C. L. Wilson

Lord of the Fading Lands

Lover of Romance 

Ver reisa ku'chae. Kem surah, shei'tani. Your soul calls out. Mine answers, beloved.


Rain Tairen Soul is the King of the Fading Lands, and has survived for centuries, and after losing the woman he once loved, spent countless years bent on revenge against those who killed the woman who was gentle and kind and gracious. Now determined to find out the truth and the evil that threatens his people, he finds out that he has a truemate, the woman that is the other half of his soul. He never thought it possible he would ever have a truemate, but now that he has found her, he will never let her go. Ellysetta or also known as Ellie, lives in a mortal city known as Celiera, a place where she grew up. Her father being a woodcarver, she grew up in a simple yet loving atmosphere. her family is everything to her. Ellie knows that soon she will have to marry soon, and the man her parents would have her wed, leaves a bad taste in her mouth, she wishes more than anything to marry anyone but him. Ellie is not a normal mortal, she has suffered nightmares and convulsions all of her life. When Tairen Soul, king and the most powerful Tairen alive comes to their city, she is intrigued. All of Ellie's life, she has been fascinated with Tairen Soul and anything connection to the myths and legends he has left behind. The last thing she expects is for Tairen Soul to come swooping down and claiming her as his truemate. She wonders if his vision is impaired or is drunk. Ellie has always believed herself to be awkward, unattractive and not built in the way most men desire a women to be shaped. There is a part of her that can't resist Tairen, or his gentle ways with her. Even though the passion they share can be fierce, she finds her heart opening up to Rain and his protectiveness and fierce devotion.

I have heard about this series for a very long time and have always wanted to read these books, which I have heard stellar reviews on. So I decided it was time to try them out, especially since I do love fantasy romance. From the first few pages, I was instantly hooked, and I couldn't put this epic story down. I was blown away by the author's voice and the world building she does with the Tairen Soul series. Even though this is the only book I have read from this author, I am hooked, I can barely sit still with excitement to read what happens between Tairen and Elllie. In the beginning I was a bit confused with what was happening, but that usually happens with this type of story, with a huge aspect of world building. It tends to take a little while to get adjusted and settled into the story. I am not saying I had a hard time getting into the story, (the very opposite as a matter of fact). However I do wish there was a bit more background to the story in the prologue. It did have some background information, but I felt like there may have been a bit more. However once the story picked up, I started to feel comfortable and everything seemed to come together pretty nicely only after a few chapters. It was amazing how well the author put the story together in such a way, that there was no confusion at all and the ease that came with reading Lord of the Fading Lands. So it starts off with Tairen Soul seeking the truth to saving his people, but instead finds out about his truemate, which is the last thing he would expect. It then jumps to Ellie, who along with her two younger sisters, is getting prepared for a visit from fey warriors. Then the first meeting between Tairen and Ellie occurs, and it definitely satisfied every romantic bone in my body. I just sighed at that point, definitely full of desire and intensity, and I could barely contain my excitement. We then see the King and strongest of his people, humble himself beyond reason in order to court Ellie, who is young and inexperienced but beautiful in spirit and soul.

Both of these characters I absolutely adored. Ellie is sweet and charming and very innocent, and has no clue of the power that resides within her. She is very protective and fierce when she needs to be, but is simple and has been raised in a home of love and wants that for herself. She doesn't just give in to Tairen and accept his claim hands down, she tests him, even though it was subtle, I had fun seeing Ellie warm up to Tairen. She does have self doubt about herself, but I think that con's to Ellie made her seem more real to me, and I felt it easy to relate with her. Tairen was beyond amazing, and he is going to the top of my list of hero's. Tairen is your typical Alpha Male, however there is much more to him than that. He does have a dominant and beyond possessive side. He also has a gentle and patient nature toward Ellie, that is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings. The side characters were fun and exciting and charming. The relationship between Tairen and Ellie starts out like any relationship does, with stumbling blocks but I did enjoy the way they compromised with each other, and start to develop a deeper bond to each other as the story progressed. I definitely didn't want this story to ever end, and it ended way sooner than I would have liked. I did expect a cliffhanger of some sort, since this series is just about this couple (At least I think it is), but it ended on a good note, but just enough cliffhanger, to keep you thirsty for me, yet not frustrated, just hungry for the next installment.

Overall I would say this is one of the best books I have read ALL year!!! There was so many things I loved about the first in the Tairen series. Such a beautiful world C. L. Wilson creates for us. An exciting and enthralling tale of a epic love and a world with magic, paranormal creatures, and characters to bewitch you. BRILLIANTLY DONE!!!

“The best book I’ve read in years.” —Christine Feehan The incomparable C.L. Wilson brings her phenomenal Tairen Soul novels to Avon Books! Lord of the Fading Lands is the first book in the epic romantic adventure that combines sweeping fantasy with breathtaking paranormal romance. USA Today and New York Times bestseller C. L. Wilson dazzles with a magnificent, heart-soaring tale of passion and great destiny—of the tormented Fey King Rain, the woodcutter’s daughter Ellysetta, who would be queen, and their eternal quest for true love in the mystical Fading Lands.

JoLee

Rating: 5 Stars - Amazing

Lord of the Fading Lands (Tairen Soul #1) by C.L. Wilson was my first read in a new to me genre, fantasy romance. All the characters and this whole series is one of my favorite and most memorable. 

Rain is an intriguing character. It is in his nature to be dominate, serious, and he is not known for patience. But readers get to gradually see his patient, playful and gentle side toward Ellie. It is breathtaking, beautiful and sweet. What I love more is Ellie's happiness is what he wants most, especially when it comes to her family. 

Ellie's character I adored. She is sweet and loveable but still is able to stand her own against a possessive Rain. They are one of my favorite couples. They both set a side their differences and comprise. Many swoon and even some giggle moments. I had so much fun seeing their relationship grow.

Great cast of secondary characters with his guards, her sisters and her parents that gave some extra cute and fun moments.

Really wanted to start Weathermages of Mystral series last year by C.L. Wilson but for what ever reason never did. Lets hope 2020 I get a chance.

Tori Jarrett

This was a solid 4 star read for me. I really enjoyed this one but there were some minor grievances that kept this from being a 5 star read. Leggo. 

The plot: Theres two plots going in simultaneously in this first book in the series. The main plot revolves around Rain and Ellysetta, our H and h. They’ve discovered they are true mates and are going through a courtship to ensure that Ellie accepts the mating bond. Our subplot involves the Eld, dark practitioners that are searching for Ellie, though we don’t know why until almost the end of the book. For a high fantasy, I followed the plot really well. Because Ellie is learning about the Tairen and the fey, we learn about them as she does. There are certain things like the magic system and the Tairen being tied to the fey that I never felt like was explained well enough. So that did get a bit confusing. So plot I give a 4/5

Characters: I really liked Rain and Elly. However, Ellie does come off as a boy of a Mary Sue in the beginning. I think Wilson planted enough hints about Ellie’s powers throughout that I have high hopes for seeing what she becomes in the series. Their courtship was really sweet, even though there were times when it seemed like it was more “well your my mate because you just are”, instead of an in depth explanation. However, I’m pretty sure this wasn’t meant to be split into two books so I can forgive that a bit. The side characters like Bel, Gaelen, the quintet, Dax, and Maryssia, I really liked! I could read books just based on them. 4.75/5

Here’s my complaints and it’s mostly about certain characters: Queen Annoura is annoying as all fucking hell. I could have liked her if she had a reason for being such a raging bitch. Like if she was truly worried for her kingdom or her husband. But noooooo. Her logic behind every stupid choice she made was just to be petty. She’s mad because Dorian told her no. She’s mad because Ellie’s not of noble blood. She’s mad because she doesn’t want to look dumb. Every decision she made actively goes against what the other characters are trying to prevent for no good reason other than she’s mad that Ellie’s not a fucking royal. Meanwhile, at the beginning of the book, she’s daydreaming about cheating on Dorian and her only excuse for not is that it would be “treason”. She’s the damn Regina George of this world and I couldn’t stand her. My dude King Dorian deserves better. Jesus. 
Another character that I wanted to strangle with my bare hands was Ellie’s crazy ass mother. Lauriana spends the whole book claiming that she knows what’s best for her daughter and screaming at the Fey warriors that are literally just trying to protect Ellie. Meanwhile, she was dead set on marrying Ellie off to creep of the century Den Brodson in the beginning. If that little creep doesn’t get absolutely wrecked by Rain later, I’m going to riot. This dude assaults Ellie in the beginning!!!! And what does Lauriana do??!!? She tells Ellie to shut up and accept Den’s betrothal or else the family will look bad. My. God. I don’t know if she’s supposed to be a sympathetic character or not but I just wanted to throat punch her the entire book. She’s the worst. It never boiled down to her wanting the best for Ellie. It was all about appearances and how the family would look. Thank god Ellie had a decent dad in Sol because Lauriana made me want to scream several times. Annoura and Lauriana were so grossly obnoxious I deducted a whole half of a star because I HATED them. 

I am really curious to find out more about Gaelen. I love a good antihero and I feel like that’s where his story is going. On to book 2!

Megan Williams

Lord of the Fading Land tells the epic start to a story about a seemingly plain girl who catches the attention of the Tarian Soul, a man in charge of the fey and with immense power. When he claims Ellysetta as his truemate, her whole life changes because instead of being the daughter of a woodcarver, she will be the Queen of the Fey. 

This is definitely just the start to the story but I loved getting to know all of the different characters. There are so many great side characters in this novel and I hope they either get an amazing ending or they have their own books. 

Ellysetta is a girl who has always dreamed about the Fey and she finally gets her wish when it is revealed that she is the truemate of Rain. I really love her character because she is dealing with these monumental changes to her world and all the added pressure because of these changes. 

Overall this book was such a good read and I can't wait to check out what happens next!

Renee Delcourt

I liked the premise of the story a lot but some parts got slightly... Messy? I guess is the best way to explain it. People would get mixed up easily because of the formal way everyone is referred to. The language the Fey use was sometimes explain sometimes left to the reader to guess at. There is a glossary in the back that I wish I had realized was there while reading. Some of the plot was slightly tedious and felt like filler. It was either info dump or just kind of fill in to round the story out more. I really liked the main cast of characters though. They all had unique voices and personalities and I enjoyed learning about each one.

Alejandra Bran

I liked it! I was kind of skeptical, but I ended up enjoying the book. 

On the book we follow Ellysetta a human that for some inexplicable reason ends up mated to the King of the Fae, he is the last Tairen Soul (Fae who can turn into a winged feline beast). Rain who already lost the love of his heart years ago is now bonded to a human, nothing makes sense since thanks to him being a Tairen Soul he was never supposed to have a soulmate. But here they are, Ellysetta is the answer to Rain’s prayers to save Tairens and Fae from extinction. And they must mate. 

I really don’t know much about Fae. I feel like every writer approaches it differently. Like for example Cassie Clare Fae folk is very alike to Holly Black’s they are beautiful, but twisted as part of their nature. 

Sarah J Maas Fae are more alike to the ones on this book. They are beautiful, strong, feral, but good hearted and noble. 

The interaction of the main characters reminded me of Feyre and Rhys when they were figuring out their mating bond. That’s basically what this book was about. To be honest I ended losing interest about the whole mating thing because they just prolonged it too much. 

I do like the fact that there is more to the story, I love when the plot starts to thicken. Who is causing the attacks at the villages? What’s Ellysetta’s power? Is Ellysetta part Fae? Or just straight up Mage? What would happen when Rain finds out what she is? Will they ever actually mate? What happened with all those people at the dinner after Ellysetta wove lust through spirit on them? 😂 if I’m honest I really don’t want to get an answer to that last question. Might be to much for my fragile nerves 🤣 

This book is definitely A rated, but if I’m honest I’ve read more graphic scenes on other books *coff SJM ,Jay Kristoff coff* still I enjoyed the encounters *clears her throat*

I’ve been bounded to fantasy/ sci-fi YA for so long, its like my baby. I haven’t even opened my heart to New Adult much, but I feel like this is a genre that I can get on board with now that I’m adulting. I hope the story gets better!!

Manda

** spoiler alert **
           I was hooked from the beginning to end.
The fey have been behind the walls for over a thousand years but something is calling rain to leave the fading lands and find his mate.

with evil trying to take over win of course it can at least until the next book ;)

** spoiler alert **
           I can't remember when I first read this book it was one that I picked up in a bookshop on the off chance that it looked interesting so thought I would give it a go and it started off an obsession with this series and it's creator. It was funny cos as the series progressed what started as a 4 book series turned into a 5 series to finish it off without leaving anything undone I would like to see more or this series and it characters.

This book to me is an introduction to the series and weaves a complicated tale but you get lost in story which o was happy about I love the little bit about the stone game there's something in each book that I love 
Just a darn good book and series 😍

Casey MacKenzie

I really love the detail and world building- it’s clearly building up for a layered and complex trilogy. 

I found the way the Eld work their distrust of the Fey through the cities and the North to be really disconcerting. The mass of misinformation and lies hit a little too close to the current antivax, right wing, etc movement in the US.

Meagan

The Tairen Soul series is THE best series I have ever read in my life. I have gone back to it after every other book that I read and reread THE ENTIRE SERIES over again. I am absolutely in love with this world and all of the characters in it. You fall for Rain yourself and the magic is so perfectly rendered. Wilson is a genius and I want more books so bad!!! After reading this series, I crave more like it and can't find it. Wilson set the bar too high for other books to reach it. 

If you love a strong female character, perfect romances and plot twists galore READ THIS SERIES. It doesn't get better than this.

Pamela Alvarado

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it a lot and it delivered. My only problem at the end was a feeling of 'And that was it?'. I guess because I didn't really see a defined plot. Of course each page of this book drew me in, but I was waiting for it to build towards something, anything. But at the end I didn't feel there was a really a climax. I'm hoping to see struggles in Ellie's and Rain's relationship in the next books.

Lacey

I have no idea why I thought this was a standalone but it’s a true fantasy romance series soooo the romance is still at its beginning stages here in book 1. But I loved this fantasy world! I liked the world-building and it was an interesting take on a different kind of fae - these fae control the 5 natural elements. It’s fated mates between the fae king (who also shapeshifts into a flying large cat) and a heroine who’s more powerful than she thinks she is. I can’t wait to continue with this series!

Lauren James

Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures!

4.5 Stars!

I LOVED this book! It was cheesy, yes, but good cheese! The feel good kind. I loved the main characters. I loved the fight scenes, magic scenes, and the deathly plot waiting to be hatched! I felt for the characters, there was adventure, romance, secrets, and a cinnamon roll character, Bel. I love him. He deserves happiness.

Lord of the Fading Lands

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