Phoenix in Shadow is the sequel to Ryk Spoor’s Phoenix Rising. The first book introduced the main characters and gave the reader some idea of the level of threat (as well as capabilities) of the heroes and some of the antagonists. What Phoenix in Shadow did was blow all this up. The villains are shown to be that much more powerful, the threats the world faces are all the more terrible, and the heroes have to step up their game or face the consequences.
The great part about this is that we see the consequences of the heroes actions magnified. The not so great thing is that the tension is ratcheted up to the point that it becomes a little too intense at times.
Again, Ryk Spoor delivers what he’s great at. We have heroes whose actions matter and who stand up to defend those in need. More than that, we see opportunities for redemption for those who struggle against the evil within themselves. The villains are powerful, sometimes incredibly so, but they are still motivated by real emotions and motives.
Power and the effect it has upon those who possess it is a strong theme in both the book and the series. The difference between the good and bad people in these books is not only how they use the power they have, but also how they go about obtaining more… or even if they dare to do so.
My one complaint would be that some of the action sequences towards the end felt a bit… anime-esque. I enjoyed them, but at times I couldn’t help but feel the action was too big, the energy dealt with was too much.
I really enjoyed Phoenix Rising and as a sequel, Phoenix in Shadow had large boots to fill. It did that, and more, it brought a level of adulthood to the characters that they didn’t have before. They were faced with evil darker than they had before seen and they grew as a result.
SEQUEL TO PHOENIX RISING
When Kyri Vantage, Phoenix Justiciar of Myrionar, with the help of her companions Tobimar Silverun of Skysand and the unexpectedly dangerous little Toad, Poplock Duckweed, defeated monstrous killer Thornfalcon and unmasked a conspiracy of treacherous False Justiciars, she knew the job was only partly done. A dark power stirs on the far side of the terrifying Rivendream Pass. Now, as the world shudders at the arrival of the Black City, of the King of All Hells, Kyri, Tobimar, and Poplock must venture beyond Rivendream Pass and into Moonshade Hollowa place from which none have ever returned. What they find there will challenge everything they believe in and conceals a menace they cannot imagine.
Kal Spriggs 