The Memory of Fire

Starred review from February 19, 2018
Gripping in its own right, this second volume of the trilogy that began with The Waking Land races along with a new main character, Jahan Korakides, lover of previous protagonist Elanna Valtai. In the first volume, Elanna was slowly forced to become aware of her magical power over the land. In contrast, Jahan is familiar with his abilities but has been taught to distrust them by the sorceress Madiya, who has manipulated him and his brothers. Returning to the court of Emperor Alakaseus Saranon, Jahan must take decisive actions despite his constant, nagging sense of inadequacy. He needs to avoid brutal witchfinders, try to avert a war between Elanna’s country and his homeland, and survive magical attacks and deadly palace intrigue. His vivid first-person, present-tense narrative shows him strained to the limits of superhuman endurance but also discovering unexpected magical resources in the world around him and moral resources in himself, learning that he would rather use his developing powers to heal than kill. This is a remarkably mature, balanced addition to the story that avoids the most common flaws of middle books and will leave readers hungry for the conclusion. Agent: Hannah Bowman, Liza Dawson Assoc.

May 15, 2018
The second Waking Land book follows the events of The Waking Land (2017) from the sorcerer Jahan's point of view. Sorcery is still mostly illegal, and the witch hunters are after Jahan and his girlfriend, Elanna, who previously reclaimed the land of Eren. Jahan returns to his homeland to make magic safe for everyone to use. He also wants to reunite with his brothers, one of whom has dropped out of military school, while the other is still in the clutches of Madiya, the abusive woman who raised him and taught him magic. Bates does an excellent job of delving into Jahan's past and showing his growth as a character as he finally faces the demons that fractured his family. She slowly reveals the story in a way that keeps the reader guessing, and the allies turn out to be just as unexpected as the enemies. The relatable characters and riveting adventure make this fantasy world very accessible for all, even those who don't tend to gravitate towards the genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

May 15, 2018

Having helped Elanna Valtai free the lands once ruled by the Paladisan empire with the use of magic, nobleman Jahan Korakides is considered a hero. But burdened by a past in which he and his brother were experimented on by a manipulative sorceress and now determined to protect Elanna and avoid war, Jahan heads back to Paladis to negotiate for peace with Emperor Alakaseus Saranon. Magic is forbidden in the empire, and Jahan is forced to hide his abilities from witchfinders set on destroying him and Elanna. Jahan is also confronted with court machinations and must battle for not only his life but also for his soul. VERDICT Strong worldbuilding and intriguing characters continue to highlight the action-driven plot of this compelling sequel to Bates's acclaimed debut, The Waking Land, taking readers further into a beautiful reality of the awakening of magic and minds. [See Prepub Alert, 12/11/17.]--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2018

In this second in a trilogy, after the successful debut The Waking Land, nobleman Jahan has the magical means to stop war--but using magic is punished by death.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.