Title: The Forester 2: Lost and Found
Series: The Forester Trilogy #2
Author: Blaine D. Arden
Genre: Fantasy / Mystery-Suspense / MMM
ISBN: 978-1-62757-085-5
Length: Novella (88 pages)
Publisher: Storm Moon Press (Dec 21st 2013)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: “The Guide mentioned puddles, but I envisioned lakes, deep treacherous lakes, and I was drowning.”
One turn has passed, another Solstice is just around the corner, and having an illicit affair with not one but two lovers—smith Ianys and shunned Forester Taruif—is taking its toll on Truth Seeker Kelnaht.
If it isn’t sneaking around to find some quality time with his lovers, it’s heavy rainfall hiding traces of a missing stripling, or waiting for the elders to decide whether or not to set Taruif free.
And if that’s not enough, Kelnaht fears that in gaining one lover, he might be losing another, as Ianys seems to be pulling away from them, and it looks like someone is, once again, trying to frame Taruif.
Product Link: http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/The-Forester-2-Lost-and-Found.aspx
Review: What a lovely read, again. I’m really obtaining an obsession with this world/series. There’s just something really attractive about these elves, the way they use their magic that is so composed, the way they live their life… It’s alluring I tell you. You only want more after each installment is done and you dread the moment when all is going to come to an end.
This is the second part of the Forester trilogy that follows the life and hardships of Truth Seeker Kelnaht, the Forester Taruif, and the smith Ianys. Yes, the trilogy follows a triad and boy are they hot, even as the text does not contain explicit sexual scenes. This triad is a challenge, a relationship born in the shadows, stolen moments, and obstacles that go beyond death.
The second part follows our men a year after Kel claims Taruif in the privacy of darkness, away from the public eye. Taruif is still shunned and Kel with Ianys are barely holding it together with the long time that’s pasted since they learned that Taruif’s sentence might be reduced in half. Both men want their lover free, even as Taruif being free doesn’t necessarily mean that they can all be together and finally start their lives without fear. After all, the promise given to the dead still hangs over their head, cutting short any chance for a non-guilty relationship.
In addition, there is a young apprentice missing, traces of the abduction missing and hard to get, and someone trying to frame the Forester in a crime, yet again.
Kel’s just as beautiful in this second part as he was in the first. I love the fact that there characters actually get tired. There is no “supernatural” stamina going on here and the realistic effect of a person trying too hard, getting exhausted with all the shit happening in his life, make this read even more approachable. His love for Tauif is just as sweet, his anger with Ianys’ situation just as beautiful in its frustrating state, and his angst to find an innocent child while saving his forbidden lover make your heart beat in tandem with the rising agony.
As for Taruif, damn he was fantastic when he finally got his freedom back. The emotions and bewilderment that followed gave the book a heartfelt touch and makes the reader want to grab him and shelter him from further pain. He was gorgeous, simply fantastic.
Ianys though, I’m didn’t get much from Ianys at all in this book. While he was there and he was seriously upset with the events, he was more withdrawn this time around to the point he didn’t feel much part of the triad. Honestly, I can’t wait for the final part when all his issues will finally be dealt with.
As for the rest of the story, this time it was much more hmm, melancholic perhaps. It had sadness in it that continued to exist till the end. The bad guy here was not sharply drawn out, he existed inside blurred lines making you not know what to feel exactly, not know what you wanted his story to end. A sad story indeed.
The end was promising and a bit of a cliffhanger making it clear that there is more to come. Yes, we knew it, but just in case we forgot, it was made crystal clear. In addition, it gave so much food for thought, so many possibilities hanging in there about what might come in the future. Are going to see the tree elves take a giant leap of faith and go with the currents…?
Overall, this book was as lovely and enticing as the first one. I enjoyed my favorite triad immensely, but now more than ever I can’t wait for the final part to come. As for you, keep in mind that this story – one I strongly recommend if you’re fan of the genre – is part of a series and it is best read in order.