We return to the dangerous lands of Farhaven where ancient evil is returning but also the best warriors to defeat this peril, the Ronin. Samurai like warriors with the power of the nine elements are slowly returning to the world and all parties are searching for them. Gray discovers that he is the Ronin of the forbidden wind element and must return to the origins of his upbringing in Farbs to recover his long lost memories. Along with his two friends Ayva and Darius, the Citadel of Fire awaits but the answers they find will not be pleasant to hear and they must move quickly as they are being hunted.
Citadel of Fire builds on everything that Matthew Wolf set up in book 1. Now that the characters are established and we already have a small glimpse into the history of the Ronin, this book is just ripe for expansion and evolution. Gray must learn to harness his powers and learn to tame the Flow in order to protect his friends and discover who he truly is. We are introduced to an orphan boy named Zane as he lives in the Underbelly of Farbs with his sister Hannah. Zane’s story is one of desperation, deceit, and mystery into the inner workings of the Underbelly while providing information relevant to the overall plot. Eventually Zane will come into contact with Gray and the dots start to slowly connect and the plot will take you full speed ahead to the end. We also come into contact with a skilled fighter by the name of Faye. Faye agrees to lead Gray and his friends into Farbs, but what the three don’t know is that Faye is also in connection to the evil Darkeye and she must tread carefully into unknown waters.
The Ronin are returning to Farhaven and we will see that unfold to a greater extent in Citadel of Fire. Larger implications for the series will begin to take shape with plenty of action to go along with the excellent worldbuilding. Pacing can be slow in the beginning but stick with it and the rewards will be paid back tenfold. One great aspect about this story is the inclusion of the Ronin’s power being amplified with the addition of their legendary blades. Gray inherits Morrowil from the previous wind Ronin Kail but the sword is not that easy a weapon to master. This just adds an extra level of intrigue and mystery into how will all of these aspects come together in the end.
If you couldn’t tell already, I loved this second entry into the Ronin saga. The story is fresh, riveting, fun, and darker the further you get into the story. Matthew Wolf has been writing this series since his high school days and the passion he invests into his characters and world flow off the page. Self published authors will forever get support from me and this is another series I would gladly add to my collection. Happy reading to all.
Cheers!
Under The Radar SFF Books 