Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for When Darkness Falls: The Obsidian Trilogy, Book 3 by Mercedes Lackey starting on May 10, 2025.


Happy Reading!

Series schedule:

Obsidian Mountain:
1. The Outstretched Shadow (Feb 10) [link]
2. To Light a Candle (Mar 10) [link]
3. When Darkness Falls (Apr 10)

The Enduring Flame: (TBD)
Set 1000 years later
1. The Phoenix Unchained
2. The Phoenix Endangered
3. The Phoenix Transformed

The Dragon Prophecy: (TBD)
Set 1000 years before Obsidian Mountain
1. Crown of Vengeance
2. Blade of Empire
3. Deliverance of Dragons (Publication TBD maybe May 2025)

Availability: First book is on Audible Plus.

Time to decide if we're reading more.

I made the somewhat questionable decision to listen to this yesterday--while travelling. I checked in and took notes at one point--but honestly, even though this is kinda long, it goes by pretty quickly. Through Chapter 15 (view spoiler)[I was so surprised to find that I was 4/5ths of the way through already!! We haven't had any new characters, any major developments... kind of feels like wrap-up from the discoveries of the previous book, going steadily towards the end-battle goal. Solarnan's (I know that's not how his name is spelled but I honestly can't remember... Cilarnen?) anyway, I like his research into magic--I keep getting those Heroes of Might and Magic vibes! High Magic being Order Magic, Wild Magic being the Nature campaign, and the Endarkened being Chaos. (hide spoiler)]

And I'm boarding so that's how much I get to write right now!

Finished not too long afterwards! (view spoiler)[The whole book felt like one big battle. Or maybe war? I can notice specific battle moments, but there weren't any new twists or character developments really, which was a bummer. Still, the action wrapped up nicely.

Idalia dying was a good sacrifice--but I couldn't help but think her being reborn as an elf was maybe a little too convenient... I just need to readjust my expectations from the grimdark I've been reading. It was satisfying, and the Wild Magic explanation can blanket cover a lot. But... I want more details! Will the new child have all of Idalia's memories? That's got to be weird growing up--like Alia the Knife in Dune. It shouldn't be all sparkles and rainbows. And even if she's Idalia reborn... wouldn't she also be her own person? Betrothing the baby to whatsisname... I don't know, that just feels weird--there should be more details here than just a neat happy ending.

Speaking of which--Kellen finally being able to court Vestakia... and there was NO mention of how it also means his relationship with Shelkan is going to face serious changes. I'd've liked more specific definitions of the whole unicorns & purity thing. There were hints before that even Idalia's voice grated on Shelkan, and exactly how far do they have to be to not feel uncomfortable?

But other than those, the story was enjoyable. The wrap up with the City, Cilarnen becoming the High Mage, I&K's father's apology, the traitor mage getting his comeuppance... very satisfying. And there were some interesting bits of history dropped, making me more curious for the next trilogy. (hide spoiler)]

You finished fast!

Is it sad that I'm excited that this one is 250 pages less than the last? lol I'm looking forward to it :)

LOL, no that excited me too.

I have stalled. Through Ch 3 (view spoiler)[I'm finding Jermayan's chapter very boring. I might try skimming a little to push through as it looks like ch 4 is still his. (hide spoiler)]

This book was a lot slower, I felt...

I think what's bogging me down is all the repetition. Skimming is helping a bit. I'm almost through Ch 4 :D

Yeah... it's basically one big battle... or war, really...

I know y'all're still working your way through this, and I'm not sure if Marie has even made it to the third book yet, but do y'all have any interest in reading the other series in this world?

I am still at the very beginning and currently prioritising Malazan and Morning Star. I hope to finish before starting more eye reads but I am reading very slowly rn. I think I will want to continue after finishing if I switch to audio as there are more exciting series for me to eye read.

Nirkatze wrote: "I know y'all're still working your way through this, and I'm not sure if Marie has even made it to the third book yet, but do y'all have any interest in reading the other series in this world?"

Not at the moment. I haven't had the desire to pick up this book since my last update. So I started the DI Adams book to see if I'm tired of this one or if it's a general reading slump. If it's a slump, hopefully some magical shenanigans will pull me out.

I'm not in a hurry. I would like to check out the other series though, especially since the third trilogy is finished. So if y'all're interested at a later date, let me know.

Ok! I'm back at this one. Hopefully it works better now that I had a detour for a bit :)

Fingers crossed!

I have a note in my tracker to poke y'all in July/August to see if y'all're interested in the other series...

I finished chapter 5! (view spoiler)[I can't help wondering why Cilarnen didn't try to replicate the City's badges to store power if only for himself to begin with. They sound a lot like the stones used by Wild Mages. If it worked, he could even ask others if they would willingly wear one to help him out instead of being scummy about it like the city. Storing your own power for future use isn't a bad thing IMO.

Anyway, we'll see where this Elemental magic thing goes. (hide spoiler)]

Yay!! Hm good point about the badges.

Through Ch 7. I'm feeling engaged with the story again. (view spoiler)[I'm glad Cilarnen got his magic back. It's funny how all the lead characters worry about not living through this time in history yet I think I remember they all do :)

While I don't enjoy the City POV, I think it provided good contrast and a reminder of the immediacy of what's at stake. It was just the right length this time.

Something that struck me as strange. They talk about "sennights" passing a lot so I looked it up because I'd forgotten how long that is. It's a week. They have the longest winter ever at this point lol (hide spoiler)]

Hm. Maybe they're really far north/south? or have a really slow rotation around the sun....

Glad things are picking up!

Through Ch 10 (view spoiler)[Things finally happened! With the last of the shadow elves taken care of, hopefully they can now focus on finding Them and ending the threat for ever. It seems like the band is going to be getting back together now that Jermayan is done ferrying people to the mountains. With any luck Idalia can heal the elf King too. (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, that segment was pretty long!

Through Ch 14 (view spoiler)[More things happened! The Stary Hunt that Idalia called reminds me a lot of the Wild Hunt from myth. I wonder how many other myths I missed.

I'm not sure how I feel about Jermayan/Ancaladar's big sacrifice. It seems like the authors have had a hard time deciding what to do with these characters. They've basically been a draconic taxi service most of the book and not very utilized though at least they did work some magic. I wonder if they made the duo too powerful and didn't want things to be too easy for our heroes so.... had them blow their magic all at once? It seems like a wasted opportunity even if it does help put the army into position. (hide spoiler)]

I can see what you're saying there--(view spoiler)[And add to it, they wanted sacrifice, but like, didn't commit fully, so left them alive... (hide spoiler)]

I finished. I thought it was a nice ending to the series. The last 100 pages were what I was hoping the whole book would be like or at least more of the book. (view spoiler)[Even though this was mostly supposed to be Kellen's story, I feel like this was Cilarnen's book. He really came through for everyone when needed. That whole bit with using the unicorns as a spell was really great.

I want my own unicorn! That's the bitersweet ending - Kellen saying goodbye to Shalkan, likely never to cross paths again due to, well, life. Shalkan was my favorite character.

Idalia and Jermayan did get to be together at the end, sort of. With a couple decades of wait. (hide spoiler)]

Oh and re my spoiler in 24 - (view spoiler)[At the end it seemed like Jermayan and Ancaladar were even more active and useful without their magic. Really weird. He got to be more of a dragon then while fake attacking the city to keep the mages busy temporarily.

There was a scene when Jermayan burned 30 coldwarg at once. He could've basically single handedly ended most of the fights in the north without hardly any causalities. That's when I realized the authors didn't really know what to do with them and keep their tension going. It's hard to make everything feel desperate when you have a dues ex like that. (hide spoiler)]

Good points there--(view spoiler)[I agree on this being a Cilarnen book--though it did also show Kellen how far he's come since the City... got some more introspective thinking there...

I wish Kellen had a bigger reaction to Shalkan saying goodbye. I'd been waiting for that shoe to drop since book 1, and he was just kinda like "oh yeah, now I get to go DAAAATE!!!"

And I have SO many questions about Idalia & Jermayan ending. That will never be answered, I'm sure... (hide spoiler)]

You're right - we are unlikely to get answers unless the authors write books in this worlds future instead of the past relative to this trilogy.

I thought the Dragon Prophecy books were in the future, but just checked, and nope, seems like they're even further in the past than Enduring Flame...

I rechecked your series note above and I guess we need something like 50 years in the future, not 1000, to find out about them. Oh well :)

LOL Looks like I needed to recheck my notes too--I had the series switched in my mind... kinda bummed by the huge time games, honestly.... though I guess any elves could still be around...