Lord of the Fading Lands

This fantasy-romance debut features faerie king Rain Tairen Soul, a man tormented by age-old grief: a thousand years ago, the woman he loved was slain in battle, and in his rage he laid waste to half the world. Now his people are dying out and the evil mages of Eld are rising again. When Rain hears the call of his lost soul mate, Ellysetta, he journeys to the neighboring kingdom to find her; when he claims a woodcarver’s daughter as his mate, he scandalizes the nobility of her country and rouses the interest of Eld’s wicked wizards, who come seeking her in order to get at Rain. The first book in a series, much of this volume is devoted to establishing the characters and their world, at the expense of plot. Though the extended courtship between Rain and Ellysetta can grow tedious, the story moves well enough to hold readers’ interest and draw them into the sequel (due in November), which should advance the plot significantly. A promising start, this series should have great appeal for fans of fantasy and will likely reward romance readers for whom patience is not a problem. (Oct.)