Endland teeters on the brink of destruction, are Bryce, Zack and Johnny ready to be chosen?
Fractured Sky by Nick McPherson is book two in the Grim King Saga coming January 21st to eBook and Print. Learn more at his linktree.
“We met a wizard and a king and spent the night in a castle. We’re on the run with a guy who says he’s like 200 years old and is a way less hot version of Storm.”
First off, if you haven’t read Nick McPherson’s book, <a href="https://swordscale.com/review-chosen-the-new-order/" data-type="post" data-id="539"><em>Chosen: The New Order</em></a>, that’s definitely the place to begin you’re journey to Endland. Go check it out and then c’mon back here.
Fractured Sky begins with a bang. The opening pages whisk you squarely from the aftermath of book I into sudden, edge-of-your-seat tension from the get go. The end of the book packs enough momentum to carry you squarely into Grim King III whenever that appears. As with the previous book, the story follows Bryce, Johnny and Zack on their Endland adventure, but this time, McPherson zooms out, pulling us into the life and world of the Stars — the warrior servants of the Chosen, committed to their safety — which is a tough gig, since they’re trying to protect a bunch of mischievous pre-teen boys. As you can guess, trouble ensues, and it runs the gamut from the terrifying to the delightful. Endland is boiling, the Grim are on the move, and it’s everything Walding Zarlorn and his precocious proteges can do to keep civilization from crumbling into the sea.
I really enjoyed Fractured Sky and look forward to McPherson’s next book. Like Chosen, the pacing is a bit uneven, and I did struggle through some of the POV shifts. On the other hand, Mikel’s story really grabbed me. He seemed like a fascinating character in book I who we saw too little of, and here we get to experience him in his element. I loved the duel in the thieves tavern, for example. This book is full of those sorts of gems, when it isn’t literally in a Dwarven mine. I’d struggled in book I and the early pages of this volume with the king, who seems to be his own worst enemy — but McPherson finally gives him a moment in this book to reveal his humanity.
If you enjoyed Chosen and are keen to experience the next chapter in the story, you won’t be disappointed. Dive right in!