The Phoenix Endangered : Book Two of the Enduring Flame

I just finished reading The Phoenix Endangered.
Mercedes Lackey, my all time favorite author, has one again teamed up with writer James Mallory for the second book in the series that they call The Enduring Flame. This series takes place thousands of years after their previous series The Obsidian Trilogy.

In The Phoenix Endangered , second in The Enduring Flame, Tiercel, a budding High Mage, and Harrier, a reluctant Knight-Mage, develop greater power-and learn of the evils of war when they see the devastation caused by the fanatical armies of the Wild Mage Bisochim. The desert tribespeople led by young Shaiara flee Bisochim''s evil, seeking a legendary oasis deep in the desert-a refuge that may hold the key to stopping Bisochim and preserving the Balance between Light and Darkness . . . Or that may be the cause of Light''s ultimate downfall.

I did enjoy this book, but not as much as I originally had hoped to. I re-read The Phoenix Unchained again when Endangered came out on paperback so that I could remember what had happened in the story thus far.

I was happy to realize that the first book was just as good the second time as it was the first. I could barley put it down. This, however was not the case with the second book. Don't get me wrong, I really did enjoy it, but it wasn't as engaging. The two main characters spend a lot of time traveling in not very exciting ways. I also noticed that they tend to argue constantly. Now that is something that was also in the first, but it didn't seem quite as prevalent. Or maybe it was just the desert. I have a very hard time being interested in anything that takes place mostly in or on the edge of a desert. (hint hint Final Fantasy XII)

I really hope that the third and final installment to this trilogy, The Phoenix Transformed, (now out in hard cover) will bring something amazing to the table.

Otherwise it has absolutely no chance in living up to The Obsidian Trilogy. Which is really a shame, because I loved that series so much. It might even be one of my favorite series by Mercedes at all, and that's saying something.

Overall Rating:  3 1/2 out of 5 stars