The Severaine is book two in The Forgotten Legacies series by K.J. Simmill, a gripping and powerful sequel to the award-winning book, Darrienia. A dangerous, very powerful force is at work and is about to bring every living thing to annihilation. After being set free, the monster feeds on every living thing, draining life to replenish the power it has lost by getting free from its long-time prison. It is the worst threat humanity has had to face in its history and it will stop at nothing. Even Zeus sits up in the clouds, unable to do anything about it. But could this be the end of human civilization? Is darkness about to extinguish every hope in humanity?

It is in dire times that heroes are made and Daniel is one such hero, a character that readers will fall in love and suffer with. He is a man with his own woes, but very keen on the sense of good and justice. Once again, here is a monumental struggle between the forces of good and evil and K.J. Simmill demonstrates a great skill in characterization and plot, with each page laced with surprising twists to arrest the attention of readers and have them turning the pages. As one reads this beautiful and impassioned, gritty story, it becomes even harder not to imagine it being played out on the big screen. The prose is elegant and highly descriptive, conjuring up images that will stay in readers’ minds for a very long time. It was a delight reading The Severaine.

At last, this is another splendid blend of fantasy and dystopian with an exciting setting, compelling characters, a great story line and an excellent narrative style. K.J. Simmill’s The Severaine is a stellar entry into a series that seems as promising as it is entertaining, The Forgotten Legacies. It’s a story that revolves around a very powerful, seemingly indomitable threat to the human race. The Severaine is a creature of evil, perhaps something as cunning and as evil as Cronus in the Clash of the Titans. Now freed from its prison, it has only one purpose: devour everything in its path, consume as many lives as possible until it becomes even stronger. The hope for the survival of humankind is very slim, and it is this dismal hope that makes characters like Daniel stand out and win the sympathy of readers.

The Severaine features many powerful themes and the most dominant one is the clash of evil against good and the author explores how the human mind can be twisted to want to use a dark power for very personal and egotistical ends. The author demonstrates great knowledge of ancient mythology, featuring entities like Zeus and creating a universe where evil and God co-exist. The evil power in this narrative will remind some readers of the magical Ring in the Lord of the Rings. Besides creating a very powerful conflict, the author also creates heroes who are so human, flawed, but guided by something beyond themselves — a deep sense of justice and the will to fight for what they believe in. K.J. Simmill’s book is the kind that you read and then pick up again to read.

Dark times do arrive in the history of human evolution and when they do, heroes rise, too. It’s been the case with great epic works, and K.J. Simmill’s The Severaine is one of those books that captures this reality brilliantly. Part of a series, this book captures the conflict between good and evil on a monumental scale, with characters that are very well imagined and beautifully developed. The Severaine is a being with extraordinary powers and an unquenchable thirst to take every life that crosses its path. Since acquiring its freedom, the monster does nothing except feed on other lives, increasing its power. Is there a way to stop it? Can its power be tapped into and used for a good purpose? Can Daniel and a group of dedicated men find answers quickly and save humankind from perdition, or will they be overrun by the might of the beast?

K.J. Simmill starts the narrative with powerful descriptions, drawing the reader in by introducing the conflict, first in the minds of the characters and, not so long from there, the reader is swept off their feet and pulled into a world of intense action. The story is well paced and the author has the uncanny skill of building tension in readers with well-crafted scenes that leave them longing to know what follows after. The language is impeccably good. What I enjoyed about the writing is that the author doesn’t shy away from telling and, although this is book two in the series, readers are not bogged down with unnecessary backstory. The Severaine is a masterpiece and I won’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a great read. Great writing, plot, and characters.

K.J. Simmill’s The Severaine is book 2 in The Forgotten Legacies series, a story that will have fantasy lovers and readers interested in dystopian tales enthralled. The story centers on a seemingly simple concept: there is a malicious being, a monster whose power grows every waking hour, and it’s bent on increasing its power by feeding on anything that has life. It is the biggest threat known in the history of man and the gods. It seems like time is running out fast and if nothing is done immediately, this monster could be the end of the world. But what could be done when even Zeus has withdrawn himself from the affairs of the world? Readers are introduced to courageous men like Daniel, each with his own background and personal struggles, trying to figure out how to stop this monster, or can it be tamed instead?

There is a lot I loved about K.J. Simmill’s writing. The first is the powerful cast of characters. Then there is the great writing with descriptions that are compelling and that draw the reader in irresistibly. It is interesting to see how the author pays attention to details without sacrificing the pace. The reader is introduced to the conflict right at the start, and the hook comes across forcefully when the author presents the monster and its thirst. Then there is also the personality of Daniel, a man plagued with dreams and visions of a bleak future. I enjoyed that K.J. Simmill’s characters are very human, that they know fear, that each has something to worry about. For instance, Daniel “feared the night more than his death. Death was an end, a release, and through it he would find peace. But to sleep was to invite dreams.” The Severaine is huge entertainment.