Warning: this review may contain spoilers for book one, Prince of Shadow and Ash. Please click here to read my review of book one.
Staff of Nightfall is a deliciously satisfying conclusion to The Mercenary and the Mage duology that picks up right where Prince of Shadow and Ash left off. The pacing of this novel is spot on. It isn’t non-stop action, but, even at calmer moments, there is a constant thread of tension that propels the story forward. The teaming up of our two villains from book one is a double whammy for which I was completely unprepared despite being warned by the ending of book one. The constant threat of one or the other had my pulse pounding, wondering when the next attack would come. I appreciate that these foes and the other obstacles Regulus and Adelaide face are not easily vanquished. Their struggle makes the victories more realistic and the rewards that much sweeter.
When it comes to romance in novels, I’m all about the chase and I tend to “check out” once the girl gets her guy/girl or vice versa. There is a unique quality to Regulus and Adelaide’s relationship that makes me hunger for more of them. Perhaps it is their constant struggle to prove their love for one another (both to each other and outsiders). More likely, it is the fact that their relationship continues to develop and grow despite being “together” for the entirety of the book. Gonzalez managed to continue carving their already multi-faceted relationship, creating more complexities and nuggets of goodness (for lack of a better phrase) that kept me yearning for more. The two main characters are not the only ones affected by this magic. I enjoyed delving deeper into the minds and lives of the secondary characters too. In fact, Gonzalez has managed to create secondary characters that don’t feel secondary. They are purposeful and thoughtfully utilized to further various aspects of the plot without detracting from the strength of the main characters. However, many of these secondary characters could be main characters in their own right. (I would read those books.) In this book, I fell more in love with Dresden and came to hate Nolan even more than I already did. I’m grateful to Gonzalez for taking the time to cultivate a friendship between Dresden and Adelaide that had its share of trials. Their common love of Regulus was an endearing thread that enhanced each of their relationships with Regulus and each other.
Adelaide is a force to be reckoned with. I adored her in POSAA, but her fierce determination, strength, and unwavering love make her the ultimate heroine. She’s my super hero in spite of her recurring self-doubt, which only makes her more beautifully human in my eyes. It didn’t escape my notice that she and Regulus are the exact antithesis of the sorcerer and Nolan. While that doesn’t make them perfect (in fact they are both greatly flawed), it does create a sense of balance that rounds out the story effortlessly. I’d love to see more of these types of characters in Fantasy novels.
I highly recommend this series for those that are nostalgic for a classic fantasy story that redefines our perceptions of evil with artfully crafted characters and an engaging romance.
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had the privilege of interviewing author Selina R. Gonzalez. Click here to view interview.