Eidolon

Wraith Kings, Book 2

De: Grace Draven

Narrado por: Gabrielle Baker

Eidolon is the sequel to Radiance and book two in the Wraith Kings series.

In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis unleashes a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to save his throne. Three kingdoms on the verge of war must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king will raise an army of the dead to challenge an army of the damned. A tale of alliance and sacrifice.

©2015, 2016 Denise Shaw (P)2016 Denise Shaw

Great!

A perfect sequel to book 1. Great characters great narration. Finished in one day. Worth the credit!

Slow at first

It took awhile for the story to catch up to the prologue but once it got there it was an engaging story. The world building is amazing!

Absolutely Charming Series

I’m so inlove with this series. It’s absolutely charming with witty banter, excellent characters who are both strong and graceful. I love the theme of “honor” and “duty” throughout. Just a wonderful 2nd installment to the Wraith Kings series. Grace is an absolutely charming writer and Gabrielle narrated these brilliantly, such a wonderful performance! I actually first listened to these about 2 years ago, and rated book 1 immediately, and forgot to rate books 2 and 3, only thinking to do so as I’m doing my 5th relisten of the entire series. It’s so worth the credits! If you love wonderful world building, creative names and our typical honorable (and sexy) Lords, Ladies and Kings with a sort of Beauty and Beast “eques” theme, then you have to pick up this series! Oh yes, and the FMC, and side characters are funny, strong, honorable and brave! Love this series!! There’s almost a gothic feel to the book while the FMC is bright and cheery, how Grace managed that is a credit to her talent. Excellent 5 stars!!

Epic

This is the sequel to Radiance, and picks up roughly a year after the action in that (except the epilogue, which is basically a prologue to this book). Brishen, spare 7 times over to the King of the Kai, finds himself declared King after the royal household in Haradis is consumed by galla, demons raised up by his mother Queen Secmis. Aside from the questions arising regarding Brishen’s human wife Ildiko’s suitably to be queen, Brishen must join with 4 other men to become Wraith Kings to command the dead to drive the Galla back.
The world building and character development are excellent, and the action compelling. I have read and enjoyed everything by this author that I could get my hands on. Not all is available in audio format so I had to resort to text for some of them. I have re-listened to both Radiance and Eidolon in the hopes that her next book (which is the 3rd in the Wraith King series) will come out in audio soon after it is available in print.
I Gabrielle Baker is an exemplary narrator, giving unique voice to each character, regardless of gender or class. It was easy to get caught up in the story. She made listening an enjoyable experience.

Totally different vibe from book 1

That's not to say this book was worse, just more like a traditional romance. Where external forces strain the relationship making the couple (well Ildiko really, she was kind of annoying) question their 'rightness' for one another.

Summary: This book picks up right where the epilogue from book 1 left off. Drunk with power, the Shadow Queen (Brishen's mother) releases Galla (flesh eating demons) into the mortal world believing she can harness and wield them, and basically become a god. Unfortunately for her, she tastes just as good as everyone else in Bast-Haradis and they kill her. And everyone in the castle. And almost everyone fleeing the city. The Galla keep up the carnage right until they reach the Absu river which they cannot cross (that scene is absolutely haunting). Meanwhile, the death of the royal family leaves a power vacuum. Brishen is crowned King and refugees flood his kingdom. And (even though he's married) he becomes a potential prize for the daughters of jockeying noble families because as a human (and a woman who can’t produce heirs) his wife is seen as second tier. In the midst of that nightmare Brishen learns the only way to eradicate his mother's demon plague is to become Eidolon, or wraith king, aka a dead warrior (yes he must die) who wields the power to herd the Galla back to hell.

This book is very powerful because it deals with big themes: apocalypse, martyrdom, inability to bear children, self sacrifice, and ride or die friendships. Yes, there's still romance. Yes, there is intimacy. Yes, there's sex. Yes, Brishen and Ildiko are still goals. But it's not as sweet or as swoony. They have A LOT of problems to deal with.