Will of Fire

Buried Goddess Saga #3

by Rhett C. Bruno, Jaime Castle

A Kingdom held hostage. A thief lost in time. The battle to seal Elsewhere has begun. The villainous Drad Redstar has won the favor of king and country after leading a decisive victory over the rebels at Winde Port. Now with a seat on the royal council, he condemns Torsten to a lifetime in the dungeon and invites his militant people to take up residence in the capital. But not all light has been squelched. There is one disgraced King’s Shieldsman left who remains loyal to Torsten, and only he can help free the Glass Kingdom from Redstar and his dark desires to revive the Buried Goddess. Across the known world, Sora deals with the loss of her one and only friend. She seeks out a Mystic of the Panping; someone who can help her figure out what really happened to Whitney in a journey that illuminates her past and present. With the true nature of magic revealed to her, she finds that Whitney is lost in Elsewhere, the world between worlds, and she’ll stop at nothing to bring him back. As magic and war collide in Will of Fire, the third installment in the Buried Goddess Saga, the fate of the entire world will change.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Classics, Epic Fantasy

592 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 8, 2019

About the author

Rhett is happy to hear from his fans and can be reached at rcbruno44@outlook.com. Please subscribe to his newsletter for exclusive access to updates about his work and the opportunity to receive limited content and ARCs.
http://rhettbruno.com/newsletter/. Or join his facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Rhett...

Rhett Bruno grew up in Hauppauge, New York, and studied at the Syracuse University School of Architecture where he graduated cum laude.

He has been writing since he can remember, scribbling down what he thought were epic short stories when he was young to show to his parents. When he reached high school he decided to take that a step further and write the “Isinda Trilogy”. After the encouragement of his favorite English teacher he decided to self-publish the “Isinda Trilogy” so that the people closest to him could enjoy his early work.

While studying architecture Rhett continued to write as much as he could, but finding the time during the brutal curriculum proved difficult. It wasn’t until he was a senior that he decided to finally pursue his passion for Science Fiction. After rededicating himself to reading works of the Science Fiction author’s he always loved, (Frank Herbert, Timothy Zahn, Heinlein, etc.) he began writing “The Circuit: Executor Rising”, The first part of what he hopes will be a successful Adult Science Fiction Series.

Since then Rhett has been hired by an Architecture firm in Mount Kisco, NY. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to work on “The Circuit” and all of the other stories bouncing around in his head. He is also currently studying at the New School to earn a Certificate in Screenwriting in the hopes of one day writing for TV or Video Games.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This endearing fantasy series continues to go from strength to strength. Each volume, so far, is an improvement on the last.

The familiar protagonists spend most of this volume apart, which makes for a nice change of pace, and I enjoyed jumping from plot to plot as I moved through the chapters. Whitney’s misadventures in Elsewhere were my favourite part of this book, although I found the epilogue most intriguing.

I’m looking forward to starting book four in a day or two.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Series has taken off

This series has went from a i quite like it to on tenderhooks and baited breath as each page is turned.
I was amazed at just how involved i have become in Whitney and in particular Sora's adventures as they have went from interesting to an addictive following. If i had known about the progression of characters and the story development earlier i would have been a lot quicker than i have been. I'm just glad that the time inbetween books is so short and that they made the wise decision to delay and do Audio at the same time.
A resounding 5 out of 5 stars

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just keeps getting better!
This is the third book in the series, and each book is an improvement on the one before. Perhaps I should have rated the first one lower, so they could creep up?
The plot has become so much more complex, and has carried on the darkness that came into book 2, so that it has now turned into an excellent saga. I hope the authors keep up the pace of action and twists, and I do look forward to the next book.

[Jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first two books in this series were good, but they were just practice runs for this final book.
This is the culmination of the first 2 books, were it all comes together in an epic confrontation.
Redstar has been incredibly crafty and using his guile and magic has taken control of the throne through the young King, leaving Queen Oleander on the out, and unable to have any influence over her son.
Meanwhile, Whitney is stuck in what appears to be the afterlife, or what is more commonly known as ‘Elsewhere’, and Sora has trapped him there with the Vampire, not by fault, but in a desperate attempt to save his life.
Now she is trying everything she can to rescue him, and as such, she seeks out everyone and everything she must to gain the power and knowledge to get to him.
As she does so, she finds that all is not what it seems, that she is not what she thought, and (without giving too much away), we suddenly realise that Sora is far more powerful than anything we ever considered. She is also tied to a lot of different things that we hadn’t previously known, and this suddenly this story with its epic beginning in the forest, and the building of war in the second part, takes on a whole new light.
Whilst there are some things that do come to a climatic confrontation, and as such closure in this part, this only opens more doors and questions, making this story compelling on a multitude of levels.
Once again, the character work is just exceptional. Sora is not just enchanting, she is totally enthralling in this particular part, and you find yourself wanting to jump sections to find out what has happened to her. The development of Sora throughout the series has been absolutely extraordinary, and she is easily the best character in this series and the one to watch coming up.
Whitney as usual continues to stumble about in his own personal ‘hell’, but as he does so, he actually begins to learn things about himself, and this part of the story was utterly fascinating on a psychological level.
As usual Torstens character was just brilliant, locked away in prison, and waiting for his only one hope, a loyal Glassman, such as Rand to free him to go and fight Redstar. Torsten’s tortured soul continues to be a fascinating character as we learn more and more of his history, his relationship with the Queen, and read about his current exploits.
One of the standouts of the minor characters was Rand, having drifted off after his role with the Queen in part 2, and now a shattered drunk from murdering so many souls, the description and portrayal of Rand is just brilliant.
Part 1 and 2 of this story were outstanding, but they are only mediocre in comparison to the excellence that is Part 3, it is just so good. If you have not started this series, you have to get into it now.
I don’t normally read Fantasy, but this was too good to miss (Especially being a huge fan of Bruno’s work, I had to read it, and Jaime Castle is just a total legend), this is epic fantasy at its best.
Exceptional characters, a gripping, powerful storyline, and an outstanding world – this will be one of the Fantasy books of the year!!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is the third book in the Buried Goddess Saga. It is not really a standalone book and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. This is not the book to start the series - you need to begin with Web of Eyes .

This series keeps getting better and better. I cannot say enough good things about this saga. In this book, our adventures - Sora, Whitney and Torsten - are all separated and dealing with their own problems. Torsten is incarcerated and Redstar has taken over the kingdom. Whitney has been banished to Elsewhere with Casimere. And poor Sora is lost and seeks guidance with the Mystics. I absolutely loved the growth of Sora and learning what makes her tick. Whitney is slowly learning to become a bit more respectable but, he's still a loveable thief. And Torsten is finally learning that every decision is not black and white and blind allegiance may have its price. The growth of the characters and the evolution of the story are so engaging that you cannot wait to see what happens next. I am very excited for the next book in the series.

I listened to this book -- the narrator, Luke Daniels, is so fantastic. He is one of the best narrators I have ever listened to and really brings this story to life.

[Troy Osgood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible. Great middle book. Lots of additional world building and starting to get deep into the history.

[J.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I say I found my new book crush in Sora? Love the world building and the characters. And oh, what an amazing twist.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment of the Buried Goddess Saga and the most interesting by far!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Luke Daniels, who continues to do a phenomenal job of enlivening the characters and taking this story to the next level. His performance is at its best here.

The story continues with Sora, Whitney, Torsten, but also adds in the story of Rand, who you might remember from the first couple books as one of the knights under Torsten (that's all I'll say in case you haven't read them yet).

The evolution of Whitney through this part of the story really added to the story. I loved seeing him grow. He has always been the one I felt was most open to growth and it was satisfying to see him actually do it, even if it did take some extremes of circumstance.

The story of Sora is compelling, but frustrating. Her blinders are securely on the whole time. She has a very black and white view of right/wrong and it makes her inflexible. I almost wish she had a little more cunning to her, but her innocent clinging to morality does make her who she is and that's fine, even if I do yell at her in my mind to chill out and just listen.

I felt like the portrayal of the mystics makes them a little too inhuman, even if Lady Jaya tempers it a little. Again, I felt like the characterization there felt a little flat. It would nice to see some layeredness to their actions/words that makes you wonder if what they do is correct or not. The line between good and evil is just a little too solid for me and the ending with Sora and them honestly felt muddy, even with it being a cliffhanger.

Torsten and Rand's interwoven story is good, but the least interesting part of the tale, even if it does lead to a climax fight. I wasn't wholly glued to what happened there, though, because it felt too inevitable. I was more interested in what was happening with Whitney and Sora so the fate of the Glass Kingdom was a little meh. It could have been more exciting again if there was a thinner line between good and evil! Like I keep wondering if the buried goddess is evil or misunderstood and if the Drav Kava are misguided or actual crazed fanatics with a bloodthirst, but then it seems like the story just wants me to accept that they're 100% unforgivably awful and that's kinda boring, honestly, because isn't it inevitable good will prevail?

Maybe I'm a little disillusioned and want the story to reflect the greyness I see in real life instead of escaping into the safety of good-triumphs-evil and maybe these clever authors are setting us up for the surprise of a lifetime, but that said it still feels a littttttle flat for me because of this point.

Regardless, though, I do really enjoy these stories. Even if I feel they're missing some depth, they're solid escapism fantasy adventure and tons of fun. And the audiobook is complete earcandy. It's basically the best kind of fantasy junk food and I will continue to devour it. Already downloaded the ebook of the 4th installment to begin because I can't wait for the audiobook release in a couple months. I'll buy and listen to it, too, even if I finish reading first.

[Tala Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!

So much happened in this third book, I can't begin to even tell the half of it! Sora finds out who her parents were, which was quite a surprise! Whitney is stuck in his own nightmare in Elsewhere with the vampire Kazimir. The queen mother's evil brother has taken over her son and is plotting to bring the buried goddess, Nesilia back from her buried tomb. Torston is in the lowest level of the dungeon out of sight and mind. Rand, the deserter, drunk as he is, has been called on to rescue Torston from the dungeon and kill the evil Redstar. And the excitement watching the whole story unfold kept me reading until I literally bled my kindle dry of power! I can't wait to read book four and find out if Whitney finds Sora and rescues her from that wicked goddess. Will Torston find healing for his burned eyes? And poor Rand's sister, Sigrid! I guess Rand will have a surprise waiting for him when he returns from the mission he was sent on after freeing Torston from the dungeon. This series is amazing and I'm off to continue with the adventure.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to finish this series if for no other reason than it's keeping me up at night. I woke up at approximately 4:45 this morning and stayed awake until after 7:00 because I just had to find out how the plot was going to play out. These books are keeping me from getting my chores done as I'd rather plunk down and read than accomplish anything.

So, each chapter features a different character - the knight, the mystic, the thief and the deserter. They don't interact much in this book yet are inexorably intertwined. Sora is determined to master the magic that will help Whitney escape from Elsewhere in spite of her teacher's admonition that it is impossible to do so. Torsten spends the majority of the book imprisoned, still seeking a way to stop Red Star from invoking the buried goddess. Rand recovers from his drunken stupor and becomes entangled with the notorious overlord of the Dockside district. He is compelled to do so for two reasons - one, to help Torsten escape from prison and, more importantly, keep his sister, Sigrid, alive. Whitney is trapped in his own personal hell, unable to escape the town where he grew up and witnessing himself as a child. It does have the benefit, however, of helping him to mature and realize his feelings for Sora.

There are several unexpected twists for the characters. I did think there was an excessive amount of bloodletting in this volume. I doubt that anyone could produce as much blood as the warlocks supposedly do. One medical source indicates that one pint of blood is the average donation amount and shouldn't be repeated for 8 weeks. (Of course the average person doesn't have access to magic which may hasten the recovery process)

Although a lot has been resolved, there are many more situations that need to be addressed.

[Colin Rowlands · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first, this is book three in this series and you need to get the first two before this one to fully appreciate it, but you will not regret doing so in the slightest.

This instalment of the series is an enjoyable listen that continues to escalate the troubles for our main heroes and also adds a few more characters, who seem like they will be recurring in subsequent books.

The narration performance continues to be highly entertaining and enjoyable, enhancing the overall story greatly.

Overall, this series is a highly enjoyable one and well worth a listen if you enjoy a fantasy series with likeable and interesting characters.

[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]

[Robert Defrank · Rating 5 out of 5]

The finale of the second book left me on the edge of my seat, and the follow up does not disappoint. This was very much a book of transformations, since almost every character goes through a significant change – for better or worse – and seeing how the surviving cast goes on from there has got me salivating to know more. The reader also delves into the background of this universe and we get more hints about the nature and motives of the mysterious gods, and of what actually transpired in the mythical god feud that brought this world to the state it is.

The occasional modern slang still shakes me out of the narrative, but I’m getting used to it. Now, on to Book 4!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 2 books had solid endings, but this one I felt like it left off on too much of a cliff hanger, especially for Zora. The story progression was good, we learned a lot about Zora and her powers, but at the end I was left with too many questions. Still a great read and look forward to hopefully Audible picking up the rest. Once again the narration was great and helped bring the characters to life.

[Robert A Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just soars. Each book adds an additional layer to the lore and richness of the world. By now though, the guessing game about just who are the good guys and who are the bad guys has come to an end, it's blatantly clear and the lines have been drawn. This book falls in line with the previous two and as this series goes on I both yearn for the conclusion and dread it ending at the same time.

[Peter_Banning · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fun definitely continues in this book. I still find blind questionless faith and allegiance very annoying but I guess that’s the point of those and the story in those areas. Overall very good. The narrator did awesome and I thoroughly enjoyed the story progression, action and events. If you made it this far definitely give this one a s shot as well! This is a fun ride, with action, adventure, plot and everything!

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't say enough good things about this series.just the fact that a series of this quality could be purchased for 99 cents is amazing in itself.the knight,the thief,the mystic,and the deserter are fascinating characters.throw in dire wolves,a vampire,and a death cult and you have the makings of one helluva adventure

[Marie Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book heartbroken for Sora, and ended it heartbroken for almost every main and supporting character thus far in the series. As the end of the "Redstar Rising" half of the series, a lot of major plot points have been neatly tied together, but there are enough threads left to start the reader into book 4.

[michael fultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbound

The story continues in this next installment of our favourite characters only too shoot us forward then bam grasping hold of us so tight I'm ready for the next one this is a fantastic anybody that loves knights an magic have to read this series loved it

[Donamarie Fournier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back and forth adventure. This book went back and forth between mostly 3-4 different scenes of action following different characters. It was well done and easy to follow. Some unexpected results and some new dimensions for the next book.

[Randall Paul Petri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Of Fire

What an intricate creation of places and people!
The third book of the Buried Goddess Saga shows the author’s skill in drawing you into his vision and leaving you craving more, much, much more!

[Nijhia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel this book was really weak compared to the others but it has a strong ending and a bleh middle. This book needs time to cook, so let it and you won't be disappointed.

When it came to the fates of a few characters I was really disappointed but understood.

I ship torston and olieandu lol.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best one in the series so far.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is really packed with unexpected turns and has kept me hooked! Luke Daniels continues to bring the characters to life. I'm excited for book 4!

[Cortez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toreston is an idiot and I'm sick of it

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

5.5/10

[Morandia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm loving the characters. Their development is well thought out and written

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy oh boy the stakes just keep getting higher and higher!!

[Rebekah Maciborsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through!

[Mitch & Connie Traywick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fanatics

The liquid that controls life is the power that destroys civilizations. Who can stop the return of a goddess that was banished?

[Andrew Spruill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Whitney's parts in the book more than any other character, felt like all other characters were background noise.