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** spoiler alert ** I have often expressed that competence is my crack, which is why it comes as no surprise that I especially loved seeing Lindon kick ass. The fight against the Skysworn at the beginning was already great at showing us just how powerful Lindon has become in Ghostwater �� in body, spirit and mind.

Also, I love how the color symbolism of black and red which usually conveys something sinister �� if not evil �� is manifest in Lindon, someone inherently good, thereby turning convention on its head. Unsurprisingly though, his black and red eyes are interpreted as hostile when Seishen Kiro, in accordance with conventional color symbolism, describes his impression of Lindon in their fight in the Night Wheel Valley. Quite understandably he views him as hostile, as a “violent demon, a savage fixed on violence�� �� an enemy that needs defeating. I‘ve said before I can’t wait for the day that Lindon makes use of his intimidating appearance and he’s finally doing it; when talking to Kiro, he isn’t as unfailingly subservient and humble as he used to be, but self-confident and even if he still projects a pleasant, polite manner this just serves to make him appear threatening. Watching Lindon fight has become just awesome.

What’s also been awesome is Lindon’s and Mercy’s respective character development. Personal growth coupled with skill/rank advancement is my favorite kind (and one of the many reasons why I love Stormlight so it comes as no surprise I love it here). Needing to come to a painful revelation about one‘s motivation to pursue the sacred arts in order to advance was exactly what I needed. And Lindon‘s reason just fits him perfectly; as does Mercy’s.

What’s not been awesome, however, is that I could not get past some timing issues, which sadly disrupted my immersion and reading enjoyment. Time jumps in general have occasionally caught me off guard because more often than not it’s just casually thrown in that months have passed. In this book, the most confusing one to me was when Yerin‘s life aura has a deadline of two months and those are fast forwarded. And apparently, instead of trying to get back into the Valley to advance to Underlord which would save her life, Lindon is ��. soulsmithing? To me, this time jump lessens the urgency of Yerin’s situation; I really wanted all efforts to focus on getting back to the Valley in order to advance quickly.

This failure to promptly return leads me to my biggest issue yet: Why has Akura Charity not intervened immediately when the Seishen forcibly removed the Blackflames from the Valley, when it’s so important �� considering what’s coming �� to get stronger? Eight weeks go by and the Empire just sits around at home? It seems WW needed a reason for the Blackflames not to advance too soon; that reason didn’t feel logical to me. It would have helped if the Empire’s as well as Charity’s inaction had been addressed and explained somehow; as it is, I’m sad to say that I had trouble getting past those issues, for all the enjoyment the book provided in general. What appeased me in the end, though, was the generous compensation Charity awarded the Empire, which will undoubtedly make up for the losses incurred.

Here‘s to hoping nothing impedes my immersion in the next book! Onward! (She said eagerly.) I can’t wait to see more of Orthos in Sacred Valley! It also seems like Jai Long and his sister made it there and I really hope we will see more of them �� and, of course, of Lindon and Yerin, the newly minted Underlords; though it pains me to see Lindon leave her and Eithan.

PS: I hate Seishen Daji with a fiery passion.
PPS: I keep picturing Dross as a violet version of Mike Wazowski from Monsters inc.

1 Unsouled �� 4 stars
2 Soulsmith �� 3.75 stars
3 Blackflame �� 4.25 stars
4 Skysworn �� 4.5 stars
5 Ghostwater �� 4.5 stars
6 Underlord �� 4.25 stars