Darkness Falls

There are two ways of writing a trilogy of books. One way is to produce three separate novels that can be read independently or viewed as a whole. The other way is to start each book as soon as the last one ends and power through the tale a great speed. This is how P. J. Flie’s Darkness Falls, starts, middles, and ends. Part two of the Legacy of Seven series is a fitting example of a how a second book should be if you like the pace to keep up after the first outing. 

The heroes of the original Legacy of Seven are scattered throughout the land. Ondreeal, the trainee wizard, and her two companions must go on a journey to return to Bastion. Trick Mark and his allies find themselves on the other side of the continent looking to do the same. Unbeknownst to them, time is of the essence as the power crazed wizard Zairoc is making his move to take over Bastion and all the land. The Great Wizard Sir Francis cannot stop the powerful sorcerer, but Jimena, Zairoc’s wife may be able to. 

I am firmly in agreement with Flie that a second book in a fantasy series should build on the world building and character development from the first outing and run with it. We have already been introduced to the characters and have a good understanding about this world, which is magical medieval on the surface, but in orbit rest decaying satellites protecting the people below from an alien threat. Flie is free to move the story on apace, and they do. 

There are some fun set pieces in the book, spread across all the characters. Ondreeal’s tale is the most usual for a fantasy novel, the innocent plucked from obscurity to become the hero, but is fun, nonetheless. Her adventure feels almost classical in nature, The Labours of Ondreeal. On her path are obstacles she must overcome, each will damage her, but also make her stronger. 

Trick Mark’s path differs as his allies includes the robot CD-45. This story touches on one of the most interesting aspects of this series; were science fiction meets fantasy tropes. How do the local townspeople react to a creature made from metal? They have no issue with wizards that can change the weather, but a Construction Bot with hover mode is beyond them. Darkness is not the lowest of fantasy, but in the moments where the people rebel, you see the darkness that the likes of Zairoc play on. 

The biggest departure from book one and the most intriguing is the tale of Jimena. Her love for Zairoc is absolute but does that include doing what is best for him to save his soul? It is interesting to have a character so malevolent as Zairoc, who is also deeply in love with his wife. None of the characters in this book are truly irredeemable – although the Abomination may be. 

Darkness has that classic book two feel to it. It develops the story and characters, but not as much as in book one and probably not as much as in book 3. This is the middle novel, the one that allows the reader to have fun in the world. The consequences are bad, but not terminal. Events will get heavier next time as CD-45 has to complete their mission to save the protective satellites in orbit and the evil on Earth is not yet done. I look forward to it as the series is getting more entertaining each time.