Solis, book 2 in the Fourth Talisman Series continues the adventures of Nazafareen, Darius, Javid, and Culach. After a narrow escape from Delphi, Nazafareen is staying with Kallisto and her Maenads, helping to find a way to free Herodotus and Javid from their confinement. Unbeknownst to Nazafareen, Darius is also a prisoner in Delphi. Meanwhile, back in Nocturne, at the captured fortress of Val Moraine, Culach continues to have dreams of the the fall of the Vatras, while Gerda scrys the progress of the newly freed Vatra on the sailing vessel. These various players work together, though they don’t realise it scattered so far apart as they are, in order to find the talismans before the vengeful Vatras. But defeating the fire daevas the first time is what sundered the world. What price will success require this time?

I love this series!! The characters, and cultures, are rich and complex. Ross has woven a beautiful, if deadly, world, with one half wrapped in perpetual night, and the other in perpetual day. I’m still interested in the mechanics behind how this happened. I know it’s fantasy, but the science oriented part of me wants to know if it’s because the magic stopped the planet’s spin on its axis.

Darius and Nazafareen are still working through their own inner turmoil. Nazafareen’s magic is growing stronger, the longer she’s in Solis, and her volatile temper makes it easier to slip free. She must learn to master herself in order to master this rare breaking magic, a magic valuable to defeating that of the Avas Vatras. Darius, even once freed, must deal with the aftermath of his treatment at the hands of the Oracle novices, so reminiscent of his previous enslavement as a Water Dog (see the Fourth Element Series).

Seeing Samarqand was pretty cool. I loved the bargaining scene between Javid and the tailor. I know there are some cultures where it’s considered rude not to do so. I think that’s so of Persian/Iranian culture, but I’m not sure. I could never do that 😶 I’m way too shy! Speaking of Javid, I love that things always stay from his chosen perspective, even when we learn the full truth about him, and that this truth is simply part of his personality, and not dwelled upon, or the reader bludgeoned with as a statement. It was cool to see him more in his element once back in Samarqand, because familiar ground always changes how people act by giving greater confidence, which was surely lacking in Delphi!

While Nazafareen/Darius, and Culach are still my favourite, Javid certainly grew on me. I like Herodotus too. The elderly scholar shares many of my own interests. He’s a very knowledgeable, valuable ally for Nazafareen too. His life’s work centres on the gates, and the talismans that broke the world. Speaking of characters I like, let’s discuss who I despise… The Pythia needs to be stuffed into her own brazen bull. Just saying… She’s beginning to rival Dolores Umbridge for the ‘most despised villain’ award.

I can’t recommend this series enough! I want the next book now! And have I mentioned how beautiful these covers are?

Read my review of Nocturne here.

***Many thanks to XPresso Blog Tours and the author for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.