Of Darkness and Light (The Bound and the Broken #2)[May 24, 2024]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for Of Darkness and Light by Ryan Cahill starting on May 24, 2024.


Happy Reading!

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Thanks, Yanique!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

Scheduling as we go!
1. Of Blood and Fire (March 24) [Link]
Also The Fall
2. Of Darkness and Light (May 24)
Also The Exile
3. Of War and Ruin (July 24) [Link]
Also The Ice
4. Of Empires and Dust (Awaiting Publication)

Audio: Audible Only
Eye: Kindle Unlimited.

[Kara]

Tagging myself in!

[Kara]

Hey folks - just checking in! I hadn't read The Fall, and was going to hop straight into ODAL, but I see it begins with a pretty intense recap of all events so far (which I cannot hope to hold in my head without actually reading The Fall).
What did folks think of The Fall (can I Cliff Notes?) and has anyone just jumped straight into book 2?

[Nirkatze]

Running late--I think a lot of folks are--but totally looking forward to jumping in!

The Fall was pretty much just a dramatization of how the Dragon Riders were destroyed... but I've forgotten all the character names, so I'm afraid any summary I wrote would be something like (view spoiler)[one dude who was friends with a lady decides he wants more power and doesn't like rules so convinces some young folk to follow him and slaughters the council. Lady is like "what??" and Dude is like "you should have joined me!" and kills everyone. Pretty sure lady died. Everyone dies. Dragons die. All very tragic... might have been a stolen egg in there too. Don't remember. (hide spoiler)] Yeah, not very coherent--but you could totally go look up a cliff notes version and drop a link in here for me too. ^_^

Looking forward to that intense recap--I think I'm going to need it...

Was actually just reading Relic of the Gods and thinking of how the world has a lot of similar elements--and both Indie authors--but I enjoyed this story more.

[Marie]

Love you recap Nirkatze 🤣

And wdym running late. This one isn't even on my radar, yet 😅 I am probably going to end up picking it at last date possible again. I am kind of thinking about audiobook tbh, since the first book was a bit of a let down for me and my eye book tbr needs more cutting. I might give this one the benefit of eye reading and if it's not convincing enough, audio the book 3.

[Nirkatze]

I hear you, lol. My eyebook pile is always getting sacrificed for audio efficiency... I originally wanted to eye-read #1 in this series, but switched to audio for time. Narration was decent, if I remember.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

I'm also running a bit behind schedule and haven't started yet.

[Nirkatze]

Starting! Found this useful page on the author's website--pretty nice website altogether, actually:

The Story So Far:
https://ryancahillauthor.com/story-so...

@Marie--the summary of The Fall here is much better than my nameless ramble--after reading it I was like "d'oh!" I'd forgotten a lot of important bits... like (view spoiler)[the use of Blood Magic and the continents being ripped apart, lol... (hide spoiler)]

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Nirkatze wrote: "Starting! Found this useful page on the author's website--pretty nice website altogether, actually:

The Story So Far:
https://ryancahillauthor.com/story-so...

@Marie--the summary of The Fall he..."

I love that he provides this info on his website, especially since every book is becoming progressively chunkier. :D

[Nirkatze]

So I totally just flew through this today while prepping the house for a board game party--been a nice solid classic-style fantasy listen... Large cast is making me wish I had a dramatis personae to reference, not just the Story So Far summaries... but I still really enjoyed it. It was relaxing, dipping into a classic fantasy style story.

Thoughts, though for as big as the book is, I didn't really have a lot... Is it weird that I think these feel cozy? (view spoiler)[Not grimdark, but still decent conflict. No characters I dislike, though several I'm just ok with. Bad guys are starting to get interesting, especially the guy who flips coins and is following Ella around... Not sure how I feel about a romance between the two, but I could get used to it.

I like the fact that while the Blood Mage Emperor dude is rather evil, the rest of the empire is more gray... or maybe just people? The other mages who Rist is training with, or the dragon riders, soldiers who aren't actively hunting Cailin. Seems like they try to protect citizens from raiders and monsters. Even the bad eggs have backstories, like the brother who had his sister's lover killed, or the father who betrayed his son and Cailin...

I'm bummed the dragon still only communicates through emotion and thought, but it was nice to see more of the pair in action. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Some more thoughts popped up overnight... Had to do a little character research because they were hard to keep straight. Not very spoilery, sort of general glossary stuff--speaking of which, Cahill has a glossary too: https://ryancahillauthor.com/glossary/
(view spoiler)[Too many D names!!

The friends: Calen Bryer (draleid), Dann Pimm (good with bow), Rist Havel (learning magic)

Ella Bryer--Calen's sister, friends with a wolfpine
Farda Kyrana--Imperial Battlemage, killed C&E's parents, traveling with Ella

Vaeril & others--elves who swore fealty to Calen.

Aeson Virandir--young soldier of the Order during The Fall, seems to be behind a lot of the rebellions, father of Erik and Dahlen.

Daymon--king after his father Arthur died, Ihvon is his guard, people are refugees.

Dayne--Valtaran, brother to Alina and Beren
Belina Louna--more than just a bard
Alleron--Drifaen warrior who met Calen &co earlier

These're just the people who made an impression on me this book, so I'm trying to learn their names... (hide spoiler)]

More book thoughts: (view spoiler)[Vaelin and Belina were probably my favorite individual characters--I like how persistent and yet quiet Vaelin is--he never leaves Calen's side, and he doesn't stand up for himself, but his presence gives Calen a chance to push back against bigotry. I have decided to ship Calen & Vaelin. It can be a bro-ship or a more-ship.

Belina is just plain fun. I enjoy her banter--and how Dahlen is completely flabbergasted in her presence.

Only in doing some post-reading tidy-up have I realized that a lot of minor encounters in book one have come back to bigger impact in this next book--Alleron and Belina in particular. And after reading the Exile, I'm finding even more connections.

My favorite storyline was probably Dayne and his family--I don't think we've met them before? The Wyvern riders, the Valtarans... and just how much the Valtaran's have been bootheel crushed... having to give up first sons and having their spark-touched children murdered... Good underdog uprising story there. (hide spoiler)]

Read The Exile today--it was a rather nice slice of history (view spoiler)[and I was happy to see it flesh out Dayne's background--my favorite plotline meeting one of my favorite characters, 'cuz hello Belina! Her entrance in the short was very her... I could pretty much tell right when that blonde's head broke the water, but you know for sure when she puts the needle to Dayne's throat... while naked from the bath. I had no idea she was connected to Dayne's story--but I guess they all go through Aeson and the rebellion? Definitely not catching as much as I would if I were eye-reading. Still, had fun with this... also, Dayne seems much more grown up by the time we see him in the main book... I think the Exile ends at seven years past, and Of Darkness and Light is twelve years since his exile. (hide spoiler)]

[Marie]

I will be starting today. Reading like 5 eye books at the same time so it will take a while lol.

@Nirkatze Did you see an improvement compared to book one?

[Nirkatze]

Marie wrote: "I will be starting today. Reading like 5 eye books at the same time so it will take a while lol.

@Nirkatze Did you see an improvement compared to book one?"

Yeah, I really enjoyed this one... I don't think I didn't enjoy book one, but it had pacing issues I think... a month and many books later it is hard to remember....

[Nirkatze]

On good news, the next book hasn't been scheduled yet, so y'all have plenty of time to read and catch up... let me know when/if y'all do want to continue...

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

I'm about 10 percent of the way in. Not because it's bad or anything, but I've only really had time for audiobooks in the past week or so.

[Marie]

I admit I have only read the recap so far 😅

I might be reading many eye books at the same time but I still primarily focus on one or two at a time. Only reading chapter now and then of the others. Trying to make sure I keep all of the plots fresh in my head. This one, even with the recap, I already feel like I remember very little of the details of book one and it makes me less enthusiastic to start it.

[Kara]

I decided to download The Fall after all (free on the author's website, FYI) so I'll be catching up!

[Nirkatze]

Looking forward to hearing y'all's thoughts!

[Choko]

Up to Ch. 5... Wow! (view spoiler)[ Farda just broke this girl's neck and threw her over board without blinking an eye!!! I guess he is trying to isolate Ella... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, that was... both a shocker and sadly expected...

[Choko]

I am 65% in ... Every time I think I can handle torture in books, one of them sneaks up on me and get that horrible feeling of helpless rage followed by depression... (view spoiler)[ ... This one is not as explicit as some, but it is very well done by hinting at the breaking of the tortured and conveying the sense of complete helplessness... I have a deep desire to kill and render everyone of the f@#$ing Inquisitors!!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Yes!! (view spoiler)[And it was close enough to the end that I was worried if he would be rescued before the end of the book, or if we'd be left on a cliffhanger... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

I finished and I actually got really invested in the story... (view spoiler)[ ... I see how it would be very hard to hate The Empire, because it is not homogeneous. There are good factions, bad factions and just regular people stuck in the middle...

Around half way through, I started having the feeling that there is a third, separate power, that is trying to destroy everyone we are familiar with. I think, after the ending scene, part of the Inquisition are involved in their own game, obviously having something to do with some G-d that they call The Traitor G-d... After the book I read The Exile novela and that was confirmed for me. Whatever they are doing is horrible and scary as hell! Poor Elves they are using and experimenting on! I want to hurt the torturers so much, it hurts!!!

Dayne's story was a good addition. Belina is one of those characters who are fun to read, but scare the heck out of me, because they are so unpredictable! Kind of like Nicolette in the Marla Mason series... Only more likable.

Dayne's family has really suffered, but getting the backstory helped me understand why he didn't just kill his brother... I really like his sister though, she is strong!

I hope the dude Dahlen, who got saved by Belina does not die, now that the young and stupid king got Ihvon killed... I felt sorry for everyone involved, but my heart really hurts for the regular refugees... Just depressing...

I know Ella is with the Rebellion now, but I hate that she doesn't even know what has happened to her mom and dad, and has no idea that she is being targeted because of her brother... And she has no idea that Farda killed her parents and gave her up where she was staying... He needs to do a whole a lot in order to gain some redemption, but I kind of doubt it... I think he is one of those doomed characters...

Calen is too weak still to be a real change maker. And the Dragon, I think his name is Valerian, is too young and inexperienced as well... They need to grow up fast in order to combat all the powers that are gathered against them... I am very interested to see how the author does that... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Love your ending thoughts, Choko! This series is definitely growing on me... Agree with everything you say--(view spoiler)[Though I'm not sure I'd go so far as to equate Belina to Nicolette! LOL Though I can't think of another fun and cooky character as substitute, so fair's fair.

It's insane to think that Ella still doesn't know about her parents... and you're totally right about Farda being too far gone to truly earn redemption... I just wonder if some sort of relationship will start before his murder is revealed, or if it will be revealed first... either way, I don't see the story ending any way except for him dead... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Any idea what kind of schedule would work for book three? Book four hasn't actually been published yet--the GR page is a lie...

[Marie]

I made the GR page for book 4... It doesn't allow for partial date so basically if you see 1st January you should check the description. I put more info there. I could also put some plausible future date but then people might think some date has been confirmed...

[Nirkatze]

Ah, good to know! Thank you for that information...

[Marie]

I added a note to the beginning of the description so it's instantly visible and also in the edition line so it shows next to the date... I wish GR made this easier for us librarians, there are always some people confused or even complaining about why is it wrong. How hard is it to make a not-yet-published tick option and let there just be the year? There isn't even a consensus on what to do. When I put just the year it defaults to January 1st and that seems to be the most common practice.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

I finished!! I enjoyed reading through all your thoughts on the ending @Choko and Nirkatze <3 I don't have too much to comment right now, but just a few general impressions:

I loved the addition of the Daylen POV, and he quickly became one of my favourite characters. Ella really grew on me in this book as well. (view spoiler)[Really interested to see how she changes and her story expands now that she's part of the Rebellion. (hide spoiler)]

In general, I think the second book improved a lot of the pacing issues I had with book one. It's still not perfect, but it's better.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Nirkatze wrote: "Any idea what kind of schedule would work for book three? Book four hasn't actually been published yet--the GR page is a lie..."

I'm pretty flexible over the summer since I don't have many BRs planned yet. Whatever works for everyone else!

[Choko]

Same here! Whenever you guys want to read it is good with me.

Marie, I am grateful for all you are doing!:))

[Nirkatze]

How does late next month sound? We've more or less been doing a book every two months; if we kept with July 24 it'd be almost exact.

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

That's good for me :)

[Marie]

Works for me :)

[Nirkatze]

Request made for July 24! Will update when thread is live.

[Nirkatze]

Top post has been updated with next BR link!

[Marie]

I decided to drop this series for now. I definitely plan to come back to it but right now I am not feeling it. I am already reading a lot of books at the same time and there are upcoming series I would like to pick up rather than continue this one.

[Nirkatze]

I'm sure it'll come back around again in time!