Sarah Remy - Across the Long Sea

15. Across the Long Sea by Sarah Remy (2015)
The Bone Magic Series Book 2
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Started: 5 September 2016
Finished: 21 September 2016
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read. I also acquired a second copy through Apple I-Books.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 June 2016 from Dorothy; Since 12 September 2016 from Apple I-Books.
Why do I have it? I like historical fantasy and have read and enjoyed Stonehill Downs: A Novel by the same author in the past.

Malachi Doyle is the King's Lord Vocent - a man of many talents and very few fears. His responsibilities to king and kingdom are many: as protector, royal investigator and assassin, the trusted right hand of King Renault, himself. Indeed as the most valued asset in Wilhaiim, Malachi has become much beloved by the king, and truly indispensable. And until he met Avani of the cursed village of Stonehill Downs, Mal had always believed himself to be the last of his kind - a magus with the extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead.

When Mal receives an urgent summons to return home to his native province of Selkirk, he reluctantly sets out to make the journey. However, the kingdom of Wilhaiim is left vulnerable when the magus and his young page, Liam, are ambushed and seized from the bustling seaport of Selkirk. As the two hostages battle for their lives on board a ship bound for the fractured kingdom of Roue - a warring kingdom across the Long Sea - Malachi soon learns that Roue is a kingdom in need of its own magus; willing to resort to such desperate measures to acquire one.

To make matters worse, a springtime plague is spreading rapidly through Wilhaiim and decimating the population. While it is believed that the sickness is being caused by some natural contagion - and nothing more mysterious than that - the situation is no less dangerous in the realm of the fair folk. Beneath the earth the sidhe have been preparing for war; but otherwise have kept to themselves for the past year.

A year ago, a majority of the residents living in the village formerly known as Stonehill Downs were murdered, and the entire village razed to ground by dark magic. While many others believe the land is now cursed, Avani - one of the very few survivors - nevertheless has been working diligently with certain members of the sidhe to rebuild her home. However after she receives devastating news of Mal's abduction from his own home province, Avani reluctantly steps into his position as Wilhaiim's magus.

Her allies are few and treachery may surround her - but despite hearing a myriad of conflicting reports to the contrary - she is beyond certain that Mal is still alive. Avani's own innate talents tell her that much. However, while her powers as a magus may be wholly unreliable and completely untested, will she ultimately be able to use them appropriately - to keep Wilhaiim, as well as herself - safe?

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this sequel to Stonehill Downs: A Novel by Sarah Remy. While I was only slightly disappointed that the two main characters spent the majority of the story apart, I soon came to understand that this distance actually enhanced their separate storylines. In my opinion, this was definitely a dramatic sequel - one which moved the story along at a surprising pace. I was intrigued by this story and appreciated the further development of the characters. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future and would certainly give Across the Long Sea an A!

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often