Merchant of Alyss (Legends of the Realm #2) by Thomas Locke

Cover design by Kirk DouPonce, dogearreddesign.com

​Hyam lives a life many long for; married to the beautiful and talented Joelle, admired by the citizens of Falmouth, a hero in his own time. Hyam is living the quiet, peaceful life, though it is bittersweet because of the pain and sorrow he feels over losing his magic after the Battle of Emoris.
When Hyam comes into contact with an ancient MIlantian scroll, he feels a magical connection. However, Hyam is the only one who can read the scroll and what he reads could lead to a massive war. In an attempt to prevent the war and find answers about the mysterious scroll, Hyam, Joelle, and a group of loyal friends and allies embark on a journey to the forgotten city of Alyss. While Hyam seeks answers however, something dark and sinister is seeking him.
I found this second instalment in the “Legends of the Realms” series to be another entertaining journey through this fantasy realm.
The characters are well rounded and developed. Each character encountered is developed in such a way that they are believable as actual living beings who avoid mass generalizations. The interactions between the characters help to enunciate personality traits, flaws and strengths. The author also included character interactions with setting and environment which allowed the story to be more realistic and relatable.
The environments and the settings throughout the novel, are rich with detail without being overwhelming. The effects that different environments had upon the characters helped to set this novel above others in its genre. You don’t travel for weeks across an arid desert without working up a sweat.
The plot line is invigorating, bringing the reader directly into the story. A large portion of this novel revolves around discovery; discovery of the scroll, discovery of mysteries, discovery of answers and more questions. Despite this, the adventure and the excitement are still present and as thrilling as in the first novel.
I would give this novel four out of five stars.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves unique and exciting fantasy novels.
I borrowed a copy of this novel from my local library and have permission from the publishers at Revell to use the image of the cover artwork featured above. 

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