TRINE FALLACY is the second book in the Kinderra Saga series, and is an exception to the rule that the middle book or books in a series are usually the weakest. If anything, it’s even better-written, livelier and more full of revelations and plot twists than its predecessor, TRINE RISING, and that’s saying quite a lot. It is a continuation, however, and while it’s possible to make sense of what’s going on without having read the first novel, it’s far better to read them in their proper order, as there’s a lot of setup in the first book that is continued and built upon in this one.

There’s a great deal of character development going on here, with Mirana Pinal and her former sweetheart, Teague Beltran, both learning a lot about who they are, what they might have the potential to become, and how they can best care for and serve the people they love and want to protect. Both of them make some unexpected and heartbreaking discoveries during the course of the story, which change them in equally unexpected ways. All the characters in this book feel real and whole, and even the villain has perfectly rational-seeming, perfectly believable justifications for his actions and goals, justifications that make his actions completely understandable even if readers are convinced that his assumptions and rationalizations are wrong. It helps that we get to see the story from multiple points of view and perspectives, giving us a wider and clearer version of what’s going on. Even so, there are still revelations in this book with the power to surprise and startle. But once readers do figure out what’s going on, the author’s deft hand with foreshadowing becomes visible, with acts and words that take on new meaning and new clarity in the light of the book’s plot twists.

The world-building, too, is brilliant – the cultures, beliefs, assumptions, and history of the peoples of Kinderra are complex, intricate, meaningful, and believably realistic, and they are revealed casually, in natural ways as the events of the story unfold, without too much tedious explanation or narration. The story is packed full of action and adventure, and in the nearly 400-page novel, there is not one dull spot or tedious interval to be found. If anything, the book feels too short, and be warned, it’s very hard to put down once you’ve picked it up. But if you love a complex and well-written fantasy tale with relatable characters and a vigorous and engaging plot, it’s also very hard to go wrong with the Kinderra Saga.

The second novel in the Kinderra Saga, TRINE FALLACY continues the story begun in TRINE RISING with energy, intensity, and a few breathtaking plot twists that will engage and enthrall the reader.

~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader