Book Review: Waterspell Book 2 by Deborah J Lightfoot

I very much enjoyed The Warlock, the first in Deborah J Lightfoot’s Waterspell quadrology so I was really looking forward to reading the second instalment. Nor was I to be disappointed. In the first book Lightfoot introduced the reader to a fascinating world with a relatively small cast of characters but ones whose relationships were developed very thoroughly to make for a most engaging story. In this second book fascinating new characters are introduced and the central characters’ relationships continue to be explored. They, in turn, explore the wider environment of Ladhrehdin, the world which Lightfoot creates for this series. The world is a detailed and convincing one, conjured up for us most vividly by Lightfoot’s elegant prose, serving to place narrative in a brilliantly realised context and keeping the reader avidly turning the pages for more. I continued to be fascinated by the core relationship between Carin and Verek, one that matures and develops as the story unfolds towards a conclusion that is very satisfying. In addition to the physical aspects, the journey is very much one of self-discovery for Carin who learns a great deal about her role in the world she finds herself in and explores the parameters of her own powers.

The Wysard is an excellent sequel to The Warlock. Lightfoot’s powers of imagination are very impressive, as is the quality of her writing. I now look forward to following Carin’s journey as she embarks on the next stage of her adventure in The Wisewoman, the third in this series.