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Haven #2
Sky Magic
In Sky Magic , the second book of the Haven Series, the Pact that has kept the peace for centuries between humanity and the Faerie is broken. Oberon, King of the Faerie, lost his Blue Jewel and can no longer command the marching Rainbow to keep the peace. Once again the darkest and most evil of his kind plague human lands. In defense of the Haven, a champion must be chosen to wield the Axe Ambros. A magical weapon powered by the legendary Amber Jewel, the eye of a long dead golden dragon, the Axe is difficult to master.
Written for a fast-paced read, Sky Magic is a little longer than Amber Magi c.
Written for a fast-paced read, Sky Magic is a little longer than Amber Magi c.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
54 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
B.V. Larson
134 books1,529 followersBrian Larson is an American science fiction and fantasy author
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 8, 2023
Dark, magical, witty.
Amber Magic Review
Sky Magic Review
Shadow Magic Review
Dragon Magic Review
Blood Magic Review
Death Magic Review
A Fae, a River Folk, and one like both walk into a bar ... but walking into the marshes are no joke.
In reading book 2, there's this dark, magical, witty feel that reminds me of old children's tales. It is classic and timeless, imagining youthful romance and desire without the gratuitous details. Dark and sinister elements detailing age-old evils and magic that hints at its own frailty and weakness. Witless and selfish actions compare to humility and sacrifice in each race the further the journey goes while some instances make for a laugh. I look forward to the rest of the journey.
Brand wielding the Ambros axe hearkens to Frazetta's Death Dealer in imagery and even more so to Craig Halloran's Venir in berserker rage. Venir even carries a mystical Helm with a blood-hungry axe named Brool. Venir even faces off against the hated beastly underlings like Brand does against the Merlings.
With a harrowing journey into the haunted and deadly marshes, invoking dark fairy tales and All Hallow's Eve spirits, Ambros' insatiable berserker rage loses out to Telyn's magnetic intimacy, for Brand. A man willing and able to be violent to combat evil will always find his heart yearning for a capable woman to get his back and visa versa.
Myrrdin makes his appearance, as well as Tomkin the bumpkin wee folk manling, and Hob the marsh monster goblin wisp-enslaver.
Character Reference:
Geography:
Funeral Rituals:
Jewels:
Amber Magic Review
Sky Magic Review
Shadow Magic Review
Dragon Magic Review
Blood Magic Review
Death Magic Review
A Fae, a River Folk, and one like both walk into a bar ... but walking into the marshes are no joke.
In reading book 2, there's this dark, magical, witty feel that reminds me of old children's tales. It is classic and timeless, imagining youthful romance and desire without the gratuitous details. Dark and sinister elements detailing age-old evils and magic that hints at its own frailty and weakness. Witless and selfish actions compare to humility and sacrifice in each race the further the journey goes while some instances make for a laugh. I look forward to the rest of the journey.
Brand wielding the Ambros axe hearkens to Frazetta's Death Dealer in imagery and even more so to Craig Halloran's Venir in berserker rage. Venir even carries a mystical Helm with a blood-hungry axe named Brool. Venir even faces off against the hated beastly underlings like Brand does against the Merlings.
With a harrowing journey into the haunted and deadly marshes, invoking dark fairy tales and All Hallow's Eve spirits, Ambros' insatiable berserker rage loses out to Telyn's magnetic intimacy, for Brand. A man willing and able to be violent to combat evil will always find his heart yearning for a capable woman to get his back and visa versa.
Myrrdin makes his appearance, as well as Tomkin the bumpkin wee folk manling, and Hob the marsh monster goblin wisp-enslaver.
Character Reference:
Geography:
Funeral Rituals:
Jewels:
January 27, 2021
Book 2 in the Haven series builds on the solid start of Amber Magic. With the pact between the Fae and the people of Haven the tricks and attacks by the all the various creatures that make up the Fae have begun in earnest. Brand and Corbin head out to try and find Myrrdin and discover why he was not able to be present and renew the pact. Travelling with dwarves Gurdin and Modi they travel up river to the last place Myrrdin is rumoured to be. Finding Myrrdin they find that the situation is worse than they believed. War has started in the north which is what delayed Myrrdin and Oberon has lost his Blue Jewel (Lavatis) and can no longer command the marching Rainbow to keep the peace.
A plan, of sorts, is agreed to find Lavatis and return it to Oberon as part of the negotiations for a new pact. On the way Brand is chosen by Gurdin to be the new champion of Axe Ambros which contains the Amber Jewel. He is warned not to use it until properly trained as if he is not attuned to the jewel it can go rogue and simply drive the axe wielder to wilder and wilder attacks in its attempts to kill until these attacks results in the death of the owner.
Along the way, as one would expect in a fantasy story, the group find unlikely allies and brief moments of respite interspaced with hard fought battles and desperate attempts at escape. The reader is very much aware that this is part of a series as like with Book 1, this book doesn’t completely tie up plot lines and the author leaves as many questions unanswered (i.e. the nature and origin of the jewels) as he answers but this serves to pull the reader into wanting more of the series. It is a an easy to read story with no major innovations or originality from the run of the mill unexpected farm boy becomes hero to save the world, but as the saying goes ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’. Looking forward to book 3.
A plan, of sorts, is agreed to find Lavatis and return it to Oberon as part of the negotiations for a new pact. On the way Brand is chosen by Gurdin to be the new champion of Axe Ambros which contains the Amber Jewel. He is warned not to use it until properly trained as if he is not attuned to the jewel it can go rogue and simply drive the axe wielder to wilder and wilder attacks in its attempts to kill until these attacks results in the death of the owner.
Along the way, as one would expect in a fantasy story, the group find unlikely allies and brief moments of respite interspaced with hard fought battles and desperate attempts at escape. The reader is very much aware that this is part of a series as like with Book 1, this book doesn’t completely tie up plot lines and the author leaves as many questions unanswered (i.e. the nature and origin of the jewels) as he answers but this serves to pull the reader into wanting more of the series. It is a an easy to read story with no major innovations or originality from the run of the mill unexpected farm boy becomes hero to save the world, but as the saying goes ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’. Looking forward to book 3.
October 13, 2011
I like how this series takes short bursts of story telling. Neither of the two books has resolved any major plot points. In fact, the end of each is more like the end of a particularly exciting chapter that I've read in other books. But the breaks are good places to do so. Like playing a role playing game: "Okay, you all survived the big encounter for tonight and you are making camp, let's stop here for the week."
What I like about this is that you can read each book in a short period of time, go read a few other things, then come back to this story. It prevents it from becoming a long, drawn out thing that feels more like endurance reading by the time you are finished.. You can keep your interest easily by reading a sci-fi or horror novel in between each section of this story. So, once again like role playing: it helps prevent "burnout".
And, for Larson, it does keep you buying the later books ha ha. By not making a large resolution at the end of the section I'm currently reading, he pretty much guarantees that I'll be picking up the next in the series fairly soon. Now, while that may seem bad for the reader, at $3 each on my Kindle, I really don't mind. It's like every three of these I read costs the same as a regular $9 paper back.
And, as for the plot: It is very intriguing. It has a few familiar aspects of the fantasy novel, but also introduces some new things I've not seen before, which helps in keeping the story fresh in my mind and keeps me thinking about it.
I definitely give it an A+.
What I like about this is that you can read each book in a short period of time, go read a few other things, then come back to this story. It prevents it from becoming a long, drawn out thing that feels more like endurance reading by the time you are finished.. You can keep your interest easily by reading a sci-fi or horror novel in between each section of this story. So, once again like role playing: it helps prevent "burnout".
And, for Larson, it does keep you buying the later books ha ha. By not making a large resolution at the end of the section I'm currently reading, he pretty much guarantees that I'll be picking up the next in the series fairly soon. Now, while that may seem bad for the reader, at $3 each on my Kindle, I really don't mind. It's like every three of these I read costs the same as a regular $9 paper back.
And, as for the plot: It is very intriguing. It has a few familiar aspects of the fantasy novel, but also introduces some new things I've not seen before, which helps in keeping the story fresh in my mind and keeps me thinking about it.
I definitely give it an A+.
November 7, 2012
I listened to the audio version from audible.com, crying now as it wasn’t such a good purchase, a $3 kindle would have been good value. Not much to say about the book, it’s your bog standard fantasy novel with all your bog standard character types. My only surprise so far is that one of the young human fellowship to save the world from the evil fairie hasn’t yet turned out to be a prince or princess ….. nor have I seen a crippled & blind young black kid who is genius at hacking and only can be contacted thru the net .. am I getting my genera’s mixed up?
The book ended abruptly, I was walking around doing some chores listening and it stopped? … what ? … It is no worse than any other LoR’s world out there, yes I know BV states his is way different and he fix’s the problems it had, in little ways this has a smidgen of truth but not in anyway noticeable.
I’ve already purchased the next two books but I’m not going to bother reading them. The story is very average and in a “world” that has been rehashed and beaten to death thousands of times. Larson offers nothing new and continues the blandness. In my opinion writing such a book is very brave quest. Unless you are the calibre of Glen Cook , Steven Erikson and William Goldman beware this fantasy trap for beginners.
The book ended abruptly, I was walking around doing some chores listening and it stopped? … what ? … It is no worse than any other LoR’s world out there, yes I know BV states his is way different and he fix’s the problems it had, in little ways this has a smidgen of truth but not in anyway noticeable.
I’ve already purchased the next two books but I’m not going to bother reading them. The story is very average and in a “world” that has been rehashed and beaten to death thousands of times. Larson offers nothing new and continues the blandness. In my opinion writing such a book is very brave quest. Unless you are the calibre of Glen Cook , Steven Erikson and William Goldman beware this fantasy trap for beginners.
September 24, 2010
This book ended abruptly. It really made it obvious that they broke it up into several books to make it sell, or else to make it easier to read for younger audiences. I was annoyed because each segment is $3 on the kindle, and really you probably need 3 books to make 1 complete story.
December 29, 2015
2.5 stars - really closer to a 2 star rating ('it was okay') but based on the fact that I was sufficiently interested that I bought it and the following book, I upgrade it to 3 stars. (See my review for book 1 for a more details.)
February 10, 2011
Just as good as the first in the series, still a bit generic with overplayed plotlines and character types. Overall, turning into a solid series.
April 11, 2011
Good plot. Quick read. Held my attention. Book was a little too short;
but, worth the buck 99.
but, worth the buck 99.
April 14, 2011
Second book getting better, more in depth story line, characters emerging.
October 3, 2011
Again showing how books suffer when the editor is left out of the process. The first 3 books needed to be one book, with a lot of the insipid detail left out.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews