An Ill-Fated Sky picks up right where the first book in the series, A Star-Reckoner’s Lot, finished. However, the focus of the book has dramatically shifted. Instead of Ashtadukt and how she deals with her pain and grief, we follow Tirdad and how he deals with his past actions. Darrell follows up on his original premise, and once again creates a very unique fantasy story. This is the second book in the series, so I’m going to be careful with what I say and avoid spoilers. You can also check out my review of A Star-Reckoner’s Lot.
Setting
Much like the first book, An Ill-Fated Sky follows the main character on a journey of self- discovery through 6th-century Sasanian Iran.
Characters
Characters are where Darrell really excels. He masterfully creates tormented and troubled characters, and then puts them into challenging situations. Things are dark, and the characters all have their issues, but there are some fascinating growth arcs throughout the book.
Tirdad has one of the strongest character developments I’ve seen in a while, as he goes through a series of changes from who he was in book 1. Shkarag is another one whose character insights are very well done, and interesting to read about too.
Plot
Darrell’s ability to plot has improved significantly since A Star-Reckoner’s Lot. My main complaint with book 1 was that I had no idea how independent events fit together until the final 20% of the book. However, I loved how he bought everything together for the ending. In An Ill-Fated Sky, Darrell ties in bits and pieces of the plot all through the book, and you can’t help but hold on and see where everything ends up. Once again, Darrell does a fantastic job with the ending, and I can’t wait to see what he’s planning to do with book 3.
Other Thoughts
I really enjoyed An Ill-Fated Sky; it’s a very strong follow up to A Star-Reckoner’s Lot.
It will be released on the 31st of March, and is currently on sale on Amazon!
Audience
This book is probably best for people who like:
- Troubled, complex characters
- Historical fantasy/fiction
- Cool magic systems
- A Star-Reckoner’s Lot
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