The Forbidden Realms

Fallen Light #2

by H.C. Newell

Book II of the Fallen Light series.

Nerana is a sorceress. An exile. The Child of Skye. 
And she isn’t alone. 

After a vicious attack against the Order of Saro, Nerana finds herself lost in the wastelands of Aragoth. Forbidden of humans or evae, the desert is a land teeming with fire and vengeance, and Nerana’s only hope for survival lies in the trust of another. 

Aélla, a powerful evaesh sorceress, travels the desert on a pilgrimage of sacrifice and strength. Determined to enter the Realm of Elements and see her quest complete, she must survive the hardened warriors of the desert, the vaxros, who banished her kind from their land centuries ago. 

But the vaxros aren’t the only threat, and the weight of such imbalance could shift the fate of the world.

Genres: Fantasy

440 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

H.C. Newell is a #1 best-selling author of dark and epic fantasy. She is best known for the Fallen Light fictional universe. Newell's work has been compared to authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien, Andrejz Sapkowski, and Robert Jordan among others.

Reviews

[John Mauro · Rating 5 out of 5]

My complete review is published at Grimdark Magazine.

H.C. Newell puts the fun back in dark fantasy with The Forbidden Realms, the exhilarating second volume of her Fallen Light series and the follow-up to her highly accomplished debut novel, Curse of the Fallen. I will keep this review 100% spoiler-free for people who have not yet read Curse of the Fallen.

As in Curse of the Fallen, the lead heroine of the story is Nerana Leithor, or Neer for short, a young woman imbued with magical powers, including the ability to teleport short distances. But magic is forbidden in the land of Laeroth, making Neer the target of religious fanatics and rulers in the human-controlled territories.

Neer is an absolute joy to read: strong but vulnerable, funny but with a deep-seated sadness carrying over from events in the first book. In The Forbidden Realms, Neer finds herself stranded in the desert wastelands of Aragoth without any of her companions from Curse of the Fallen.

The Forbidden Realms introduces us to a new point-of-view character, the powerful elvish sorceress Aélla, as well as a delightful cast of supporting characters who have more than a few surprises in store for our heroine. I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about getting a whole new setting and cast of characters in The Forbidden Realms, but I quickly became attached to the new characters and their rip-roading adventure.

The Forbidden Realms is much faster paced compared to Curse of the Fallen. H.C. Newell delivers a constant stream of action which keeps the reader on the edge of their seat:

“Neer curled on top of the ground, gasping for breath. The burning in her veins had reduced to a low simmering heat. Her muscles were rigid and hard to move, and she reached shakily for her sword, just out of reach.”

Beyond the heart-pounding action scenes, there are also plenty of emotional moments:

“Leaning onto his shoulder, she closed her eyes and was comforted by his embrace as he wrapped his arm around her back. They sat in a comfortable silence for the rest of the morning, and for the first time in months, she knew she wasn’t alone.”

H.C. Newell is a natural storyteller, and her writing is the perfect match for this dark tale. The story includes some rather gruesome action scenes that are never gratuitous but will delight even the most skeptical grimdark reader.

Newell’s worldbuilding in The Forbidden Realms is also outstanding, a Tolkienesque nightmare with an undercurrent of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Newell builds an impressive depth of lore in her series, with plenty of nuance and Easter eggs that will reward the careful reader.

I still have mixed feelings about Newell’s use of footnotes to explain some of the worldbuilding elements. While it’s great to learn these additional pieces of history and lore, it would have been preferable to incorporate this information into the main text of the novel somehow.

H.C. Newell improves upon her craft in every way with The Forbidden Realms, delivering a fast-paced epic adventure that is equal parts dark and delicious. The Fallen Light series will continue with the third book, Shadows of Nyn’Dira, where the action shifts to the dark elven forests of Nyn’Dira.

[Jamedi]

Review originally on JamReads

The Forbidden Realms is the second book on the dark fantasy series Fallen Light, a direct sequel to Curse of the Fallen, written by H.C. Newell. After a really emotive farewell to one of the beloved characters of Curse of the Fallen, Neerana suffers a difficult encounter with the Order of Saro, finding herself lost in the Aragoth wasteland, a land that is forbidden to human and evae.

But Neer is not alone in this mission, as she finds a group led by Aélla, a powerful evaesh sorceress, who is travelling on a quest to enter into the Realms of Elements and complete her pilgrimage to get it. Our own sorceress soon finds that her best shot at surviving is joining this group and travel with them, as the wasteland is full of dangers, especially with the attitude vraxos have to intruders.
And in the own travel, Neer will find a new way to challenge herself, trying to achieve a balance that will allow her to grow as a sorceress; she's decided to become strong enough to erradicate the Order of Saro.

In a similar way to Curse of the Fallen, we are following the journey of Neer, but in this case through lands she doesn't know personally, having to rely more on those new people she has just met. Learning to trust in others is an important part of it.
At the same time, we have an equally powerful character, Aélla, who is on her own quest; in this novel, we can see Neer letting others take the spotlight while she's relegated to a second plane.

In comparison, The Forbidden Realms lands better into the high fantasy territory than in the dark one, remembering at some points to the classic fantasy book of sword and sorcery; in the sense we are following a travel and a quest through unknown lands, which end with challenges to fulfill.
Pacing was in a really good spot, making of this book a really bingeable read; action scenes are mixed with more relaxed ones, that allow us to catch a breath before the next big thing.

The Forbidden Realms is a great sequel to Curse of the Fallen, moving a little bit the spotlight, and allowing Neer to grow more as character. I can't wait to see how the series continues in book 3!

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Before We Go Blog

The Forbidden Realms is the second book in the epic Fallen Light series and brings us back to the brutal and unforgiving world of Laeroth. We all know that it is not an easy task to successfully follow up a first book in a series, especially one that is so strong already, but Newell absolutely knocked it out of the park with this sequel. It’s bigger, darker, richer, and more well-balanced in every single way, proving that this dark epic fantasy series deserves to be mentioned along with the greats of the genre.

This story picks up roughly 6 months after the brutal ending of book 1, Curse of the Fallen, and continues the tale of Neer, our fierce and unstoppable fugitive human sorceress on her quest for vengeance. We find her at the other end of the world in the wild wastelands of Aragoth, where both humans and evae are forbidden from entering. Broken, lost, and without any of her most trusted companions to guide her, she must now rely on her own wits if she is to survive. That is, until she crosses paths with an evaesh sorceress whose fate quickly turns out to be inextricably tied to her own.

I loved being back with Neer and seeing how she is coping with the traumatic and life-changing events that she has had to endure. She is broken but not defeated, and I really liked that we get to see her be a bit more vulnerable in this instalment. The author does a great job of exploring both the physical and mental impact of her harrowing journey, which makes her such a relatable and sympathetic protagonist.

Now, I do think it was a very bold and risky choice to have Neer return as the only familiar face from book 1 and to start this sequel off in a completely new part of the world, but the author pulled it off magnificently. We shift from single POV to multi-POV, which not only naturally broadens the scope of the story and world, but also makes the pacing feel a lot more steady and balanced. There are still plenty of exhilarating action scenes, but I personally really loved how they were broken up with more moments of intro-/retrospection or quiet and emotionally impactful character interactions.

I was also impressed with how quickly the author managed to get me invested in the newly introduced characters. I immediately latched onto them and was very compelled by their intriguing pasts and diverse cultural backgrounds. Through their eyes, we get to explore new lands and races, dive deeper into the complicated history and rich lore of these lands, and also learn a bit more about the intricacies of the magic system. And at no point does the new information ever become overwhelming, because it is all seamlessly and expertly woven into the characters’ personal journeys that we are focusing on.

I am not going to sit here and pretend that I didn’t miss some of my favourite characters from book 1, though I think their absence ultimately turned out to be very beneficial for the story. The light-hearted and witty banter of book 1 is largely missing in this instalment, which gives this story the dark and grim tone that fits with the direction the series is going in.
The stakes continue to rise, more sacrifices have to be made, actions are proven to have serious consequences, and nothing and no one is safe from pain and suffering.

All in all, I am extremely impressed with this sequel and I can safely say that I am now thoroughly invested and in for the long haul with this series. Higher stakes, richer world building, more lore, deeper character development, dire consequences, and even more emotionally impactful twists and turns; The Forbidden Realms has everything you could ever ask for from a great fantasy sequel. This is dark epic fantasy at its best.

[James Harwood-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series!

It is both terrifying & full of danger. A dark journey where one’s life is always at risk. The stakes warrant it however.
One that won’t be taken alone.

Fast paced & engrossing! This sequel outdoes its incredible predecessor! Great compelling story & characters!

[Laura W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in "The Fallen Light Series" and another captivating read! 4,5🌟
What I enjoyed in this book:
▪︎ Loved discovering a new area in the world and walking through it. I think the author has amazing skill at making the world so vivid that it transports you. It happened the same during book 1.
▪︎ The contrast between Aélla (more mature) and Neer (more inmature) as female leads and seeing also their development.
▪︎ The waxros culture is explored in this book and how it helps in appreciating Y'ven's character.
▪︎ Dru, a fairy type of being, brings the coziness note into this dark story.
▪︎ The pacing of this book is great, with an excellent balance between action and reflection.

I feel there is a level up from book 1 in terms of the writing. There are still some repetitive adjectives, but not concepts nor statements as I felt a bit in book 1. It does not pull me away from my enjoyment at all, but it surprises me from time to time.

[Dee Hancocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

High stakes action, action and more action. The chaos of battle is so well described. The determination of these characters, wow, despite everything they continue on. I think grief is dealt with very well and liked that element woven into the story. The magic is cool, the fantasy elements unique and there’s new characters to get to know. Loved it.

[Joshua Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on joshse.com/the-forbidden-realms
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The Forbidden Realms picks up a short time after the end of Curse of the Fallen, with Neer visiting Ravinshire, hometown of her best friend, Loryk. We're plunged immediately into the emotional turmoil that is the aftermath of Curse's finale and served some of the most heart-gripping sections of this book right in the beginning, which serves as sort of an extended denouement for the first book.

From there, things take a turn and the focus of the story changes. Neer is thrust into a new deadly environment, Aragoth, the eponymous Forbidden Realms (or are they? 🤔😉).

In Aragoth, we're introduced to a new set of characters, and indeed the entire party Neer was with in the first book is gone (though they're still doing stuff behind the scenes, which I hear is covered in The Banished novella). It took me a while to get onboard with this new group, and early on I found myself missing the banter and close friendships of the prior entry. The Forbidden Realms is more like pure dark fantasy than Curse of the Fallen's grimdark+humor (grindark?), and the balance of elements definitely worked better for me in the first book.

Despite my early misgivings, the character arcs for these new characters were well done. Aella, in particular, has become one of my favorite characters of the series. Really, this book is about her journey – the entire plot revolves around her pilgrimage through the desert to find the four elemental power sources to awaken her (and Neer's) power. All the while, she serves as the angel on Neer's shoulder, trying with limited success to prevent Neer from going down a dark, angry path to escape her grief.

Another character we meet is Y'ven (pronounced like Kevin with a Y), an orc – er, sorry, a vaxros. The series has an already established tradition of giving traditional fantasy races and creatures new names. In Fallen Light, elves are Evae, and "elf" is a derogatory name humans call them. I don't think a vaxros is ever called an "orc" pejoratively, but the tradition continues. (So too with the newly introduced "draak" meaning dragon.)

Though H.C. leans into some tropes and archetypes, the culture constructed for this world is fresh enough to make the vaxros interesting. For example, from the desert sun they gain strength that wanes at night, so they hold their most sacred duels in the dark when they're at their weakest. They're obsessed with strength, loyalty, and honor, so naturally our party character is super strong and loyal but has dishonored himself from his tribe. His journey is about clearing his name and regaining his honor. I hear many readers love this character, but I found his arc to be less compelling than Aella's and Neer's.

Finally, there's Thallon, an Evae scholar searching for an artifact. There's clearly something interesting going on with this character, but I suspect his time in the spotlight has yet to come. I'll be looking out for him in Shadows of Nyn'dira, the next book. Oh yes, and there's Druindarvenia a.k.a. Dru. She's like Tinkerbell but even more fiery. Enough said.

Taken as an entire party, I still prefer the group from Curse of the Fallen. However, The Forbidden Realms does a great job introducing a second set of characters who are clearly big players in the series. Switching out the entire cast for book two was a risky move, but H.C. managed to make me love these characters in their own right and avoided this feeling like a slog.

Only a few minor complaints pulled me out of the story. First was that there seemed to be some head-hopping going on between the characters, but eventually I realized this was a stylistic choice. Go into this expecting limited omniscient perspective rather than a strict third-person limited and I suspect you'll have a better time than me. Second was that the plot felt a bit less focused than the first book. Likely that's because there are more character arcs to keep track of. Making sure everyone got their due time made chapters feel meandering when we're covering ground for characters I was less interested in.

Certainly nothing that greatly tarnished the reading experience. So while I don't think the follow up to Curse of the Fallen quite reached the highs of its predecessor, I still had a great time reading this one. H.C.'s character work is great, and I'm excited to see some interactions between this new cast and the old characters in Shadows of Nyn'dira.

4/5 ⭐

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

N: Narrative - I'm on the fence about the narrative of book 2. While the pov's of Aella and Neer are wonderfully written, I personally would have preferred more focus on Neer. Despite both becoming main characters, Neer is the one whose journey we fell in love with in Curse of the Fallen. As I said, this is a personal preference as Neer is my favourite character! (read it)

E: Emotions - I liked the more melancholy feel to book 2. After the death of her closest friend, Neer is empty like the desert she finds herself transported to. She doesn't banter with the other characters like she did with Loryk. She's suffering with grief and loss and it's one of my favourite changes. That Loryk isn't magically back from the dead. He's gone and she has to learn to live without him. (Read it)

W: World - Deserts I think are notoriously difficult to write. It's hard to keep describing them without repeating yourself, but the author has managed this by adding different landmarks and villages of the ruthless and barbaric vaxros. I also adored the city of Zaos. An actual airship (like a hot air balloon). It was different and fun. (Read it)

E: Enemies - It seemed in this book that everyone was an enemy nearly. The vaxros were always trouble due to their disdain of outsiders. The klae'til were a nuisance and I enjoyed their attack on the airship journey in the sky. Thorne. I can't say enough about Thorne. He was a very unique character in fantasy. Basically a Terminator-esque assassin. I won't lie, I was a bit sad about his fate. I wanted him to be a constant pain in the ass! But I enjoyed what we got of him. (read it)

L: Lore - One thing I loved about Curse of the Fallen was the footnotes. They added a bit of extra lore that you didn't need to know, they were just fun optional extras. In Forbidden Realms, I felt that maybe there was too much. And often times they were important and perhaps should have been part of the main narrative. Again, a personal preference so take that with a grain of salt if you read this (which you should)

L: Liked or disliked - Overall I liked it. The inclusion of new characters was great and they never TRULY became close which I appreciate due to Neer's grief. Life isn't all best friends and adventure. Sometimes you keep your distance from new people and it added a bit of realism. Looking forward to book 3! READ IT!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good sequel with lots of action and new characters

Still reeling from a tragic event in the first book, Neer needs to continue her quest. She encounters Aélla, a First Blood sorcerer, and accompanies her on her journey to the Realm of Elements. Aélla has a staff which needs its four magical shards so that she can fulfill her destiny. Neer is wary especially after the bloody fight she left behind herself. Can this sorcerer be trusted?
Other characters which join their group are very engaging and likable. I really needed to have some characters to route for again. Thallon, an Evae male, is a scholar and deadly with the crossbow. He brings a bit of snarkiness to the company. Y’ven, a vaxros of the Brotherhood, has a messy past and Dru, a faeth or sprite type of creature has powers of the flame. We see how they come together and help each other and overcome their prejudices. There is a surprise character later on in the story, whom I did not expect to meet and get to know.
Many villains and otherworldly creatures stand in this fellowship’s way of their journey. They must traverse dangerous desert terrain and dangerous foes. In particular, the Nasir seems to be impervious to magic and is totally emotionless. I certainly want to know about his background after reading this book. Also Thorne is made up of some metal parts and he’s almost impossible to kill. Neer and company have many terrible battles and encounters as they continue on their quest. By the end we wonder what will happen to these unlikely comrades. There’s also a couple of amazing revelations, so that I want to read the next book now!

[Beki T · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a ARC of this book and sped through it. I was supposed to give Newell points and opinions after each chapter but I got so carried away and read it all before realising I'd not done that.

This book has a different feel to the first while still conveying the same urgency and epicness. I thought I would be constantly missing much loved characters and while I did miss some banter the new characters helped with that. We get to meet some really good new friends and some family too. The bad guy is...how to put this without swearing...a power hungry, twunt.

The anti has been upped in this book and you really feel it. Neer and friends have some real hairy moments. The action is full on and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

Can't wait to see where the journey take us next.

[Bianca Duthie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sequel is always a tough act to successfully complete, this is a little hit and miss for me to be completely honest.
I really enjoy the authors' characters - they each have something unique that makes you want to learn more. Y'ven was my favourite in this book.
I found the storyline a bit of a slog over the first 60%, where book 1 was action packed from the get-go, I found book 2 a little repetitive in its format.
I really enjoyed the last 40% and absolutely flew through it.
I'm not a huge fantasy reader, and I think that's probably a huge part of why this wasn't a speed read for me. The language is very descriptive and wordy. The chapters are mostly on the longer side as well, which doesn't hold my attention very well.
The ending is a cliffhanger, and I am intrigued enough by what happens in the last few chapters to want to read more!

[Vicki (chaptersofvicki) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second book in The Fallen Light series. In this book we are once again following Nerana, who was the main character in the first book. There are also quite a lot of new characters introduced.

I really liked Aélla and Thallon who were both new characters in this book. I really like the way the author describes the world, I found myself totally immersed in the story.

There is action throughout and I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. My heart was in my mouth a few times!

Can I also just say how stunning the cover is 😍 I love it!

Thank you to Love Book Tours for having me on the tour and thank you to the author for my gifted copy.

[Slate R. Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic run in a realm of a fully created world. The description is fantastic and background lush and deep. The characters are well written, looking forward to more in the series!

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

The Forbidden Realms by H.C. Newell was a follow up read to book one of the series (Curse of the Fallen). I was hoping to get to book two before the third installment was released which I believe is scheduled in either October or November of this year. I honestly think I enjoyed this one slightly more than the first!

One thing that I found interesting and done well was that I thought Neer was coming into learning her powers by the end of book one and how sadly mistaken I was. She had so much more growth in book two. We actually get a bigger picture of just how little she does understand what she is capable of.

The pacing was done really well again. I felt that book one was bordering on giving that progression type of fantasy where the action is just non-stop and the opponents are getting stronger and stronger. I felt book two was much more rounded. I didn't have any issues with names or vocabulary but I must mention that the beginning of the book included a pronunciation list which I always love!

The world building was also grand in book two. I felt book one was mostly an ominous forest and creepy cave setting. However, book two expands to still include those environments but mostly a new arid wasteland feeling location. We learn more about additional cultures as well as expanding on some introduced previously as well. The author is really submersing us in a great world!

The character development was interesting but done well. I mentioned that it seemed like our main protagonist might have taken a step back from where we left off in the first book, but it ends up feeling more like we just didn't understand her power until compared to some others who have a much great understanding of those powers and what they can do with it. We also have some amazing supporting characters in the second book. And this was needed so much the way the first book ended.

The author is putting together a really immersive world and story and I am looking forward to both The Banished (2.5 in the Fallen Light Series) as well as Shadows of Nyn'Dira.

[KMart Vet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5

The second installment in H.C. Newell's Fallen Light series delves deeper. We find Nerana navigating the treacherous wastelands of Aragoth after the heartbreaking events of the last book. The introduction of Aélla, a powerful sorceress, adds layers to the story as she embarks on a pilgrimage fraught with challenges. There are many more complexities of power dynamics between different factions in this novel, notably the vaxros who have a long history of conflict with the evaesh.

There's a noticeable improvement in writing, complexity, and depth of world-building in the second installment. There is a more intricate and engaging plot and elements that enrich the world-building. However, some aspects, like dialogue and certain narrative transitions, still have moments of clunkiness. The pacing occasionally jumps abruptly, creating a sense of disconnection between events. Despite these minor issues, it's evident that the author's storytelling has evolved, and the promise of improvement bodes well for the series.

The Forbidden Realms sets the stage for a broader, more complex narrative. The potential for further growth in both storytelling and character development is apparent, making this a series worth following.

[Angela Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

H.C. Newell has given us another epic adventure! I loved how different The Forbidden Realms was from the first book. The new cast of characters was surprisingly refreshing and fun to read about. I was afraid at first I would be missing the familiar faces from the first book, but these characters became just as familiar and dear as the first. The new settings were very immersive and different and I liked that Neer and her companions had a recurring enemy. The realms of the elements were all so cool, those were probably some of my favorite parts of the book! I also loved getting to see the relationship between Neer and a character established in Curse of the Fallen that we hadn't met before. The story was captivating and the world was so creative. I always wanted to know what would happen or where they would go next!

[Steph May Heads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delicious story that satisfies an appetite for fantasy and adventure!
In this book we are introduced to lots of interesting new characters as they take us on an epic adventure full of magic and action! You won't regret delving into the world of The Forbidden Realms.
It has everything you could want from an epic fantasy; drama, adventure, facinating creatures, awesome battles and so much more!
A whole fantastical world awaits within the pages.
H.C. Newell writes with rich descriptions and a beautiful style, whilest introducing us to new languages, dialects and extra details within the book that allow the reader to delve deeper into the story and understand more of the details, cultures and backgrounds of the characters and places, without over complicating things.
Excellent world building with plenty of action, fights, drama and raw, intense emotion that leaves the reader hungry for more! Can't wait for book three!
I highly recommend this book for all the epic fantasy fans out there and for all those wanting to try something new.
If you've had enough of reality and want to escape to an exciting new world, this is the book for you!

[Dan (ThatBookIsOnFiyah) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful storytelling!

Ms. Newell is certainly an author to watch closely. The first two books in the Fallen Light series have been filled with adventure, battles, emotion, and darkness. I have enjoyed reading these and have enjoyed watching the prose style continue to develop as the author finds her voice.

The Forbidden Realms takes the reader on an old school fantasy quest with some new characters teaming up with the hero of the story, Nerana. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and I like the short, meaningful chapters. There is backstory, there is emotional talk and anger, but mostly, as a reader, you are moving from one major event to the next and I like that the story continues to progress while everything else is happening around it.

Very nicely done. Highly recommended and I look forward to reading more in this series. I know there is a novella and another full length novel already published with more planned. Pick this series up if you haven't already!

[Lora - My_last_writes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden realms was one of my most anticipated read of 2022!

It did not disappoint with epic quest, found family, heart break with plenty of danger.

I highly recommend, couldn't put it down!

I was lucky enough to be able to Beta read for Newell, thankyou again for the opportunity!

** Please note this is my own honest review and is no way influenced by the author. **

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything I wanted and more from HC Newell! I loved that it expanded the world and gave us new and exciting characters to follow. Newell never fails to deliver on a fast-paced, mysterious story and I loved every second of this book! Highly recommend!

[Shane Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action Packed

Following the events of book one, the action is turned up to 11, as we meet new characters and learn more about Neer's fate. Another great read. Looking forward to reading the next installment.

[L.A. A. Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The forbidden realms - a vivid high fantasy world with a fast paced action plot. Perfect for fans of Terry Brooks.

Once it starts, you're pulled into the plot and are there for the ride until the very end. There's elemental magic, elvish races, evil orders of men, fantastical creatures, prophecies, and dangerous new lands. Newell's imagination and creative storytelling is compelling and wonderful. One of my top favourite authors. I will always be ready to pick up a book with her name on it.

[Nathan Fantasy Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tl;dr: The Forbidden Realms is a bold departure from The Curse of the Fallen, less dark and more epic, an almost entirely new cast of characters, and a desert setting. Newell's bravery rewards readers, with a book that is spiritually the same but explores a different part of the world. It takes a bit of time to warm up to the new characters (and the old characters are missed!), but they become as amazing and fleshed out as any of our old favorites. There is one misstep here in an overreliance on teleportation magic that takes away from Newell's ability to create a setting, but this series continues to build in how magical and epic it is.

My full review:

HC Newell returns to her dark and epic Fallen Light series with The Forbidden Realms, a bold departure from her previous book in scale, tone, and approach. While I'm pretty sure I preferred the stylings of The Curse of the Fallen, Newell continues to take readers on an epic ride in The Forbidden Realms that still feels fresh and new while hearkening back to more "traditional" epic fantasies that many readers are clamoring for.

While The Forbidden Realms picks up shortly after the events of the previous book, it looks almost nothing like The Curse of the Fallen. In terms of characters, tone, and setting, The Forbidden Realms carves a path all its own as Neer further explores her past and magical abilities - all while trying to escape the evil Order who is hunting her down. Perhaps the biggest tonal shift in this book is that The Forbidden Realms no longer feels "grimdark adjacent” but is rather much more squarely in the realm of epic fantasy. To be sure this book still has a lot of dark elements and is still morally murky enough to keep it out of heroic fantasy, but Newell takes more inspiration from classic epic fantasy and sword & sorcery in the pacing and structure of the book rather than grimdark, as she did in her first book. A lot of this is because a shift in tone and style is what the plot demands. Neer's successes and failures so far in the story have made it so that the darkness isn't imbuing every aspect of her life. Rather, as she commands more of her magic, and learns more about her world, the power and story become much wider and more epic in scope.

Newell's world continues to become more expansive as The Forbidden Realms shifts from the cave and forest environs of the first book to a part of the world covered in desert. The book loses some of the creepiness of being in contained and secluded spaces, but welcomes the heat, sand, and openness of the desert. Newell had already explored the mysterious and dangerous nature of forests and caves - of never knowing what could be around the next corner. Here, she explores the danger of being exposed...especially when your enemies have access to dangerous flying creatures. In addition to a new environment, here readers are also introduced to new human-like creatures, towns, cultures, and more as Neer moves ever forward in her quest.

In my review of The Curse of the Fallen I applauded Newell's ability to evoke a sense of place - and to fully immerse readers in a world of history and magic. While she continues to do that here, the one thing that didn't work as well for me was all of the teleportation magic used in this book. Characters zip around the world, between realms, and even between planes of existence in seconds. I understand why Newell utilized this in the book, even if it was just to speed the plot along. However, it has the consequence of divorcing me from the world Newell created. I lost the "on the ground" sense of the world that you only get by walking through it. I was often confused about where anyone was in space and time, and kind of felt like I was just rolling with the punches. It was never clear to me when characters were transporting, where they were transporting, or how all of these areas spatially related to one another. This didn't "kill" the book for me or anything, but it did slightly diminish my enjoyment of the book a bit as it detracted from one of Newell's greatest strengths as an author.

Having said that, Newell continues to demonstrate that she is a bold author, and she perhaps made no braver choice than introducing an entirely new cast of characters. The only character from The Curse of the Fallen is Neer, with everyone else being new (the other characters have their side of the story told in the novella published after this book). This initially threw me, as I was waiting (and waiting and waiting) for those characters to pop up, until realizing that Newell wanted us to get to know these new people - which include a warrior and a powerful evaeish mage. I was initially resistant to these new characters, as I just wanted my beloved Lorryk back (RIP), but over time I came to know these characters, their personalities, and their motivations. I still cannot wait to see what Klaud and Avelloch are up to, but I am also now fully dedicated to these new characters and their arcs.

While The Forbidden Realms is quite a different book (in terms of tone, setting, and characters) than its predecessor, it continues to be a fast-paced, bombastic fantasy read - this time with even bigger magic and a greater focus on the overarching arc for this series (which I think Newell has said will have six books total?). I've already reserved space near the top of my TBR for the novella and next book (which, at the time I am writing this, are the only currently published books), and I cannot wait to continue diving into Newell's mind as we explore more corners of her world.

[Jeremy Schwab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew...still catching my breath from the end of this entry in the "Fallen Light" series. What a wild, bloody, harrowing, magic filled adventure! Newell has stepped up her story telling game and page count in this one. (Which is to the delight of us fans of this dark adventure) 🔥

"The Forbidden Realms" is the second entry in this magical series. We are following our main character from book 1 (Neer) again, as she continues on her path to reclaim her freedom from the religious fanatics that have cursed her and labeled her a demon. After the brutality and loss of the adventure she faced in book 1, Neer is determined to take back her life and exact revenge to those responsible for the pain and loss she has endured her entire life. We pick up her story shortly after the insane ending from "Curse of the Fallen"...Neer, still numb from the loss and betrayal she endured, finds herself back on a path to find answers and once again stay alive. Pursued by those wanting her dead still, she is faced with another dark pursuit through lands unwelcoming and almost impossible to survive. We get a new cast of characters joining Neer in the story, and to the my surprise (and delight) they are extremely easy to become attached to! Very diverse and different, the group manages to once again, just flat out fit within this world. This is where Newell steps up the writing level.

One of the new characters is also a new PoV character (Aella). This is a big change from book 1, where we only read from Neer's PoV. Aella on a path of pilgrimage and sacrifice, is lead to align herself with Neer. Both being sorceresses, Aella helps Neer learn how to better control the magic she has had to hide and now has uncontrolled access too. Aella's arrival in the book is what also brings with it the new characters on this adventure. Newell weaves the new personalities perfectly into the dynamic of the group, and pulls in some key mentions from book 1 we didn't get to yet. Already showing the depth of this progressing saga, Newell is masterfully weaving backstories touched upon early on, into the current timeline and showcasing the complexity this story has held from the start. Characters aren't just thrown into this saga to fill pages, Newell knows what she's wants from this monster and doesn't leave anything behind. World building is also on FULL display in this one with the realms we visit this time around.

New characters, new realms, more dark and brutal trials await you in this second book. Expect to be pulled back into Newell's dark fantasy and ignore everything while you get lost in a book you can't put down! Newell continues to step up the action, brutality and complexity of this story...and we aren't done yet! 😈

Another 4.5 ⭐ gem here people...stop waiting, grab this series! Book 3 out this October 🔥🔥🔥

[Krina || Amazeofwords · Rating 4 out of 5]

All hail, because of the new dark fantasy is in our town. I love reading Fantasy. I love reading a little dark elements too. Who am I kidding? I love reading anything and everything till they are not possessive and damsels acting they deserve the world for breathing. No. You are not sexy and No, you are not cute. Coming back to The Forbidden Realm, let's go. I read the first book in the Fallen Light series, Curse of the Fallen hardly a couple months ago and I enjoyed it. Needless to say, I was so excited to read the Forbidden Realms by H.C.Newell. Were my expectations fulfilled? Or was it just another book that comes and goes?

Reading sequel books make me nervous at times. It's a good thing because the first book has already laid down the foundation for book, the world is familiar and all you have to do is sail. But the nervousness is that the sequels are the make or break deal. The Forbidden Realms definitely makes up. While the Curse of the Fallen was interesting and made a me solid promise for interesting story, The Forbidden Realms sealed the deal. There are conflicts, yes. There are questions, oh so many of them. But lack of answers, doesn't mean lack of fun or lack of awesomeness.

The cover of the book, an another pretty tree that is simply pretty. I loved the cover. I don't know if it was intentional or not but the two books together look so like different phase of day. The dark, the night version, the light, the day version. I love how the two compliment each other. (I know, it's more like a locational aspect, in relation to desserts but still. I hope at least one of the two theories are correct.)

The storyline of the book was well written and more importantly, well paced. I love how gradually new characters are being introduced and how characters are slowly growing on me. With new additional POV as our witness, we are travelling with a new set of eyes and oh boy, it feels that this new addition is going to play a bigger role. I love how fierce, emotional, grief-stricken and real Neer is. Probably why I keep going back to know more about her. She is someone I know I am going to keep on rooting for as much as possible.

I loved the writing and I know I am enjoying my journey here. The writing is raw, the characters are flawed & grieving, the world is interesting, the story is captivating. Overall, I can't wait for Book 3 and book 2, the Forbidden Realms was a smashing hit.

[Leeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, the Forbidden Realms is an action heavy fantasy adventure, packed with a lot of magic and compelling characters. I give 4 stars to the second book in the Fallen Light Series, but don’t be deceived by that rating as I’m sure many of you will give it the full 5 Stars. And rightfully so. There were just a few details that didn’t quite match my personal preferences.

[…] those who are in power sought to stay in power, no matter how disastrous the consequences might be.

But first things first: the worldbuilding and characterisation, once again, is amazing. Laeroth is a place inhabited by races with relentless faith in their traditions which have lead to racism and an epic conflict about how the world has to be. Within this conflict, everyone seems to have his own idea on how to succeed. Thanks to these numerous perspectives clashing again and again the epic scale stays present throughout the whole book. And fighting isn’t the only option for the characters to make their point. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of fighting and action, which is written very well, but the dialogues are at least as impactful as the muscular Vaxros (a race of large warriors) are. The emotions carried through those conversations are simply beautiful. The character development feels real and well executed from start to finish. Especially the inner conflicts are shown perfectly.

“If ill intent keeps me alive, then it’s what I’ll have to do. Sometimes, the world forces us to make hard decisions.” “You always have a choice, Nerana. The path you take is yours to decide and no one else’s.”

So why did I only give 4 stars then? Well, as much as I like action, I’m not the biggest fan of magic heavy action. There’s blasting fire and magical lightning all over the place. It just feels a bit over the top. Also, sometimes the main characters seemed to be wearing some kind of plot armour as they where healed quite often after suffering major injuries during battles. But as mentioned before, those are just some minor issues based on my personal preferences.

As far as I know, there will be six books in the Fallen Light series. You can definitely count on me to read the upcoming books as soon as they will be released.

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Forbidden Realms’ is just what you want from a sequel - packed full of action, emotion and adventure! The world has progressed from the ‘Curse of the Fallen’ from the forest and caves to the heat and dust of the desert. I would advise that you read ‘Curse of the Fallen’ before reading this book as you will not be given a-lot of background about what happens in the first one and it's imperative for you to know it before reading this one. In fact the author has just released an extended version of the first book! So there is never a better time to delve into this great series.

Nerana is a sorceress, an exile from her country as the ruling Order of Saro has declared her a Child of Skye, a demon. After being attacked she teleports and finds herself in the waste desert lands of Aragoth. Humans and evae are banned, life is relentless under the sun and the heat is blistering. But she is no longer alone as there is another sorceress thrown into the mix. Aella is a powerful evaesh sorceress and is travelling in the area on a pilgrimage of sacrifice and strength. She wants to enter the Realms of Elements and Neer decides to join her and learn about her magic!

I completely loved coming back to this world, as I fell for Neer in the last book. This one has a slightly slower opening but from about 20-25% in the action ramps up and doesn't stop till the final pages and ends in a huge reveal! I loved the influx of new characters, especially Dru and Y’ven. I hope we find out a little bit more about them and how they came to know one another etc. It was endearing to see how they all came together as a group and really meshed to form a tight knit force to be reckoned with. I did get Thallon and Thorne mixed up to begin with which confused me mightly but then I was reading it with a migraine!

The pacing of this book was brilliant after the introductionary section and the action just kept coming at the reader at a ferocious pace! But it has left me intrigued and desperate for more, thankfully there is a novella to dive straight into which looks at what has been happening the Avelloch during this period!

Honestly can't wait for the third book!

[Alan Behan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Realm of magical goodness.

Boom, this book is absolutely amazing. H.C. Newell drops you straight into an action-packed romper, getting the adrenaline pumping and setting scenes for a fantastic read to come, and damn let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

Forbidden Realms is the second book in the Fallen Light series full of new rich characters, a story that grips you from the very start, with its beautiful prose and excellent storytelling from a very talented writer.

Book one Curse Of the Fallen was fantastic, but The Forbidden Realms is bigger, better, much darker, and the author introduces you to a much more in-depth world, full of wonder and magic.

The pacing of this book is brilliant. The action just keeps coming at the reader at a ferocious pace, bringing you on a roller coaster of emotions as our favourite characters are put through their trials and sacrifices.

Like myself, Neer is still reeling from the advents of Nhamashel, when a loss so deep sets her on the path of vengeance to rid herself of those who would call her a demon and have ruined her life from a very young age.

In The Forbidden Realms, Neer finds herself in the dessert of Aragoth after teleporting from her religious foes grasp. She is saved from the locals, the Vaxros from certain death where it is forbidden to enter their lands.

Neer meets Drimil Allea, a powerful avae sorceress, à destiny that might finally help her end the order of Saro once and for all, but she and her newfound friends must collect the four magic elements from the Forbidden Realms bringing them a journey of self discovery, sacrifices and with hope to bring balance back into the world ravaged by death and destruction.

Absolutely bloody brilliant, a story that has everything that fantasy readers will absolutely love, dark elves, giant warriors, a bounty hunter terminator, monsters and fantastic unique magic system that will keep you enthralled and entertained from start to finish. If you haven't read the first book, I very highly recommend that you remedy that soon....😁🗡☠️💀🔥

[Jord MiddleofNowhere · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forbidden Realms is a solid sequel in what is promising to be an epic series. It picks up right where book one ended and it does a lot of things extremely well. I especially connected with Neer, the returning star from book one, and the emotions that she is having to deal with throughout the novel. It felt genuine and real in a way that many readers could connect back with her and what she is feeling. It also introduces a new POV character that will have a big part through the novel and series from what I can tell.

The strength of the novel to me was the world in this one. It was an improvement and the uniqueness of everything was really fun. There is always something new to discover with this series and it is on full display throughout the novel. The sky city was something that was done well and was a lot of fun to me. The characters are solid but unfortunately I wasn't able to connect with them like I did in book one I think more because of the pacing of the novel than anything else. It is full tilt, sprinting the entire way. Every chapter has an incredible heart pounding action scene. This leaves very little time for the characters to reflect or have some of that bonding time like they did in the first book.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with book 2. It does have the feel of building up the series and the epicness that will continually be revealed to us as we go. It is a series that I can see myself picking up again and again just because of how fun it is. The author has created something truly unique and fans of video games and epic book series will love as it continues to unfold.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review as a tour put on by Escapist Books.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to H. C. Newell and Escapist Book Co for sharing a copy of The Forbidden Realm as part of a review tour.

For fans of Lord of the Rings, Sarah J. Maas, and Dungeons & Dragons, you won’t want to miss adding these books to your collection. Get ready to transport yourself into the magical lands Newell has so wonderfully crafted.

The Forbidden Realms is the second book in Newell’s Fallen Light series. It picked up right after Curse of the Fallen but we meet some new characters. The setting is quite different for most of the book and at times felt redundant. This part of the desert versus that part of the desert. The imagery was successful at painting a very real desert as I kept thinking about my time visiting the Namib Desert. I felt the setting made for the beginning of the book to feel slow. It wasn’t until further into the book that things started happening, and boy did they happen quickly.

The biggest trigger warning for this book is the violence and gore. I was shocked out how descriptive some fight scenes were, but it made for the action to feel so believable. This world really feels like an epic fantasy with high stakes as the cherry on top. Newell beautifully weaves various story arcs together, captivating me as the reader. I had multiple moments of exclamations while reading and loved every moment. I felt like I was part of the adventure. And I couldn’t help but think how awesome this would be as a movie or TV series.

There’s no denying that you will fall in love this these characters. I cried at the end and was not expecting to feel such strong emotions. Curse of the Fallen started out strong by building a beautiful world and introducing a slew of characters. The Forbidden Realms slaps you in the face with backstories, interconnected relationships, and character development.