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The Crimson Vault

(Traveler's Gate #2)

Will Wight (Goodreads Author)

4.18 · Rating details · 8,958 ratings · 172 reviews

As the conflict between Enosh and Damasca builds to war, Simon finds himself caught in the middle.

Alin is bound by prophecy to the Grandmasters of Enosh, but he begins to doubt his fate when he discovers that their talk of freedom hides a darker agenda.

Leah has never questioned her loyalty to Damasca. Now, she finds that allegiance tested as she is forced to stand against ...more

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Kindle Edition, 2 edition, 386 pages

Published August 27th 2013 by Hidden Gnome Publishing

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· 8,958 ratings · 172 reviews

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Oct 13, 2017 Terence rated it really liked it

War is breaking out between Damasca and Enosh. Alin is on the side of Enosh and Simon just wants to stay out of it. Simon quickly finds himself in the middle as Alin and the Valinhall travelers have different expectations for him. War isn't even the most concerning thing happening at the moment. Simon and Alin's attempt to save the people of Myria has released something deadly. The Valinhall incarnation is loose. He intends to kill the king and anyone he deems unworthy.

The Crimson Vault was a st War is breaking out between Damasca and Enosh. Alin is on the side of Enosh and Simon just wants to stay out of it. Simon quickly finds himself in the middle as Alin and the Valinhall travelers have different expectations for him. War isn't even the most concerning thing happening at the moment. Simon and Alin's attempt to save the people of Myria has released something deadly. The Valinhall incarnation is loose. He intends to kill the king and anyone he deems unworthy.

The Crimson Vault was a strong sequel to House of Blades. After a recent reread I realized I totally misjudged The Crimson Vault. I was too caught up with my expectations to see how excellent the book really was.

The Crimson Vault is largely a story about Valinhall. It gets into it's painful history, Kai's story, the Nye, and the Wanderer. This story really brings Kai to life. The eccentric man who loves his former advisor dolls is so much more than he seems. His story is particularly tragic. The most disappointing part of The Crimson Vault is the increased point of view time from Alin, Leah, and some other travelers. Alin is a spectator for the majority of the book which leads to the reader learning seemingly all of Enosh's plans. Leah is important, but I find her uninteresting. I wanted to see more point of view chapters from Simon, Indirial, and any of the other Valinhall Travelers. I came to see them and got too much of Alin, Leah, and some random characters.

The best part of the series continues to be the Valinhall travelers. Simon grows significantly and gains understanding of the world around him as well as the consequences of his actions. Indirial was an excellent addition as the complicated man gets some of the spotlight. I really enjoyed Indirial whenever he appears as he's the embodiment of leadership under difficult times. He's been forced to weigh the cost of yearly sacrifices against the devastation an Incarnation could cause if freed. Denner is a great character as well even with his limited dialogue and involvement. He's just solid and dependable throughout. He's also willing to call Kai on his shortcomings.

The book took on a quite political storyline. Two opposing sides each with useful points, but unwilling to cooperate. The Damascans bound the uncontrollably powerful incarnations at the cost of 9 lives a year. The Enosh found that detestable and wish to free the Incarnations in order to stop the sacrifices. Yet they don't consider the possible devastation a single Incarnation could cause let alone all 10 of them. Neither side seems totally right or wrong. Either way people will suffer and die.

The Crimson Vault is such a rich story. I'm just glad I reread it to fully enjoy the strength and emotion of the story.

My previous review:(view spoiler) ...more

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Mar 22, 2016 Book Haunt rated it liked it

Shelves: book-haunt-review

The second installment of The Traveler’s Gate Trilogy opens several weeks after the events in House of Blades.

In the beginning, I felt as if I had missed the first 45 minutes of a film. I thought “who are some of these people?” and “what in the heck is going on now?” I admit, that could be because about halfway through the first book, my interest waned a bit. There is a nice bit of info that was missing from book one, but this book starts out with the same stilted dialogue and it’s almost as if ...more

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May 30, 2014 Jason rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2014, e-books

5 Stars

Crimson Vault, book two in the Travelers Gate series is a step up from the first novel. This series has:
A coming of age story.
Great world building.
A likable lead that is easy to identify with.
A cool main plot line.
An awesome magic system.

To me the magic of this book sets it apart. I am always looking for the next cool thing that can stand up with The Force, Allomancy, and of course Saidin/Saidar. Travelers are the magicians of this novel. They are people that can access one of 10 diffe ...more

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Jul 09, 2017 Esme rated it really liked it

up until 5am finishing this. review to come when im conscious again.

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Aug 29, 2013 Lewis Dix rated it it was amazing

Will Wight is a God!

Holy H E Double Hockey Sticks. I've just finished The Crimson Vault and let me just say that I...kind of sort of enjoyed...okay who am I kidding?! It was amazing! Several twists that I did not see coming, cool new powers, expanded lore, everything I could of wanted in a sequel. Dang, son!!

No really, Will delivered in every way possible. All I have to say in closing is SHAME ON HIM FOR MAKING ME WAIT UNTIL NEXT FRIGGIN YEAR FOR THE THIRD BOOK. HOW DARE HE ATTEMPT TO HAVE SOME ...more

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Sep 11, 2017 Ryan Mueller rated it it was amazing

Shelves: five-star, fantasy, epic-fantasy

This was another fun and exciting read. It won't win any awards for being deep or philosophical literature, but it's exactly the kind of fantasy I most enjoy reading: fun and full of action with characters I love to root for. It had been a while since a read the first book, so it took me some time to get back into the swing of things. Once I did, though, I was along for the read. Wight is a very good storyteller.

Rating: 9/10

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Feb 14, 2016 Lazybee rated it really liked it

Excellent read. Too many twists. Loved it.

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May 16, 2018 RC1140 rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This series has gotten me fairly engaged in it, while it may not be everyone's cup of tea, I do enjoy the uniqueness of each of the territories. I do feel that everyone powers up a little bit too fast and that it felt a little too much like an anime in terms of the power curve for the characters. This didnt hurt it that much because it keeps the story moving along at a really good pace. Though some fights tend to end way faster than I would have liked or are just too simple

I did forget one or tw ...more

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Sep 20, 2015 Torstein Rødset rated it really liked it

Its not often I touch anything with the "Young Adult" tag from fear of overexposure to hollow powerfantasy characters and awkward romantic plots.

Lucky for me, this book is such a pleasure to read that I can overlook the shallow characters and just enjoy it.

The magic system is very cool and it makes me just want to read more in the same universe. And the "over-the-top-Final-Fantasy" Battles are also very enjoyable to read.

This is a very easy read and I very much recommend it if you want a break f ...more

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Mar 17, 2020 Coco.V marked it as to-read

Shelves: freebie

🎁 The Traveler's Gate Trilogy is FREE on Amazon today (3/17/2020)! 🎁

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May 23, 2018 Yossi rated it really liked it

This book is a major improvement over the first in the series. It steers away from the YA style into the realms of fantasy. The pacing is exact, the world-building is interesting, and the plot draws you in.

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Jan 19, 2018 Jonathan Lupa rated it really liked it

I liked this one better than the first, probably because there was a thematic switch in how power dynamics were playing out. Anyways, it's good for what it is.

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Sep 15, 2019 Mahesh Nakka rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, fav-list, gamelit, fantasy, fantasy-kingdoms, gamelit-ish

Better than first one.

Like I said in the first book review, Wight's first books will be normal but then he makes things awesome and awesome from the second book.

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Jan 07, 2020 R.J. Triveri rated it really liked it

The Crimson Vault was a bit predictable as to what would happen, but I continue to really enjoy the magic system and series as a whole.

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Jan 19, 2014 Jack rated it really liked it

Shelves: recent-reads, favorites

I just really have fun with this series, even though I got kind of embarrassed realizing it is somewhat if not very similar to some of the animated "Japanese- style" cartoon's.
Giant swords, incredible "Pokemon" type creatures... ( no I have not watched but in passing, but this takes nothing away from the story and the enjoyment of these novels.
The "territories" that the people draw power from and the "house" that is a main factor in the story as it is made to be able to destroy the other terri ...more

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Nov 14, 2013 Monica rated it really liked it

This book is even better than the previous one. I love this unique fantasy world, and the story is exciting enough that the book was extremely hard to put down. The main character was a bit whiny at first, but he grows up pretty quick. I highly recommend this book. It's indie, so it's definitely worth the price.

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Jan 07, 2014 Robby rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, epic-fantasy

This book was amazing, just as strong as the previous one if not better with more back-story and lore. The characters continue to be developed and change throughout the book. Simon becomes less wishy-washy, Alin becomes less of a dick, and Leah's become a bit more honest with herself.

Recommended.

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Feb 02, 2014 Cassie Lee rated it really liked it

This book is a fantastic follow-up to the previous book. The main character continues to grow in a way that is believable and entertaining. The story goes easily forward without any real lulls or feeling too rushed. I'm looking forward to the third installment, which will hopefully be out very soon

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Jan 21, 2017 Kristobelle rated it really liked it

Great Stuff!

As much fun as book one, though a little darker in tone - which I appreciated! A little tighter, a bit better structured, more evenly paced.

Will Wight does an awesome job narrating his own book once again, there's something extra special about an author reading their own words.

Now the wait till book #3 has audio.. The anticipation is strong!!

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Mar 10, 2014 Simon rated it it was ok

If you enjoyed the first book, then don't hesitate to pick up the second. I was hoping to see if it would pick up beyond House of Blades, but it was a bit more of the same.

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Jul 31, 2017 Хинић Александар rated it it was amazing

It's getting really interesting :))

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May 29, 2018 Benjamin Espen rated it it was amazing

The Crimson Vault starts with the same scene that initiates Simon's hero's journey in House of Blades, from the point of view of one of the other participants. If anything, this initial tragedy is even more gripping, now that we know something of who Simon is. Not only that, but we now get to see something of the character of Indirial, the Valinhall Traveler who chose to save Simon's life on that rainy day.

I was moved by the very human reason that spurred Indirial to intervene: Indirial was a fa The Crimson Vault starts with the same scene that initiates Simon's hero's journey in House of Blades, from the point of view of one of the other participants. If anything, this initial tragedy is even more gripping, now that we know something of who Simon is. Not only that, but we now get to see something of the character of Indirial, the Valinhall Traveler who chose to save Simon's life on that rainy day.

I was moved by the very human reason that spurred Indirial to intervene: Indirial was a father, and he didn't want to see a child die if he could help it. I did not expect this, in House of Blades, Indirial was mostly a looming figure, painted in shades of black [no, really, he always wears black]. With this one detail, Wight started to flesh him out into a real character. There really are few comic book villains or heroes in the Traveler's Gate trilogy. Almost everyone has a reasonable motivation somewhere along the line. Simon, son of Kalman, is moderately introspective, but neither talkative nor gifted in seeing into other men's souls. Thus, Simon does not often stop to inquire why the people he is bludgeoning or stabbing would do the things that they do.

Fortunately for us, there are a number of other characters in the book more interested in these things, and more adept at drawing them out, so we get to see a remarkable amount of moral complexity. We also see conniving, backstabbing, greed for power, and pride in ample measures. Then there are miscommunications, judgments made from partial information, and motives that while otherwise just, simply work at cross-purposes with what someone else wants.

When evil is done, it is not uncommonly because inflamed passions, or personality defects combined with a surfeit of power, run away with someone. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of injustice in the world, some of it of venerable antiquity, which provides lots of opportunities for further evil to be done in the name of vengeance.

Simon's world doesn't really lack for justice. There is a whole Territory devoted to it in fact. Unfortunately, the unflinching attitude of Narakan Travelers illustrates what happens when any one good is pursued without regard for the others, swollen to madness in isolation. Every Territory is like that: an embodiment of a virtue that has gone so far in a quest for perfection that you literally cannot see any of the other virtues from where you find yourself. Every Territory is isolated from the others.

What it all calls for is something like we get in the long-lost tenth Territory, Elysium, a harmonious whole of the other nine Territories and their corresponding virtues. In practice, it seems not to work out so well. I am not surprised.

The reason for this is that courage is not the mid-point or balance between cowardice and rashness. Rather, it is the golden mean, or the third way, or the synthesis of the other two. All of the Territories tend to just embody their respective virtues turned up to 11.

This excess of virtue is bad enough on its own, but when you mix them all up together without anything to put them in order, bad things happen. What will put them in order is not some kind of blend of everything turned up as far as it goes, which is Elysium, but phronesis [φρόνησῐς], the art of practical wisdom. Interestingly, Aristotle associated this virtue in particular with politics, and we see that the one Territory that has tried to put some kind of order to the world is Ragnarus, the territory of power, domination, and rule.

Of course, they screw it up too, because Ragnarus is just domination turned up to 11. The ruling dynasty even practices a kind of post-natal embryo selection like the Ottomans did on their heirs to find the best successor. But at least in principle, this is where harmony could come from. But in order to do that, the Ragnarus dynasty would have to learn to let the other things in the world be what they are. ...more

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Mar 12, 2018 Rinaldo rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Fans of high fantasy, litRPG, JRPG, shounen anime.

Shelves: united-states, fantasy

4.25/5

The Crimson Vault is the second instalment of Traveler's Gate trilogy. It picks up the plot from House of Blades while introducing new threats and expanding the world..

Expanded Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding is one of my favourite aspect in fantasy. I can gloss over mediocre characters if the world is really interesting. In case of Traveler's Gate, it has fairly solid characters along with fascinating Territories worldbuilding. The Crimson Vault particularly expands the world from what has bee ...more

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May 28, 2019 Farrell Keeling rated it really liked it

Hurtles you headfirst, smack-bang, right in the middle of the action from the get-go. Will Wight builds on his debut self-pub, House of Blades, continuing a theme of fast-paced action within a confined but expanded number of pages.

Now, the story: The short of it is that Simon, (son of Kalman), now a considerably deadly Valinhall Traveler (no time to go into the whole Traveler's Territory and powers... trust me), is torn between helping the nation of his parent's murderers, (so he thinks), Damasc ...more

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Oct 22, 2020 Tzurky rated it it was amazing

Wonderful continuation to the first installment. We get some development for most of the characters, some new powers, some cool fights and an unexpected denouement.

Honestly, the plot is pretty captivating, most of the things have some level of foreshadowing but they’re not blatantly obvious or automatic and, more importantly, the plot develops based on character decisions.

And the best part is: there are still no real bad guys. Everybody sucks in a believable way, meaning this does not have the ...more

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Aug 19, 2020 James Owens rated it really liked it

8.5/10
A significant improvement from the first book that left me much more appreciative of the world and magic system that has been built here.

The biggest issues I had with the first book; the dull characters and the sporadic pacing, were for the most part addressed pretty well in Crimson Vault. The pacing was much smoother, remaining intense and never faltering too much while also never becoming overwhelming as it did in the first book. This is helped by some of the most fantastic action sequen ...more

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Jul 19, 2018 Russell Gray rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy

I really enjoyed this book and I'm also very impressed by the fact that the author kept me keyed in during the Leah and Alin pov sections as well.

I personally found Simon to be the most interesting character and the events surrounding him to be the most interesting as well (House of Blades > City of Elysia imo) and it's honestly a problem that I find myself having often with books that employ two or two pov characters: I couldn't give 2 shits about the other characters or what they're doing. As ...more

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Aug 12, 2018 Rebecca Morris rated it it was amazing

The second installment to will wights travellers trilogy really brings stuff together and allows you to see more of the amazing magic that is so different to other books. Although I lost my footing a little at the beginning I soon gained it again once the action really kicked off and things where more explained.

Simon really seems like he has progressed as a fighter, but you soon discover he still has a long way to go to have the power and skills of the other Valinhall travelers. There is some g ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Victoria rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 10, 2018 Rosie Rizk rated it really liked it

Shelves: action, strong-female, great-series, sword-and-sorcery, world-building

Great magical world. Awesome action and world building.

The characters aren't too complex, but they're fleshed out enough, and the action is thoroughly engaging, that you don't notice it. In the last book of this series, Simon, the MC, gains a lot more in character and purpose, so I recommend reading to the end.

As for the action, I tend to skim war scenes to get the gist and move on, instead of reading my way through a slog of sword slashings and swingings, but the fights here were very central ...more

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