyed a lot.
I think Rune is probably the most complex character here. Where can I start? She cares about Grey, but Beltran is in her head – so much that she doesn’t know if she wants to kill him or kiss him. I also love Grey’s character, though. He’s vulnerable yet strong, kind-hearted and confident. In this third book we get big reveals for Beltran and Verida, which were surprising. What I loved most about the characters is how friendships rules their group. While they are growing closer, some deeper relationships are forming, which adds a new layer to their friendship. We get deeper feelings, deeper bonds, and at the same time, the group of Venators discover more powers among their own.
The magic in these books is incredible, new and refreshing. Usually with fantasy series I feel like the books get weaker as we go along, but not so with Venators. I finished this book in less than a day – which doesn’t mean it isn’t complex though. It is, but in a way that makes you excited for more. Even though that’s hard to imagine for a fantasy, while reading it, everything felt kind of palpable and real to me, something I really appreciate in books. I had no problems finding my way back into the story, as it took off where book 2 had left off. This book (and the entire series) features epic battles, interesting, deep characters who have matured over time, and so have their relationships, and a great magic system.
More please, Devri! 4.5 stars from me!
Thank you all so much for reading!
xoxo
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Yet another great fantasy in an awesome series!
