Heroes or Thieves (Steps of Power: The Kings Book 2)

Heroes or Thieves (Steps of Power: The Kings Book 2)

"War is the action taken to determine who has strength enough to live, and who has strength enough to die. Death can be the gateway to victory, but not all men are brave enough to face this truth." A dark and ancient magic has resurfaced upon Aersadore, and it serves the new lords of the elven nation. Disgraced and on a land far from home, Jikun yet finds himself in the midst of Sevrigel's inner turmoil. When he accepts the siren call to rectify his past mistakes, he soon determines that to walk the path of the hero, he must first become the thief. As Sevrigel's new rulers exact genocide upon all who oppose them, the shadow of their reign takes shape. Their necromancer, whose name is spoken only in whispers, is rising in power, striking down all upon Ryekarayn who might dare to offer the elven nation aid. If Jikun wishes to secure his country's future, he must first defeat the man who Ryekarayn has named Death itself. A slam dunk follow up to the first in the series, Kings or Pawns. World building isn't easy, but author J.J. Sherwood, makes it look like a piece of cake. - Barbarian Librarian I'm hooked. [...] It's because the tale is becoming more and more solid, the characters are becoming a true delight, the worldbuilding is as solid as they come, and because the reveals are truly, truly nasty. I'm fascinated! - Dan Rymes I have to give Heroes or Thieves five stars for the amazing characters. - One Book Two "War is the action taken to determine who has strength enough to live, and who has strength enough to die. Death can be the gateway to victory, but not all men are brave enough to face this truth." A dark and ancient magic has resurfaced upon Aersadore, and it serves the new lords of the elven nation. Disgraced and on a land far from home, Jikun yet finds himself in the midst of Sevrigel's inner turmoil. When he accepts the siren call to rectify his past mistakes, he soon determines that to walk the path of the hero, he must first become the thief. As Sevrigel's new rulers exact genocide upon all who oppose them, the shadow of their reign takes shape. Their necromancer, whose name is spoken only in whispers, is rising in power, striking down all upon Ryekarayn who might dare to offer the elven nation aid. If Jikun wishes to secure his country's future, he must first defeat the man who Ryekarayn has named Death itself. The storm barreled down on him, hurling his block of ice haphazardly across the foaming crests. A crack of lightning flashed in the sky and an image was briefly illuminated to his left--a pillar of stone jutting from the crashing waves, a ripped sail tangled across the jagged surface. There came a sudden, fervent cry. "Jikun?!" Another blaze of lightning and Jikun caught a glimpse of the pale skin of the Helven, his body gripping the debris of the ship. He vanished under a massive swell and reappeared in a frantic struggle for air. "Over here!! Left!!" Jikun hollered. He swung his hand into the water, trying to propel himself forward. As though mocking him, a gentle wave knocked him farther away, and a ripple of thunder cascaded like laughter across the sky. He saw Navon's head turn toward him, his hollow cheeks lit by a brilliant flare of light. His fingers were like bones clutching onto the cracks of the wood, his fingernails clawing at the surface. A wave barreled into Navon from the side. With a terrified cry, his companion vanished beneath the water, swallowed with the remnants of the ship. J.J. Sherwood lives in Ohio with her husband and six near-identical cats. Her childhood was spent tearing through the woods, playing out fantasy worlds, and tying Barbie to the roof for immediate rescue by the Spiderman-led-Power Rangers. She now spends much of her time caring for rescued animals on her ranch, video gaming, wearing a bathrobe, and eating too many baked potatoes. She supports indie authors and creates original and fantastical cosplays for competition on the professional circuit.