Rating: 3.75🌈
Mist, Shadow, and Deep, the next book in The Crystalline Dragons Saga, suffers a bit from the second book syndrome. Where the first book introduces the characters, had the huge amount of mystery, fantastic emotional dramatics for the characters and in events, and lays out the mythology. We get pathos, murder, sorrow, and some heroic moments.
That’s hard for a second book to continue forward while maintaining the momentum of that previous novel, keeping the magic alive, and juggling the newly created relationships between the trio of widely different characters.
It’s a narrative job that can turn into a struggle as it does at points here. At times it’s overly dense, where the reader just wants them (Dusk and his two companions) to just get on with it. Other times, the author creates these gems of scenes that encapsulates moments of startling high scary action, ones that demonstrates both the camaraderie that’s growing between the group and the mysterious dragon magic hidden inside Dusk .
We don’t get nearly enough of those.
The character of Dusk is a well thought out, beautiful creation. He’s undoubtedly the best thing here because it’s his stolen adolescence as a salt mine slave that plays into his actions and thoughts here. He’s an innocent on the outside world. He can’t read people, he can’t read period. Can’t hunt or fish. And he’s got an impulsive kind heart in a world that wants to kill him.
We see the villain coming a mile away. Which is a real problem here. Because we still have most of the book to get through to see how it ends. We know badly. Just how badly is the question.
Which doesn’t make for enjoyable reading.
So read Mist, Shadow, and Deep as the bridge it is to get to the next level of this saga . I’m onto Rise of the False King next.
The Crystalline Dragons Saga-5 books:
✓ Curse of the Dragon’s Eye #1
✓ Mist, Shadow, and Deep #2
â—¦ Rise of the False King #3
â—¦ The Queen of Darkness #4 -May 9,2024
â—¦ Fall of the Crystal Moon #5-June 6,2024
Buy link:
Mist, Shadow, and Deep: An Epic Dragon Fantasy Saga (The Crystalline Dragons Saga Book 2)
Blurb:
A shadow rises to meet the light and, with it, an evil sorcerer. Dusk must choose between what is right and what is easy.
In his hour of need, a new face emerges. But is he friend or foe? Only time will tell.
Barely escaping with their lives, Dusk and his companions head south, following the mountains as they search for another way through. That is until they’re lost within a misty bog that threatens to consume them.
Out of the mist appears a figure who saves Dusk before the monster of the bog can consume him. Grateful and indebted, they head south together toward the port town of Emerald Deep. There’s a pass through the mountains there that will lead the party to their freedom at last.
But Emerald Deep is filled with mysteries, thieves, and temptation. The moment they arrive, the group begins to crumble, and Dusk is left wondering if his companions ever cared about him at all.
And that’s the moment the shadow attacks.
Mist, Shadow, and Deep contains a diverse cast of characters and queer themes. It was previously published under the title “The Crystal Archivist” by Blake R. Wolfe. Although the title and cover are different, the content remains the same.
• Publication date: March 14, 2024
• Language: English
• Print length: 264 pages
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 