Review Detail

Reign Returned is an enchanting mix of influences from Garth Nix’s Sabriel series, Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, and a quick nod to Throne of Glass with the Aelian archives in the city of Celenia that combine to make an intriguing first book of The Felserpent Chronicles trilogy. Our main characters are Kyra who lives in the realm of Aeles with gold blood and Sebastian who lives in Nocen with silver blood. What we know from the prologue and what we excitedly wait to unfold is for them to realize that they loved each other in a past life. Their shades are bound together for eternity until they can meet again and reclaim the kingdom that was stolen through treachery.
To help along the way are the magical and mysterious cyphers, animals bound to them and can communicate telepathically. Batty is a bit of comic relief and holds more secrets than he is given credit for. Readers are sure to learn that cyphers have even more abilities than revealed, especially with the hint that cyphers didn’t always use to bind themselves with humans. Sebastian and Kyra have incredible magic making them fun to read about as they navigate the trials in their journey to remembering each other. Their growing closeness makes the book intriguing while remaining wholesome.
Kyra has grown up sure of the rightness of her realm and her government. There are hints that they are not the only ones reborn, so you have to question all the nice people she meets and whether they truly are what they seem. This first book sets up the characters and their journey to reunite the realms and their reign for the sequel and it was fast-paced and mysterious enough to make me want to immediately move on to the next books which are now officially in stores.