Reviews for The soul of power
Publishers Weekly
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Bates brilliantly concludes an impressive high fantasy trilogy (after The Waking Land and The Memory of Fire) with this tale of scheming and magic. The first book showed heroine Elanna liberating the potential for magic in Caeris and Eren, two antagonistic countries that share an island. The second concentrated on action and intrigue in the nearby empire of Paladis, where Elanna's lover, Jahan, struggled to accept and master his own supernatural talents. This volume is narrated by their friend Sophy Dunbarron, the insecure young queen of an uneasily united Caeria and Eren. Powerful enemies are plotting against Sophy, especially when she-still unmarried-reveals that she is pregnant. Meanwhile, though ignorant prejudice against magic persists, people all over the realm are beginning to dream odd dreams and develop strange talents, including Sophy herself. New alliances are made and excruciating physical tests met, and Sophy must grow up fast. Bates handles the characters' personal conflicts convincingly and skillfully works the strands of magic into their experience. This is a fresh, confident, powerful accomplishment. Agent: Hannah Bowman, Liza Dawson Assoc. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
The second book in the Waking Land trilogy (The Memory of Fire, 2018) ended with Queen Sophy Dunbarron requesting political assistance while facing the promise of another intense adventure. Bates delivers in the third and final book in the series. Sophy finds a great deal of inner strength as the novel progresses she harnesses the power within her, regardless of how hopeless things may seem, and comes to terms with her tumultuous past to lead everyone into a better future. Sophy is truly a feminist hero: she embraces equality and justice for all a theme running throughout the novel while challenging societal norms and uniting different kingdoms together to defeat evil, in true fantasy form, all while hiding a secret that could disrupt her claim to the throne. Though The Soul of Power can be read as a standalone, it is helpful to have read the others in the trilogy for maximum character impact, and the relatable characters will appeal to a wide range of readers.--Carrie Rasak Copyright 2019 Booklist
