The Blood King (Chronicles of the Necromancer, Book 2)

so far the sequal to summoner is really quite good. i have found that most female authors don't make the best male hero's but in this case i can actually connect with many of the male leads. combined with amazing story telling that makes even the most mundane things feel like an important developement in both the character and in the plot. this book and it's predesessor are both in my top 10 best reads. right up there with classics like Enders Game, and in my oppinion better than any drizzt book i've read to date.

Though sometimes the plot line of character's gets generic (prince and princesses falling in love etc.,) the overall story is dramatically unique. Taking a very different twist on sorcerer/sorceress typical magic, and making the form of a necromancer something that is not inherently evil was a very unique twist... as well as throwing in vampire's in a purely magical world! One critique however was that these books lead up quite a bit to defeating this one purpose (his evil murdering older brother and the blood magic wielding bad sorcerer), most of two books worth, and then the story gets wrapped up in one neat little chapter it seems. Thankfully, after going to Gail Z. martin's website, the next in the series, Dark Haven, has an AWESOME first few chapters that she has for preview on there. Her writing is great... I can say that these are definitely in my top 25 book series. If you haven't read George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb, Jacqueline Carey, Robert Jordan (RIP), Carol Berg... I'd highly recommend those authors as well.

Exciting book worth the wait and as full filling as any above average chronicle I've ever read. Well worth buying.

This book picks up exactly where the first book ends. I liked the flow of the book. Each character had a nice little subplot that intertwined with the major story line. Once I picked up the book I had a hard time putting it down. For a book of 600+ pages I finished it quickly. If your a lover a fantasy you cannot help but to fall in love with this book.

Margolan, so prosperous and peaceful under King Bricen's rule, has been reduced to starvation in less than a year. Everyone knows of the usurpation of the crown of Margolan by "Jared the Tyrant". He and his fire mage, Foor Arontala, have also broken the truce with the Blood Council and are hunting down all vayash moru (vampires). Things are going from bad to worse as the night of the Hawthorn Moon approaches. On that night, half a year from now, Jared and Arontala plan to feed all the souls captured in the Soulcatcher orb to the Obsidian King. Once accomplished, the Obsidian King will have the power needed to break free of the prison, which the Summoner named Bava K'aa had thrown him into, and evil will claim the entire Winter Kingdom. He is Prince Martris "Tris" Drayke, son of Bricen of Margolan, Summoner and mage-heir of Bava K'aa. However, anyone looking at him would never imagine that he was more than a simple peasant enduring hard times, just like everyone else. The Sisterhood grudgingly agree to train Tris for his upcoming battles, but there is no guarantee that he will survive the training. Arontala is not only a strong fire mage, but is using blood magic (via sacrifices) to increase his power. Arontala will also draw power from the Obsidian King once he is freed. Tris may very well be the strongest Summoner since Bava K'aa, but it is still going to be a royal battle indeed. ***** I thought this was going to be a trilogy or series, but the author may very well stop the adventure right here. The two books together are absolutely perfect. However, if she so chooses, Gail Z. Martin may continue the tale in another part of the kingdom. She could use the same characters or some of the secondary characters or even have completely new ones. I eagerly await this author's next title to see if the Winter Kingdom's story continues or not. As for the story itself, The Summoner and The Blood King may very well be the best fantasy story I have had the pleasure of reading in quite awhile. I do not doubt that the author, Gail Martin, will become a huge success in her chosen field. I foresee awards in her future and a large group (gaggle?) of fans, of which I now rank among. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.