The Champion of the Ice (Age of Rekindling #2), by Luís Falcão de Magalhães
The Book
Synopsis:
The Daughter of The Ice is no more. But not even death will stop Her Champion’s march.
Erika Langeshen has left her mercenary past behind to become a rising star among the knights of The Tower—the first woman to be accepted into their brotherhood in generations. Her friends, the former thief Johan Desert-Touched and the assassin Annah Barksdottir, now rub shoulders with nobility as a reward for their service to the rulers of the City-States.
But their untroubled lives are not to last.
When winter refuses to fade, the undead rise again and a demonic army lays siege to the land they call home. At its head marches a ruthless warlord, wielding a blade with the power to bring nightmares to life.
Erika, Johan, and their companions enter a race against time to reforge the artifacts wielded by their ancient gods in a bid to stop The Champion of The Ice before his armies cover Elessia in icy death…
but what they don’t suspect is that it is an old ally who wears the Champion’s mantle, and he knows all their strengths… and weaknesses.
My Review
The Champion of the Ice is the second novel in the Age of Rekindling series, the epic dark fantasy proposal of Luís Falcão de Magalhães. Starting just after the ending of Daughter of the Ice, a new champion has been chosen by the Ice, somebody who spent all his life to defend Elessia, Eregar, but after returning from death under the control of the Daughter, reuniting a new army and threatening to sink the whole land under destruction and eternal winter.
Eregar plays a big role in this sequel, completely opposed to his apparition in the first book, becoming an excellent villain; we get a glimpse of his motivations and ideas, why he has decided that Elessia doesn't deserve to be saved. Being under the control of others doesn't make him less impressive, and honestly, I think the contrast with Eileen only makes him even better.
Erika has been accepted on the Knights of the Tower, the first women in centuries; Johan and Anna have ended serving the nobility as a reward for their services to the State cities. But they won't really have time to rest, as the return of the Ice force them to start a race against time to find artifacts that will allow them to stop the Champion; however, if this situation wasn't difficult enough, the tension among the human factions is rising.
I greatly enjoyed the plot of The Champion of the Ice, as I personally found the pace to be in a great spot, without dull moments and balancing well between the epic battles and the more reflexive moments that open us a window into the struggles of the characters. The world is expanded, and personally, I would like to know more about the lands outside of the continent.
The Champion of the Ice is an excellent sequel, upping the stakes from the first book and managing to keep me hooked during all the reading time; if you would like a fantasy proposal that is epic but at the same time dark, go on a ride to Elessia.
The Author/s
Luís Falcão de Magalhães
My name is Luis, and I’m the black sheep of the family.
Born the scion of a household of magistrates and physicians, I was groomed from a young age to meet those expectations. I threw the chain of office away and became a bard instead.
I’ve since traveled the breadth of my homeland, picking up tales here and there. I’ve dined with aldermen and drank firewater with vagabonds; I’ve sung moonlit serenades to hussies and taken the daughters of wealthy merchants to grand balls. I’ve joined secret orders, learning their lore and passphrases; I’ve locked arms with tree-huggers and danced with them under the full moon.But two things sing to my soul like nothing else.
One, the roll of the dice, be it on the wood of the tabletop or within the shards of magical glass that are everywhere in our society.
Two, the tales of daring, of heroism and valor, of wickedness and deceit, to be found among the dusty tomes of the world’s libraries.
To contribute to those, I have made my life’s work.