Way better than the first

This book begins as abruptly as the last one ended so you may have to pick up the last book and familiarize yourself with the characters again. Once it got started though, it was great. Characters got a lot more complex. Plots that were alluded to In the first book get fleshed out this time. Unfortunately it ends just as abruptly and I'll probably have to Reread it before the next one comes out as well.

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Definitely Worth the Wait

I really enjoyed the first book of this series by Dima Zales and Anna Zaires, The Sorcery Code, and so I was very excited when the second book came out. Once again, I was completely satisfied with the story, the authors, and the narrator. And, once again, I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!

The story line of The Spell Realm begins right where it left off in The Sorcery Code, and the characters all are the same people we came to know and adore in the first story. I was very happy about that since sometimes; authors decide to take the characters in entirely new directions of personality in sequels. I was also happy to find that Emily Durante was the narrator for this second book because I loved her use of voice in the first volume. Emily perfectly captures the personality elements for each of the characters, and through her, we are right there with Blaise, Gala, and all the others as they make their way in this wonderful world of magic and mystique.

If you haven’t read, or listened to The Spell Realm yet, I suggest you do so as soon as you can. You won’t be disappointed, but you will be surprised!

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Great Sequel

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and had high hopes for the sequel. I was not disappointed.

The story picked up pretty smoothly from where The Sorcery Code left off, and even though it had been a while since I finished the first book, I was able to jump right into this one. The familiar characters are back, along with a new face or two, but I won't spoil that surprise. The authors did a really nice job of continuing to flesh out the characters while keeping the story going with plenty of action and intrigue.

For some reason, I enjoyed the narration by Emily Durante much more with this book. Maybe I just needed to get used to her voice, but I thought she did a better job with this book than she did with the first one.

Thank you, Dima Zales, Anna Zaires and Emily Durante for creating another action packed, fun filled fantasy which includes some ideas not explored very often in the genre. I would definitely recommend this book and its predecessor to any fantasy lover!

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Definitely Worth the Time

Would you listen to The Spell Realm again? Why?

I will, to understand the story line more thoroughly

What other book might you compare The Spell Realm to and why?

Definitely the first one of this series. Actually I liked the first one even more.

What about Emily Durante’s performance did you like?

Emily Durante was brilliant as before, however I found the story less engaging compared to its prequel.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I heard the book from audible in my car audio on a long trip to LA.

Any additional comments?

got the book now. Hope I would like it more while reading. I would definitely recommend the book to everyone who love fantasy genre in general.

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Love the story, and how the magic works

What did you like best about this story?

I love how the magic works in this series, it is very mathematical oriented meaning that you as a magitcans have to write down on paper a mathematical equation and feed it to a stone.

Which character – as performed by Emily Durante – was your favorite?

Gala: Gala is an innocent being whom have been created from magic, and have the abillity to bring forward powerfull magic without these mathematical formulaes. she is very curius about the world around her and at the same time can be a little scared of that world.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

is there comming a third book???
only waiting for one :)

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Amazing....

What made the experience of listening to The Spell Realm the most enjoyable?

The way the story is written and Emily Durante's narration.

Which scene was your favorite?

I think my favorite was when the people where trying to escape from the storm and Gala was able to break the storm apart.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Gala knew she had to go back to the spell realm.

Any additional comments?

I hope that Dima Zales and Anna Zaires allows Emily Durante to narrate more of the books!

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Captivating and every bit as good as the first!

Would you listen to The Spell Realm again? Why?

I definitely would. Emily Durante's narrative style is in many ways an ideal to uphold, and an absolute pleasure to the listener. She strikes the perfect balance between a neutral tonality for the narrator, and a diverse spectrum of emotions and modulation for the various characters. But what is even better is that through all the subtle variations that she manages in order to portray the different lead characters, you always feel Durante herself coming through. I've heard audio-books where the narrator tries too hard to create too big of a distinction among the different characters' voices, and it ends up sounding fake and forced. Durante, on the other hand, maintains a consistent and pleasant tone throughout the 7 hours of narration and imbibes enough personality into each characters' words, that listening to the book is as exciting a journey as it is a comfortable one.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I cannot choose between Gala and Barson, so I'll say: both! In the first part, we see significant changes in Gala's understanding of this world, as she accumulates experience and exposure to wondrous and incredibly trying situations. In this second installment, that journey continues as she is tested again and again, as she becomes familiar with new emotions, and discovers newfound ambition. Barson, on the other hand, takes on a much more central role in this book than in the first one, and for me personally - he replaces Blaise, as the pivotal male character, filled with naive ambition and hubris. Right from the beginning of this part, we see Barson taking matters into his own hand about turning the calamity of the battle and the ensuing disturbance in the kingdom to his advantage. Also, I always have had a soft corner for flawed characters, especially in a central role, which is what drew me to Blaise in the first part, and to Barson in this one.

What does Emily Durante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I have always preferred reading a book and am fairly new to the world of audiobooks. I have been disappointed more than once, because as I mentioned earlier, narrators have often turned out to be more of a distraction from a comfortable flow of a story, than an aid to help with it. In this case, though, Emily Durante brought with her voice a distinctive extra element, that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but it positively added to my experience. She set the mood brilliantly for each scene - whether a sombre one between Augusta and the councilmen, a sensuous one between Gala and Blaise, or one filled with deviousness between Barson and Larn. This is a narrative that shifts among the points of view of the lead characters, and Durante does a great job of exploring the subtle changes in voice and expression with her vocal control and modulation.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

In general, I found Zales' descriptions of the natural surroundings in this fantastical world quite beautiful and moving. World-building is most definitely one of his strengths, and crucial for high fantasy such as this. In particular, though, I loved the parts where Blaise and Gala were taking shelter with peasants in the mountain villages, and their general interactions, with folks whom the sorcerer population mostly never bothered to know about. Gala's wonder at the terrifying storm that shook the village, her and Blaise's protective instinct for these people made for quite a touching passage in this book.

Any additional comments?

Just like the first book, the story has a very smooth and well-paced progression, which I prefer in light reads such as The Sorcery Code. The world-building even though just as deftly handled in this book as the first, was ever so slightly less belabored; while in the first book much more attention was given to characterizing the physical and magical world that was Klodun, this book did far more in terms of exploring the depth of individual characters, their intentions, and interpersonal relationships.

Overall, quite an enjoyable read. Zales is able to achieve exactly what he set out to with this light but engrossing, high fantasy sequel to a rather promising series. With sufficient twists in the plot, and a rather interesting new character introduced in this book (who will likely play a very important role in the next part), he makes sure that his readers definitely come back for thirds!

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Fast-Paced Romance Keeps You Wanting More

What did you love best about The Spell Realm?

I liked the battle scene the best. It was well-choreographed and full of tension. I could feel Gala's emotions throughout the entire conflict. I wanted to fast-forward the audio to find out the conclusion of the battle - it filled me with so much excitement. I am glad I didn't though. Each moment gave such insight into the characters' motivations and goals.

What other book might you compare The Spell Realm to and why?

I would compare The Spell Realm to Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. Frankenstein's monster was more powerful than anyone society had every seen. Everyone was frightened of it. All Victor Frankenstein wanted was to create life. His creation was innocent and caring. But, his emotions made him do things he regretted. He had more strength than he could handle. That strength led to his destruction of those he loved. Most of the Sorcery Council is terrified of Gala - of her extreme power. None of them stop to consider what her motives might be. The Council, Augusta in particular, hates Gala and will stop at nothing to see her (and Gala's creator/lover) destroyed. Gala only wants to help others, but her spell power is overwhelming and she has so much trouble keeping those powers in check. Will she ever learn to control them? Or will they overpower her so much that she will destroy the one man who can save her?

Did Emily Durante do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Emily Durante did a great job with Gala and each of the female characters. I was a bit disappointed with her portrayal of the male characters, however. It was a distraction at times.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were several times I wanted to skip ahead to find out what was going to happen. I was on the edge of my seat. Would the Council decide to go after Gala? Would Augusta go after Gala herself? Would Gala ever be able to control her powers? I had such concern for Gala and Blaise.

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A great sequel of a unique book

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene of Gala, dominating the Storm - it was an amazing and at the same time scary scene, in which the willpower of one person can conquer the force of nature...

Any additional comments?

I loved every chapter of this great sequel of the unique fantasy by Dima Zales. As I expected I was not disapointed - the fast-paced tempo, the unexpected turn of events and the great characters that I have grown to love so much were as best as ever. I recommend this book to all fantasy fans - it is a great experience and you will not regret your choice. This second book of The Sorcery Code left me as eager to read more about Gala and Blaise as the first one so I can't wait for a third book of the series

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spellbinding

Would you consider the audio edition of The Spell Realm to be better than the print version?

I personally LOVE having the audible copy of a book, as I am so busy. With audible reading the story to me, my infant son and I will be playing, or I'll be doing dishes during his nap time, and I can still enjoy "reading" a book, while getting things done around the house.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Spell Realm?

There were a lot of moments I enjoyed, but IT think the most memorable moment would be during the large storm and a giant battle. (I don't want to give away some of the best moments here.

What does Emily Durante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brings a voice to the characters, though not always with the same emotion or feeling I would think the author intended, it helped to separate characters a little with her inflections.

Any additional comments?

While some reviewers who posted on the first novel had issues with things such her how beautiful Gala is (for example) I was able to suspend my disbelief during several scenes and truly enjoyed the storyline. We are left hanging a little with dabbles of a promise of more to come, so I hope that there will be a third story in this series!!!

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