Lord of the Fading Lands

Written by C. L. Wilson

Narrated by Abby Craden

USA Today and New York Times bestselling author C. L. Wilson’s hugely popular, epic romantasy series about a beautiful girl who would be queen, the Fey King, and their eternal battle for true love in the mystical Fading Lands.

Once he drove back the darkness. Once he loved with such passion his name was legend.

Once, driven wild with grief over the murder of his beloved, the majestic Fey King Rain Tairen Soul had laid waste to the world before vanishing into the Fading Lands. Now, a thousand years later, a new threat draws him back into the world—and a new love reawakens the heart he thought long-dead.

Ellysetta, a woodcarver’s daughter, calls to Rain in a way no other ever has. Mysterious and magical, her soul beckons him with a compelling, seductive song—and no matter the cost, the wildness in his blood will not be denied. As an ancient, familiar evil regains its strength, causing centuries-old alliances to crumble and threatening doom for Rain and his people, he must claim his true mate to embrace the destiny woven for them both in the mists of time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Feb 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063084483

C. L. Wilson

C. L. Wilson wrote her first story at age six, many years, hundreds of false starts, and five completed novels later, she received “The Call” in October 2006, and sold her epic fantasy romance, Tairen Soul, at auction. Her debut novel spent two weeks on the USA Today bestseller list, and her subsequent novels have gone on to hit a variety of bestseller lists including New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly.

Reviews for Lord of the Fading Lands

[Aryanne Rian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One thing I despise is 3rd person omniscient, so that may be the reason I struggled to follow the story in some sections. There were some characters that definitely did not need their POV and it takes a while for the reader to get used to jumping around in different minds. However, once you do it gets better. I also found some of the fae characteristics annoying. For example, Rain constantly not being in “control” was tiresome and repetitive and the aspect that female fae were too “soft” to kill got to me. Overall, I feel that the good overpowers the bad in this story and as a result, I plan to continue the series.

[Shari Blake · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Steamy, magical, romantic epic fantasy. With Shapeshifters, fae warriors, royalty and political intrigue, strong emotions, attraction, passions and some mystery and action. I enjoyed this epic fantasy romance novel, the writing is excellent and mesmerizing. The romance is a bit over the top but very entertaining. The narrator is excellent. I love her voice for the ancient fae king, really well done. Onward to Book 2.

[tornadox-962417 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Did not care to finish this aggressively straight romance. Fantasy world was too binary in terms of gender relation, e.g. only male Fey can become warriors. Evil mages are evil and do rapey things. Good guys are good, despite their tortured pasts.

[addictofromance · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ver reisa ku'chae. Kem surah, shei'tani. Your soul calls out. Mine answers, beloved.Rain Tairen Soul is the King of the Fading Lands, and has survived for centuries, and after losing the woman he once loved, spent countless years bent on revenge against those who killed the woman who was gentle and kind and gracious. Now determined to find out the truth and the evil that threatens his people, he finds out that he has a truemate, the woman that is the other half of his soul. He never thought it possible he would ever have a truemate, but now that he has found her, he will never let her go. Ellysetta or also known as Ellie, lives in a mortal city known as Celiera, a place where she grew up. Her father being a woodcarver, she grew up in a simple yet loving atmosphere. her family is everything to her. Ellie knows that soon she will have to marry soon, and the man her parents would have her wed, leaves a bad taste in her mouth, she wishes more than anything to marry anyone but him. Ellie is not a normal mortal, she has suffered nightmares and convulsions all of her life. When Tairen Soul, king and the most powerful Tairen alive comes to their city, she is intrigued. All of Ellie's life, she has been fascinated with Tairen Soul and anything connection to the myths and legends he has left behind. The last thing she expects is for Tairen Soul to come swooping down and claiming her as his truemate. She wonders if his vision is impaired or is drunk. Ellie has always believed herself to be awkward, unattractive and not built in the way most men desire a women to be shaped. There is a part of her that can't resist Tairen, or his gentle ways with her. Even though the passion they share can be fierce, she finds her heart opening up to Rain and his protectiveness and fierce devotion.I have heard about this series for a very long time and have always wanted to read these books, which I have heard stellar reviews on. So I decided it was time to try them out, especially since I do love fantasy romance. From the first few pages, I was instantly hooked, and I couldn't put this epic story down. I was blown away by the author's voice and the world building she does with the Tairen Soul series. Even though this is the only book I have read from this author, I am hooked, I can barely sit still with excitement to read what happens between Tairen and Elllie. In the beginning I was a bit confused with what was happening, but that usually happens with this type of story, with a huge aspect of world building. It tends to take a little while to get adjusted and settled into the story. I am not saying I had a hard time getting into the story, (the very opposite as a matter of fact). However I do wish there was a bit more background to the story in the prologue. It did have some background information, but I felt like there may have been a bit more. However once the story picked up, I started to feel comfortable and everything seemed to come together pretty nicely only after a few chapters. It was amazing how well the author put the story together in such a way, that there was no confusion at all and the ease that came with reading Lord of the Fading Lands. So it starts off with Tairen Soul seeking the truth to saving his people, but instead finds out about his truemate, which is the last thing he would expect. It then jumps to Ellie, who along with her two younger sisters, is getting prepared for a visit from fey warriors. Then the first meeting between Tairen and Ellie occurs, and it definitely satisfied every romantic bone in my body. I just sighed at that point, definitely full of desire and intensity, and I could barely contain my excitement. We then see the King and strongest of his people, humble himself beyond reason in order to court Ellie, who is young and inexperienced but beautiful in spirit and soul.Both of these characters I absolutely adored. Ellie is sweet and charming and very innocent, and has no clue of the power that resides within her. She is very protective and fierce when she needs to be, but is simple and has been raised in a home of love and wants that for herself. She doesn't just give in to Tairen and accept his claim hands down, she tests him, even though it was subtle, I had fun seeing Ellie warm up to Tairen. She does have self doubt about herself, but I think that con's to Ellie made her seem more real to me, and I felt it easy to relate with her. Tairen was beyond amazing, and he is going to the top of my list of hero's. Tairen is your typical Alpha Male, however there is much more to him than that. He does have a dominant and beyond possessive side. He also has a gentle and patient nature toward Ellie, that is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings. The side characters were fun and exciting and charming. The relationship between Tairen and Ellie starts out like any relationship does, with stumbling blocks but I did enjoy the way they compromised with each other, and start to develop a deeper bond to each other as the story progressed. I definitely didn't want this story to ever end, and it ended way sooner than I would have liked. I did expect a cliffhanger of some sort, since this series is just about this couple (At least I think it is), but it ended on a good note, but just enough cliffhanger, to keep you thirsty for me, yet not frustrated, just hungry for the next installment.Overall I would say this is one of the best books I have read ALL year!!! There was so many things I loved about the first in the Tairen series. Such a beautiful world C. L. Wilson creates for us. An exciting and enthralling tale of a epic love and a world with magic, paranormal creatures, and characters to bewitch you. BRILLIANTLY DONE!!!

[jkfairchild · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Don’t let the ugly cover fool you! This book is phenomenal.
Me thinks SJMaas stole a lot of her ideas from this book. So if you love ACOTAR, don’t sleep on this!!!

[Little Arcia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

OMG! I am addicted! I listened to this narrated by Abby Craden. She narrated the book like she was weaving magic! Amazing! Fey, magic, mages, kings and romance! I can't ask for more!

[mom2lnb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lord of the Fading Lands is the first book in C. L. Wilson’s epic fantasy romance series, Tairen Soul. Rain is the king of the Fey and the Tairen Soul. But both the Fey and the Tairen are dying out and Rain is at a loss as to how to save them. When he asks the Eye of Truth what he can do, the answer he receives is the image of a young woman of Celieria, the human realm, so he begins the journey there to find her. Elysetta is the daughter of a woodcarver, who is fascinated by stories of the Fey. When they hear of Rain’s visit, the first time he’s come to Celieria in a thousand years, she’s eager to take her two little sisters to see the Tairen Soul in person. Before he ever reached Celieria, Rain heard Ellie’s soul cry out to him and now knows that she’s his truemate, so after seeing her in the crowd and saving her from being trampled, he claims her as his own. However, what he doesn’t know is that she’s already been betrothed to someone else, and getting that betrothal overturned could cause an international political incident. Even once he does, he’ll have to court Ellie and win her over so that she will accept their truemate bond. And then there are their enemies who are out to destroy them. Rain has sensed that the Elden Mages are once again rising in power and Ellie may not be as human as she seems. Together they will have to fight off the Mages’ dark sorcery, while Ellie battles the darkness inside her in order to find true happiness and peace.Rainier is the Feyreisen, the King of the Fey, and the Tairen Soul, able to shape-shift into a Tairen, a great winged, fire-breathing cat. The Fey and the Tairen are dependent upon one another and both are dying out. Rain knows he must do something to save them, so when he receives the vision of Ellie in the Eye of Truth, he doesn’t hesitate to go looking for her. Rain’s exploits are legendary, but he’s also feared, for he once loved a woman with such great passion that when Sariel was murdered, he went mad with Fey Wilding Rage and scorched the entire land, killing thousands. However, Sariel was merely the mate of his heart and not a truemate. Every Tairen Soul before him has walked alone and none ever had a truemate until Rain senses Ellie. Once he claims her and discovers that she’s already betrothed, he won’t take no for an answer when it comes to breaking that betrothal. Although it’s difficult to rein in the beast within him, he uses diplomacy to get his way, but in doing so, he makes an enemy of the man who is set aside. Although Rain has sensed the rising power of the Elden Mages, he has no idea that one is in Celieria, manipulating people and trying to get to Ellie. Surrounded by foes, he’ll have his work cut out for him keeping his shei’tani safe until their wedding day while winning over her heart. Rain is just too cool for words! A hero who can shift into a giant cat dragon? Yes, please!;-) Not to mention, he’s an honorable man who takes his role as the Feyreisen very seriously, as well as protecting Ellie and everyone who is important to him. Although he dropped out of the sky, scooped Ellie up, and claimed her as his truemate, she still has a choice in the matter as to whether she’ll ultimately accept the truemate bond, which is more than I can say for her first betrothal. He also courts her very sweetly, and even though it’s difficult to keep the beast inside in check, he wouldn’t dream of breaking his oath to leave her physically untouched until their wedding, although he has some fun, magical ways of getting around it.;-) So overall, Rain was a hero I really fell for.Elysetta was found abandoned in the woods as a baby and taken in by a simple woodcarver and his wife. Her parents are good and loving, but when they invite a young man over to court her—one she doesn’t care for at all—he takes advantage and marks her (a kind of love bite). According to (rather backwards, if you ask me) Celierian law, this automatically makes her his betrothed even if she didn’t consent. She prays to the Lord of Light to send her someone—anyone—else and gets Rain. At first, she isn’t sure what to make of his claiming her. She’s spent most of her life enthralled by the tales of the Fey and Rain himself, so on the one hand, it’s an honor that he would even want a plain, simple girl like herself, but on the other, it’s all rather overwhelming. Then there are the nightmares, seizures, and dark visions that have plagued her all her life to the point that her mother even once tried to have her exorcised. She’d gotten it under control through meditation, but the stress of suddenly being declared Rain’s shei’tani and planning the wedding starts to make these things crop up again, along with strange magical things that start to happen around her. Rain soon realizes his beloved isn’t entirely human, but when he learns the entire story of her background, Ellie fears he may no longer want her. Ellie is the epitome of sweetness, gentleness, and light, She loves her family deeply and tries to do what her parents say. But at the same time, she has a quiet strength and a fighting spirit within her that some don’t see. Aside from her fiery red hair, she believes herself to be quite ordinary, which is partly why she hasn’t had many suitors. When the handsome King of the Fey drops out of the sky and claims her as his truemate, she has a hard time understanding why he’d want her, but she embraces him nonetheless. I absolutely loved Ellie. She’s an intriguing character with many layers that I enjoyed peeling back and discovering.I recall when Lord of the Fading Lands was first released, it was all the rage among romance readers. With so many glowing reviews, I didn’t hesitate to put it on my TBR list. However, it’s taken me a long time to get around to reading it. Part of that is because I have so many books I want to read that some just get lost in the shuffle. However, it might also have partly been because I’ve never felt strongly drawn to fey stories. I don’t know why, but boy am I glad that I put my reservations aside to give this one a try. It turned out to be an incredibly well-written story that grabbed me from the opening pages and didn’t let go. I can scarcely believe that it was C. L. Wilson’s first published book. I love the fantasy world that she’s built filled with romance, political intrigue, and spiritual elements, along with action and adventure. It’s part fairy-tale Cinderella story and part epic high fantasy. I loved Rain and Ellie together and think they’re only going to grow into an even more formidable couple than they were in this book. In fact, there are many characters in the book, all of whom add to the story with their own unique personalities, perhaps none more so than Ellie’s family and her handsome, brave Quintet of Fey warrior protectors. When I picked it up, I didn’t realize that the series follows the same couple throughout. So, this first book ends with much still unresolved. There are the Elden Mages who are out to do great evil, there’s Ellie’s background that has yet to be fully plumbed, the dahl’reisen, Fey warriors who’ve given themselves over to the darkness and are being blamed for a spate of murders, a wedding to celebrate, and a truemate bond yet to be accepted. I’m already dying to learn what happens next and can’t wait to continue the series as soon as I can fit the next book into my reading schedule, which will definitely be sooner rather than later.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After finishing this book, I've already determined I won't be available to anyone until I read the next four books in the series. I'm going to be totally immersed in the Fading Lands and its characters.Centuries ago, the Eld, a race of dark mages, began a war against the Fey, the champions of light. When they killed the heart-mate of Rainier vel-En Daris, a Tairen Soul (he has the ability to shift into a Tairen, a large flying cat that breathes fire), he went mad and scorched the earth, killing millions. He finally recovered but now the Fey and the Tairens are dying out while the Eld have recovered their strength and their plans to conquer the world. Rain's only hope lies in the woman predicted as his soulmate, Ellysetta Baristani, a woodcarver's daughter in the city of Celieria.Much of this first book revolves around setting up the rest of the series. Rain and Ellie have a somewhat awkward courtship; while in theory she's always admired the Fey, in practice having the king of the Fey show up and declare her his queen and soulmate is more than daunting. But beneath her shy exterior, she owns strong magical power though she's been fighting it all her life and a will of steel. Rain is constantly befuddled and fumbling in his growing relationship with her as he gradually comes to know the woman who means more to him than anything else.The worldbuilding in this book is exemplary, down to the smallest details. For example, Rain explains that Ellie can't hold his hand, but should rest her fingers lightly on the back of his hand as he holds it out palm down. This is so he can reach for a weapon or weave magic at immediate need to protect her. It's a small detail but provides insight into the Fey's protective relationship with their women. The book is riddled with these small details, not intrusive but woven into the story so that the reader really comes to know these characters and settings.There are some good twists and action along the way; it's not all courtship and romance. There are also some funny moments as well as portents of danger as the story gets darker and darker. I'm already reading the next book in the series and it just seems to get better and better.

[being_b-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

COULD THIS BE YOU?

Did you read the Twilight series, even though the lack of plot and the terrible writing made you secretly hate yourself and weep in the night?

Are you now pining, even BURNING, for more gorgeous aloof rich heroes with funny-colored eyes to sweep you away to magical lands where you will discover your special destiny and incredible beauty, but you don't know where to turn because Midnight Sun has been delayed indefinitely?

Would you like to recover at least SOME of your self-respect?

Then RUN, don't WALK, to find C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series.

Four books about the incredible, magical, soul-bonded love between a rich, powerful, sexy fairy king with glowing purple eyes who can turn into a gigantic flying cat and his too-thin, too-red-haired ordinary girl soulmate who turns out to have the power to RESTORE SOULS, heal wounds and generally to be the most Unique and Special Elf/Person in the Universe.

Together, they fight crime argue a lot about whether she'll be able to love him enough to keep him from going insane, whether she deserves his magnificent love, whether her family will let her go, who loves who more, whether she'll make a good queen of Fairyland and other riveting topics.

BUT WAIT, there's MORE!

UNLIKE the Twilight series, these books come pre-loaded with two-dimensional characters (one more than Twilight!), a standard set of fantasy plots and subplots involving evil wizards and politicking, and actual attempts at world-building!

PLUS, for a limited time only, the writing is actually OKAY and doesn't make you want to GOUGE YOUR EYES OUT every other page.

Are you INTERESTED? YOU SHOULD BE!!!!

C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series: The (sort of) thinking person's Twilight. READ IT NOW!

Brown papers to obscure the lurid cover graphics not included. Offer void where better fantasy books are available. Self-awareness, complexity and realism sold separately.


Critical Praise:

**Four star review** "It's crack, but at least it's good crack." -Grad Student Escapism Weekly

"... It blows my mind!" -Testosterone Review (no stars)

[thepageparamour · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jan 2018 = 4 stars
Jun 2016 = 4.5 stars

[vonze-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very unique! I will definitely read another from C.L. Wilson in the future.

Overall, I felt a little overwhelmed by the fantasy terminology that I'd never heard before. Although this is #1, I kept thinking I was reading a sequel were the rules of the world were explained in the first book.

But other than that, the hero was very kind and gentle to the heroine. Courtship, very good word for their relationship.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rainier vel'En Daris Feyreisen, the Tairen Soul, King of the Fading Lands, and Defender of the Fey has got to do something to save his people. There is only one fertile female Tairen, and her offspring are dying inside their eggs. His people are dying, his land is barren, and there is nothing he can do about it. Desperate for a cure, Rain seeks out one of the more powerful Fey objects, a magical crystal called the Eye of Truth. After punishing him for having the audacity to seek answers from such a holy object, the Eye tells Rain that she salvation of his people and himself lies in a land called Celieria and shows him the image of a red-haired, green-eyed girl. Though he hates that cursed land since it reminds him of love lost and battles fought long ago, Rain decides to accompany Marissya, the only remaining female Fey, on her trip to Celieria in the hopes of finding the girl and saving his people.

this is basically a romantic fantasy, much more relationship oriented than most fantasy, but it is too deeply steeped in the traditions and worldbuilding of fantasy for anyone to label it as purely romance with a few fantastic elements. Make no mistake about that. The whole plot is rife with mages, magical powers, non-human races, flying venemous fire-breathing dragon-cats, and is set in a world other than our own. It's fantasy, albeit one a bit heavy on the romance.

Ellysetta Baristani is the peasant daughter of a woodcarver in Celieria. She is not the biological child of this family, but they found her in the woods and raised her as their own. Ellie has never felt that she was anything but a full member of the Baristani family, even though there is a darkness inside her that she struggles to contain. When it is learned that the Tairen Soul is coming to Celieria, Ellie's younger twin sisters ask her to accompany them to the ceremony. No one has seen the King of the Fey in more than a thousand years, and Ellie acquiesces to her sister's demands. In the crowded mass of people gathered to see the visiting Fey, one of Ellie's sisters is injured. When she kisses her sister's wound to make it better, the spark of magic between them calls the Tairen Soul from the sky and changes Ellie's life forever.

The only way I can sum it up is to say that this book is insanely fun.

[theyodamom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars I was amazed how much I liked this book. I almost did not read it based on the back cover, it sounded too sci-fi for my taste. What I found was a wonderful paranormal shifter/fae/mage fantasy romance, filled with very real and interesting characters.
An Alpha male hero with control issues and a broken heart. He is ancient and a major part of a horrible history of this world. He has been alone for decades. His name is Rain, he is their king. He reminds me of the Ilona Andrews character Curran.
She is an Alpha woman who has been persecuted for not being the normal girl of the village. Her soul calls to him unknowingly in a moment of fear and anger and he answers. She has had dreams all her life of this man, but why ? Her past is a secret she was found as a small child along the side of the road. he name Ellysetta, she is beautiful, tall and mysterious.
The world is in great danger evil mages are getting stronger,Rain can sense it. The villagers doubt him, they want proof. he only wants to get his soul mate and get out of there, history makes him want to hide her away. She is not one to shy away though.
I loved the world building and the strength of the characters written into this book. I could read it many times and keep finding new details to enjoy. The writing was so fluid I felt I was transported to the world with them. (Exactly what I was looking for in a book) I am going to rush out and get the rest of the series.

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a re-read for this book so I could read the entire series and continue to the final installment of these books. I love this book, the second time reading was just as great as the first. I am sorry, I am gushing. So I should be telling you what I love about this book and not just gushing and gushing.

I love the ending of this book The author straight finish the smaller plot within the whole plot, leaves it at a location and then stops for the next book; just like a t-shirt. Hmm...what else? I love Elli. She is strong and vibrant and everything a faerie queen should be but also she is normal and a ordinary which makes her such a different character than many others I have read. Next there is Rain, first off, the name, oh yes, and then he is just magnificent, everything a faerie king should be and so much more. I love that these two characters are together and in love, I couldn't see them any other way, I never want to.

I also love the world the author creates around these amazing characters. I enjoy the whole new world, with new politics, drama, and amazing enemies and allies. I enjoy Ellie's quintet and I enjoy the way the characters all interact together. I can keep on going and going but I won't. I love this author, I love this book. If you love fantasy romance, READ THIS BOOK!

[ncdonnas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a little outside of what I normally read, much more focused on romance. However, I loved it all the same. My complaint with the book would be that I dislike how it came to a rather abrupt end without any kind of resolution. Luckily, I do have the rest of the series here so I'll be able to continue right away.

In this story, Rain, the King and Tairen Soul of the Fey fears the end of his people and is looking for a way to save them, there are too few and most still carry shadows of the war of 1000 years ago within their own souls. As he searches for a solution, he hears a 'true mate' call from the city and finds himself in front of what appears to be a mortal girl, Ellie, who captures him heart and soul, binding him to her. Ellie who has been raised to be afraid of all things magic, has nonetheless always had a fascination for all things fey and for Rain Tairen soul in particular. So no one is more surprised than she when he claims her as his true mate.

This is a beautifully written story about how Rain and Ellie begin falling in love, with some very emotional touching scenes. At the same time they deal with a society that looks down on her for her common birth, and distrust of him because he is fey, as well as trying to convince everyone of the evil presence of the Eld mages that Rain feels becoming strong in the world again.

I look forward to finding out how this story continues in the rest of the series. I would have liked more plot and more resolution which keeps me from rating this a 5, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

[sharrow_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a great intro to this series and a rich fantasy world. Well worth picking up.

Re reading July 2013.

[mlleehreen · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

LORD OF THE FADING LANDS sounded so promising: sexy, soul-scarred Fey shifter who falls in love with a human woman, born into a culture hostile towards his kind? A fated romance beset by political intrigues and an evil dark lord? Awesome, I’m in.

The book gets started when Rain, the Fey shifter, consults an oracle that sends him to Celieria, the heroine Elysetta’s home town, just as her parents sign a betrothal agreement pledging her to a total creep, Den.

There are all sorts of undercurrents with the betrothal – Ellie is one of those “not traditionally pretty” girls who’d be a modern-day supermodel, tall and thin with “too wide,” “too red” lips, bright green eyes and curly red hair. She’s felt ugly and unwanted all her life, partly because of her looks but equally because she’s got a history of “seizures” that were cast as demon-possession and treated with horrific exorcisms.

Ellie’s seizures pushed her mother to extreme religious devotion, and – closely related – a strong dislike of the Fey. It’s really the mother’s idea to marry Ellie to Den, because even though Ellie hates the guy, her mom thinks Den is “normal” and that’s good enough.

The mom pretty much invites Den force himself on Ellie. Even though Ellie resists Den’s advances he’s able to take liberties which force her into the betrothal. I found the mother hard to understand; she seems to love Ellie and want the best for her, but mostly acts as though she hates Ellie and wants to make her miserable. I was hoping to dig deeper into the mother’s motivations, but it seems we're just supposed to accept the contradiction between her feelings and her actions.

Then Rain arrives on the scene, claims Ellie and announces that the betrothal is void. So that’s a pretty tangle, right? Seemed like the conflicting pressures of familial love, romantic love, legal complications, deep-dark-secrets and religious prejudice could brew up a heady conflict for Rain and Ellie. Add in some court intrigue and it should have been a thrilling ride. Unfortunately...not much happens. I found myself thinking, over and over again, “OK, that’s cool, now when’s the good stuff going to start?”

The answer? Never.

Instead we get pages and pages about planning Ellie’s wedding. Which…seriously? This is tedious enough to deal with in real life, I don’t want to read about it. Yet somehow, with the evil dark lord on the loose and the villains plotting and the prideful queen who thinks Ellie is an upstart, there’s still plenty of time to sit around unwrapping presents and debate bouquets. When Ellie isn’t preparing for her wedding she’s...preparing for other parties! Exciting, right? What will she wear? Can she learn to dance in time? If you think this sounds like a fun story rather than a tedious distraction, LORD OF THE FADING LANDS is the book for you.

The romance, too, had the potential to be interesting. Rain once scorched the world when his beloved died. He’s not certain whether he can – or wants to – love again. When he recognizes Ellie as his truemate, he’s not immediately thrilled. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for the bond to change his mind. Soon he’s utterly devoted, so much so that his number one desire in the world is convincing Ellie to return his feelings.

For her part, Ellie's dreamed of the Fey and having a truemate of her own since she was a child. She puts up a token resistance but it’s not clear why, since (a) Rain is better than Den and (b) she really likes him and (c) he’s her dream man. So there’s no conflict to the romance – only Ellie’s prudery, which I found annoying. She’s twenty-four but acts like she’s fifteen, putting up a fuss every time Rain kisses her, bashful and ignorant about any kind of physical intimacy.

The crazy thing is that I got to the end of the book and I was still thinking, “Oh, man, after all this buildup, book two is probably full of all kinds of crazy stuff…” And then I remembered the old maxim, "fool me once, shame on you…fool me twice, shame on me," and decided against continuing with this series. One book full of non-events is enough.

[infjsarah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was in the mood for a soppy fantasy romance and this filled the criteria well. An easy enjoyable read.

[kajordan_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Of the 5 books, this is my favorite.Wilson does some of the best world-building in fantasy and her characters pull you into this world.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first of a series of fantasy novels written by a Georgia writer. Wilson has created another world with some interesting characters. The Fey are immortals that have some connection to tairen, which are flying cats. Most of this novel, however, takes place in Celeria, which is much like Earth, with magical peoples and kingdoms surrounding it. I enjoyed this book and plan to read the others.

[vampiregirl76 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book sat on my shelf for quite a few months before I picked it up. I wish I would have read it sooner, cause I absolutely loved it. I was hooked by the second chapter, so much that I went out and bought the third book that just recently came out. Ms Wilson has created such a rich and unique world, that you hate to leave it at the end of the book.

[tdfangirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I mooched this after reading an excellent review over at Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books, and I'm really glad I did. I had a moment of trepidation at the beginning, when I realized that I'd gotten myself into a soulmate book. I'm a bitter old bitch and think that soulmate stuff is crap, and I really don't like romances that hinge on characters falling in love within five minutes of meeting each other because it's their destiny rather than because they meet and grow together and find that they're compatible.This is a soulmate book, but it's the best kind. The characters are linked by some crazy, mystical power, but that link does not equal automatic love. They work at getting to know each other and fall for each other slowly, and that's NICE. The characters are fascinating and yet not without huge flaws; half the time I couldn't decide whether I wanted to kiss or punch the hero. The world is richly developed, the villains are skin-crawlingly creepy, and most of the supporting characters are nicely fleshed out instead of being stereotyped movable furniture.I think I'm going to have to go find the second book. I'm addicted. Last night, I actually dreamed about Wilson's world. :D

[jenson_aka_dl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ellysetta had long dreamed of the mysterious Fey of the Fading Lands. Their tales called to her, particularly the tragic tale of Rain Tairen Soul, the king of the Fey who in his greatest despair at the murder of his mate, burned the lands. When Ellie's parents betroth her to a man she despises her dearest wish for salvation is answered by none other than the legendary Rain, who claims her as his truemate. Rain knows that an ancient evil is threatening the land and that his truemate holds the key. Determined to protect Ellysetta and the hope she represents he must seek to control not only the hidden enemies around him, but the tairen who shares his soul and desire for the young woman.This tale serves up major portions of both a complex fantasy plot and intriguing romance. At the start of the book I was instantly hooked into the tale. I really enjoyed the characters, both Rain and Ellie, along with the varied cast of secondary characters such as Ellie's sisters and her quintet of fey guards. More towards the last third of the book I felt the story lagged a little as the subplots and political machinations were explored more fully, but the pace did pick up again. This is most definitely a series starter story which serves to set the scene, but without any resolution of the numerous plot threads. Despite this I think I'll hold off a bit before reading the next book as I came to the end feeling a little relieved to take a break from the mainly dark and brooding plot line. I'm looking forward to reading something a little lighter before picking up the next one.

[la7plume · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best Romantic Fantasy Book I've read so far. Heard the first and second installments were planned to be a single book but they decided to split it in two as it would have made a 800 to 1000 pages book.The end of the first book doesn't feel like an end, more like the end of a chapter so the best way to read it is start Lord of Fading Lands with lady of Light and Shadows at hand.

[jkcollins_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Brilliant debut fantasy novel! Cheryl Wilson has created a rich fantasy world complete with language and wound a story that begs to go on for many more books.

[noneofthis_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Ugh. This book is so clichéd and trite as to be nearly unreadable. The nerveless bit of fluff who ranks as the heroine is a horrid mixture of syrupy sweetness and heavy-handed examples of sudden and unexpected displays of magical ability the likes of which her world has never seen before. The king of the Fey claims her as his soul-bonded mate immediately after first seeing her, the beautiful female characters in this book hate her, and her childhood bully is repeatedly thwarted in his attempts to rape her.Oh, no. This plot is not contrived at all.After the heroine bored me silly, I did spend a bit of time flipping through the book in search of interesting sex scenes. There are none. I advise you all to pass on reading this.

[amf0001 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rain is famous for his great love and loss of Sariel. Artworks and poems have been dedicated to it for the last 1,000 years. So what is he doing, suddenly declaring this virtual peasant to be his soul mate? I found it a bit hard to get into, and had to get it out of the library twice, but the reviews made me persevere, and I was glad I did. It's a really enjoyable, richly created world, with depth and passion. I liked Rain, the tortured 1,000 year old hero/destroyer. I liked Wilson's world building and I even liked the heroine - whose name escapes me just now. She was the weakest point, but she was also the newest point - I mean, she's 24, how can she compare in complexity or interest to Rain, a problem that she brings up herself (she too wonders what he sees in her) but she's not a magic va-jay-jay nor such sweetness and light that she has no personality. Instead she was a good enough heroine and I imagine she grows even more in the next book - which I already have on order and am looking forward to reading.