For those who have not read the Wildfire Cycle by D.P. Woolliscroft, I highly recommend that you do so as I believe it to be one of the best current fantasy series out there right now. The first book in the series, Kingshold laid the foundation beautifully for this second full-length entry (there's also a 1.5 book of short stories called Tales of Kingshold that both relates to and enhances the main story arc).
IOTH, CITY OF LIGHTS begins with a sea battle, so we are immediately tossed into the action from page one. Right away I could tell that the tone and pace of this book would be significantly different than Kingshold. The former bard Mareth is now Lord Protector of Edland via the people's election, and the wizard Jyuth is nowhere to be found. His daughter Neenahwi is now left to monitor things and to make sure that stability, peace, and prosperity rule the day within the kingdom.
Standing in the way of that however is the ambitious empire of neighboring Pyrfew. Pyrfew has quickly built up their navy in the intervening time since Edland elected their new leader. Rumors abound that Edland's neighbors have been paying close attention to the instability in Edland and may have chosen this fragile time of transition in government to finally make their move. And although things are getting slowly better in and around Kingshold, they are by no means perfect. Mareth is still getting his feet wet and learning how to govern, so any attack launched against him at this time could have disastrous consequences.
To attempt to head this off, Mareth sends one of his most trusted advisers Alana to the city of Ioth, a city strategically placed on the shores of the Sapphire Sea. Alana's mission is to convince Ioth to repel any advances (both militarily and diplomatically) that Pyrfew would make to secure this important port. For if Pyrfew gains control of this vital launching point for a potential sea invasion, the people of Edland could be exposed and vulnerable to Pyrfew's emperor Lllewdon's sinister plans of conquest.
As Mareth and his agents scramble to keep Pyrfew from invading, they must also contend with the issues at home that come with setting up a new government and ruling a land that is still not entirely free from crime and starvation. The question soon arises as to whether or not the new Lord Protector can even survive a rule that is still in its infancy. For there is sure to be trouble ahead and Edland will be tested like it has never been before.
This book had me up late pretty much every night this week. If you consider the fact that I have to be up at 5:30 am every day for work, this is truly a testament to how great IOTH, CITY OF LIGHTS really is. I mentioned earlier that the tone of this book is different than the first book Kingshold, and I just have to reemphasize that point again. Where book one was a masterwork of political intrigue, double-dealing, and treachery, the action absolutely explodes in IOTH and we are treated to some of the best battles and fighting scenes I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
There are so many reasons why I love this story. The first is that the world-building is outstanding. The kingdom of Edland is so multi-layered with much of the same complexities that any modern day city would have. There is crime, poverty, political corruption, and all of the challenges that come with those problems. The only difference is that Woolliscroft has translated all of that into a fantasy setting. When you are reading a fantasy story that is so relateable to real life, it really helps you connect with it as a reader.
Another thing that I enjoy about this series is that Dave Woolliscroft has a penchant for breaking your heart at least two or three times in every book. Without giving too much away, let's just say he has a bit of George RR Martin in him. I find this writing to be the best kind, or at least my favorite. When you are willing as an author to put your main characters in grave peril, and even kill off one or two in the process, it makes the reading experience a much more tense one and as a result, a more rewarding one as well. I love not knowing with every turn of the page whether a character that I have grown increasingly attached to is going to end up dead in a gutter in the next chapter.
And that's where I come to the very best part of the Wildfire Cycle for me, the characters. Woolliscroft's ability to write characters who don't behave predictably and are multi-dimensional in their makeup is the true strength of this book and series as a whole. You will be hard-pressed to find a better writer of characters and dialogue than Woolliscroft. And so I am left to wait impatiently for the next book in this series, which on one hand makes me sad, but on the other makes me realize that I have another amazing book to read in the relatively-near future. So I can't be too upset I guess.
In closing, please do yourself a favor and pick up IOTH, CITY OF LIGHTS immediately. And if you haven't started this series yet, grab a copy of Kingshold and embark on the wonderful journey that is the Wildfire Cycle. Not only will you not be disappointed, but you will discover just how unique and original a fantasy story this truly is. D.P. Woolliscroft has once again penned a fantastic book that has me yearning for more. Excellent work Mr. Woolliscroft!
(My Rating: 9.5/10)
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