Risen by Auryn Hadley – A Book Review

Posted November 5, 2019 by Booksandblurbs in Epic, Fantasy, Reverse Harem, Reviews, Sci-Fi / 1 Comment

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Risen

(Rise of the Iliri – Book 10)

by Auryn Hadley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Slow Burn Epic Fantasy / Sci Fi RH
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down and Dirty

The ending… but not. This is Book 10 in the long running ROTI series and is a MUST read for any Auryn Hadley fan. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

In the final stretch of the war, the rules are changing faster than Anglia can keep up. The Kaisae of all Iliri is gone. Her mates are holding the army together. Her dreams are changing everything—and Sal? She’s not done yet.

The Emperor has taken too much from her. Life, loves, and much of her happiness. All she has left is desperation—and blind trust.

But she’s not alone. She never has been.

If the iliri want to finally know peace, she’s going to need some help. For once, the success of their species is out of her hands.

Ryali has promised to handle the situation in Dorton. This leaves the King free to focus on the assault of Terric. Elite units are lining up to help. The end of the war is near, but can Anglia truly make this happen? The fight is the least of their concerns. Killing a man is easy. Changing minds? That’s going to be impossible.

And yet it’s the whole reason the iliri have risen up: to finally be seen as equals. If this is going to work, it’s going to take more than ayati—more than the fate the iliri believe controls the world.

It’s time for the pattern to change.

Note from the Publisher

Like in all of the Rise of the Iliri novels, this epic fantasy story focuses on loving relationships, platonic and romantic, with a steamy reverse harem theme. Sal’s erotic love scenes with are explicit and almost unbearably titillating, although not for all readers—especially humans under eighteen.

A Reverse Harem Epic Fantasy.

Thoughts on Risen

If you’ve lived and loved with Sal and her mates over the last nine books, then this, the tenth book, can, and almost is, the end. It ties threads, answers questions, ends a war, sees relationships grow and thrive and even creates a way forward for a continent full of people really just learning to recognize each other’s intelligence and right to life.

It’s complicated, beautiful, painful and perfect – but it’s not all. No, Hadley has offered up yet another book in this expansive series… an eleventh book that encompasses the true epilogue. How astounding is that?

Favorite Line

The most heroic among us aren’t those with the easy paths. They’re the ones willing to bite, claw, and fight their way to the end. (94%)

Pros:

That cover – you can actually SEE her white tattoos!
The war is finally ending.
Fate cannot be denied, but it can be changed… or bent.
The relationships are wonderful – and almost too balanced.
Many of the action scenes are clearer and cleaner than previous novels.
So many characters to love.

Cons:

Keeping up with the characters is getting complicated.
I love Blaec… kinda. But this feels like he has TOO much to do with the pattern, her life and the future. Dead is dead.
Still annoyed with the giggling.
Hax…. enough said.

Perspective

Third Person, Multiple POV

Ending Type

Episodic, almost HEA

Rating

NC-17

Romantic Dynamic

MMMMMMF

Character Age Range

24+

Final Verdict on Risen

This serves as the perfect pseudo end to a wonderful series. Threads are tied, answers given and the future restored – and isn’t that what we all want in our Epic Fantasy? Free on KU!

Published September 13th, 2019
724 Pages