Esmay Rosalyne
“Night and day, dusk and dawn, the end, and the beginning.”
Featuring the most badass headstrong FMC, a cinnamon roll-ish shadow daddy with destruction magic, plenty of sharp banter, complex family dynamics, and cutthroat political intrigue, Reign & Ruin is the perfect romantic fantasy for the epic fantasy lovers.
Set in a magical Middle-Eastern inspired world, Reign & Ruin tells the story of Naime and Makram, two young royals of enemy countries who get drawn into an intricate web of politics, magic, intrigue, and most dangerously of all, forbidden feelings. What starts out as a semi-reluctant mutually beneficial alliance slowly starts blossoming into something altogether more powerful when they discover how perfectly they balance each other out; a balance that is desperately needed to restore the Wheel and protect their world from total destruction.
Now, considering the fact that Reign & Ruin was the winner of SPFBO7, just beating out one of my personal favourite books (Legacy of the Brightwash), I went into this book with insanely high expectations. And honestly, I can see why it is so highly regarded and I think it truly deserves all the love, praise and success it has received; this is fantasy romance as it ought to be written!
From the moment I met Naime, I immediately had mad respect for her and knew I was going to be in for a treat with this story. With her cunning mind, sharp wits, and dangerously strong ambition, she is exactly the type of complex strong FMC that the fantasy genre, and literature in general, desperately needs to see more of. The way that she boldly stands up for her own rights and cleverly manoeuvres the insidious schemes of the viziers in the Council was so awe-inspiring to me, even more so because she knows her limits and never veers into the realm of dumb cockiness.
Safe to say, this fierce and fearsome woman truly doesn’t need no man in her life to keep her protected… but then there’s Makram. See, I think both Naime and I weren’t expecting to fall head over heels in love with this suave destruction mage, but here we are. Their complicated dynamic and unexpected chemistry was so incredibly fun to witness, and I was giddily kicking my feet over the electrifying tension and teasing banter between them.
And when I say banter, I don’t mean we just get stupid horny dialogue that is supposed to create sexual tension, but instead we get a true battle of wits between two people who deeply respect each other but also push each other’s buttons every opportunity they get. The ‘will they, won’t they’ slow-burn is just so delicious, and I loved how their budding relationship became the beating heart of the story without it overpowering all the other elements that make Reign & Ruin shine.
The way that Evans balances and interweaves the romance, magic, and politics is honestly masterfully done, which is exactly what makes this story so dangerously addictive. Would I have loved to see even more on-page development of their relationship to really feel all the feels? Sure. But then I also ate up the magical lore, political intrigue, and intense family drama that we get treated to in Reign & Ruin.
Especially the dynamic between Naime and her ailing father really tugged on my heartstrings, and I loved how Evans used the Sultan’s magical deterioration as a way to explore the devastating effects of a mind disease like Alzheimer’s. And on the other side, I deeply appreciated the complicated relationship between Makram and his quietly unhinged brother (the king), which only added more tension to this already riveting narrative.
The pacing is honestly just ridiculously strong, and I could not stop turning the pages from the moment Naime and Makram first met. I also really liked that we got to explore both of their respective home countries over the course of this tumultuous journey, though I have to admit that I did find myself wanting a bit more in terms of cultural world building and atmosphere. And yet, I was still surprisingly well immersed thanks to the stirring emotions and incredibly high stakes.
Even though this first instalment in the Mages of the Wheel series has a triumphant, if slightly rushed, ending that filled me with satisfaction and joy, I am already desperate to see how the open threads are going to be followed up as we meet each new mage of the wheel in the companion sequels. It truly feels like we have only just scratched the surface, and I already can’t wait to keep exploring this world and its captivating magic system further.
If you are somehow still sceptical of fantasy romance and don’t think it is for you, then I’d dare you to try Reign & Ruin and think again. It’s epic yet intimate, dark yet romantic, complex yet bingeable, and it has just the most tantalising teases of steamy spice that will set even the coldest of hearts on fire; I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Beth Tabler
All Magic is Beautiful, even the magic that Makes You Tremble with Fear
Reign & Ruin by J.D. Evans surprised me and restored my faith in romantic fantasy. It reminded me that a reader really can have it all.
Not every book is for every reader. We know this all too well as reviewers. Over the years, I’ve read a substantial number of romantic fantasy novels—some great, some… not so good. Most of them fall neatly into familiar trope categories: enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, protector or savior, revenge, insta-love, or forced marriage. I don’t hate tropes; any trope can work if it’s done well.
I don’t need every book to reinvent the wheel; that would be exhausting. What I do need are sympathetic characters, a consistent plot, engaging scenes, and a story that carries me effortlessly from one page to the next. So when I say that Reign & Ruin might be one of the best romantic fantasy novels I’ve ever read, take that in the spirit of someone who’s been around the block a few hundred times.
“You will never find a battleground more relentless and exhausting than a royal court in transition.”
Let me tell you a bit about Reign & Ruin. The story centers on two characters, the first being Princess Naime, heir to the throne of Tamar. She’s the daughter of a sultan slowly losing his faculties and a queen holding the kingdom together through sheer will and magic. Naime is bold and composed because that’s what her people need from her.
Naime never strays too far in any one direction. She doesn’t fall into the “girlboss” stereotype; she’s herself, wholly, honestly, and unequivocally. Evans could have made a lot of mistakes with her character: having her throw away her kingdom and goals for a love interest, making her false to herself, or turning her into a caricature of strength. Evans does none of these things. Naime isn’t fragile, but she isn’t invincible either; there’s a quiet vulnerability beneath her composure, as there would be for anyone under immense pressure. I found her character refreshing and surprising. And she doesn’t need Markam to point out the flaws in her strength or teach her how to “soften.” Screw that.
”“In Evans’s hands, even a plum isn’t just a plum—it bursts on the tongue and drips down the reader’s chin.”
Markam is the younger brother of the ruler of Sarkum, Tamar’s neighboring kingdom. As leader of Sarkum’s military, he travels to Tamar to negotiate an alliance that could strengthen both nations. Tamar is rich in mage blood but lacks military might; Sarkum is the opposite. His characterization could easily have gone wrong. Markam wields a type of magic feared across the lands, so he’s been shunned and shamed his entire life. In lesser hands, this could have turned him into a broken man who needs Naime to “fix” him. That would have cheapened the story. Instead, Markam is loyal, respected, and intelligent, yet still human enough to be blind to some things. Even without Naime, he would remain all of these things and more.
Both Naime and Markam are fighting to save their homelands from the Republic, a nation bent on destroying anyone with mage blood. Together, they stand at the heart of a story filled with political intrigue, mental sparring, and cultural tension. Even without the romance, Reign & Ruin could stand on its own through the strength of its world-building and magic system, both of which are shown rather than told. I felt completely immersed in the courts draped in silk, the baked dusty sands, and the frigid northern landscapes. In Evans’s hands, even a plum isn’t just a plum—it bursts on the tongue and drips down the reader’s chin.
“All magic is beautiful,” she said, “and terrible. Do you not see the beauty in yours, or the terror in mine? You can stop a heart, and I can stop your breath.”
My only quibble with this story, and the reason it didn’t earn a perfect score, is that it starts a little slow. I call it a quibble because once the story finds its rhythm, it absolutely soars. Given how intricate and richly cultured this world is, that slower beginning feels understandable. Evans takes her time establishing the political and emotional landscape, which pays off beautifully later.
Reign & Ruin is a rare romantic fantasy that satisfies both halves of the genre. It’s not easy to balance romance and fantasy without one eclipsing the other, but Evans manages it with grace and confidence. I’m so glad SPFBO introduced me to this book, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
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PL Stuart
“His magic answered hers with shadow for her light.”
After a long succession of reading quite incredible yet quite dark and more nihilistic fantasy books, some palate-cleansers were probably a good idea. Nothing can reset my reading orientation quite like good fantasy-romance, and why not pick up an award-winning one for good measure?
Thus, for my first read of #SPFBOwinners July 2022 reads, where some of my TBR includes champions of Mark Lawrence’s Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO), I selected the most recent winner of the coveted selfie-stick (the physical prize for winning SPBFO), at SPFBO Number 7, “Reign and Ruin” (Book One of Mages of the Wheel) by J.D. Evans.
Obviously, with this book being an SPFBO champion, expectations were high. No worries here: the book was wonderful.
The plot of “Reign and Ruin” revolves around the relationship between two fascinating and dynamic characters: Naime and Makram. Both are high-ranking royals and powerful mages, from different realms.
Naime is the heir by right to Tamar’s throne. However many of Tamar’s sexist nobles on the royal Council are not enthused about the prospect of a female ruler. As Naime’s father, the ruling Sultan, ails in the grips of dementia, the Sultan’s deteriorating health will force the succession issue, but Kadir, the influential Grand Vizier – a rival of Naime’s but a childhood friend of her father – and his supporters plans are to marry Naime off in a politically advantageous match.
The man Naime marries will be the ruler, not Naime, with the Grand Vizier as the real power behind the throne of Tamar. But Naime, while young, is very politically astute, judicious, confident, and born to lead and rule. What she lacks in experience in terms of diplomacy and court intrigue, she makes up in intelligence, determination, and gumption.
Makram is the Agassi, second-in-line to the throne of Sakrum. Kinus, the current sovereign, and Makram’s older brother, is suspicious, paranoid, and somewhat unpopular. There is a concerted faction of Sakrum’s elite who would like to supplant Makram in his brother’s place, but the loyal Makram will have none of it. He is unfailingly steadfast, and while very clever himself, his exposure is that he cannot envision his brother turning against him.
Not only is Makram an elite warrior, and commander of his brother’s armies, but he is also one of the world’s most powerful mages. He sees himself as the protector of his people, and this humble, unpretentious yet somewhat enigmatic leader is someone who inspires devotion from those who follow him.
With Tamar imperilled by an enemy’s imminent incursion to their borders, Naime sees a potential alliance for Tamar with Sakrum, which has a powerful military (this is also her father’s vision). The Grand Vizier and Council are largely opposed to such an alliance, for numerous reasons, including mistrust of foreigners. With her father’s erratic behaviour and failing memory, Naime takes the reins and decisively steers her nation towards broaching relations between the two realms.
While the Lord of Sakrum rejects the alliance as well, Makram sees this as a mistake, and ends up reluctantly going behind his brother’s back, and taking a few trusted subordinates including his right-hand man Tareck, and journeys secretly to Tamar, in hope of preserving the alliance. Representing Sakrum, he therefore deals directly with Naime, who represents her people in turn. An attraction begins to smoulder, but their opposing magic, court politicking, and the complexities of both their positions, any romance is likely doomed.
The characterization alone in this book made it worthy of a five-star read, since both the two primary love interests and the secondary characters were outstanding. In terms of the two main ones, Naime is a force to be reckoned with. The combination of exterior beauty and inner beauty, wit, intellect, fortitude, compassion, and passion dazzles and captivates Markham, and puts her opponents scrambling, on the defensive. She is still untutored in the ways of romance, and ultimately still green as well to a certain degree in the court intrigue department, but she’s a natural.
Naime adeptly handles the cunning and malicious Vizier and his cronies, copes bravely and lovingly with her father’s dementia, and courageously refuses to allow any naivety, her gender, or her society’s expectations of what a woman’s role should be stand in her way of what’s best for her realm. She is not going to cede power to anyone just because she’s female, and she is going to be the Sultana that Tamar needs, no matter what anyone thinks to the contrary.
Handsome, quietly heroic, and intense, Makram seems a bit more brooding and introspective at first, yet also daring and charismatic. He has some insecurities about the way he was raised, and being the spare heir (whom so many want to overthrow the rightful one) has not been an easy role for him. His blindness and obstinacy towards his brother’s major flaws as a ruler is in turn Makram’s main flaw. But his respect for women, his unwavering support of and faith in Naime, his sense of honour and duty, and his general decency will win the reader’s heart.
Makram knows Naime does not need saving. So he does not attempt to save her. He is not looking for her to be a subservient queen to him, should they wind up together. While he wants partnership, he is also quite willing, even encouraging, for her to be the nominal leader, with him in a supporting role. This progressive and open-minded approach, and his integrity, helps make him an extremely likeable character.
The supplementary players are phenomenal, and its apparent that Evans has set readers up for them to figure more prominently in future series. The banter and brotherhood between Makram and Tareck is humourous and heartwarming, and faithful Samira as Naime’s best friend and adviser is a standout.
The worldbuilding in this book was marvellous. It appears to be sculpted largely from ancient Middle Eastern customs and history, particularly the Ottoman Empire, and is luxuriant and realistic. The various nations have their own unique traditions and idiosyncrasies. The magic system is intriguing, with different types of mages, many of them tied to the elements – i.e. fire mages, water mages, earth mages, wielding in some cases enormous powers.
Despite looking for lighter fare with my current reads, I need compelling themes in a novel to make it truly engaging for me, and this book had them. Dealing with a parent with dementia, PTSD from battle, misogyny, gender issues, emotional vulnerability, trust, bigotry, and more are threaded through the narrative, and are all topics that are sensitively and well-handled by Evans. Balance is also a main theme in the book. Part of what Naime strives for is to right “The Wheel”, and help bring order to the state of magic.
The prose is gorgeous, and the Reign and Ruin is exquisitely written. This is the sort of engaging, lyrical, yet efficient prose one might expect from such a lauded book.
Now for the good stuff: the romance! Reign and Ruin has got that right amount of steam, slow-burn, building up from initial wariness and even irritation with one another (but still the beginnings of attraction) to something very intense. The writing of especially the foreplay scenes, will not only get your heart racing but also enchant you with the sheer beauty of Evan’s words. The author really knows how to use language to set the mood and combine the melding of the lover’s magic with the melding of their hearts.
“His magic answered hers with shadow for her light. Smoke beneath his skin, shadowed flames twining through and around the sharp, bright light of her power. They were a swirling, ever-changing harmony, his peace for her tempest, his restlessness for her calm, his recklessness for her planning, her independence for his loyalty. Night and day, dusk and dawn, the end, and the beginning.”
“Reign and Ruin” won an SPFBO Championship in the face of some incredibly stiff competition, and now having read it, I can see why many bloggers found it to be a deserving victor. It was an excellent book, and I am all in for continuing with the future installements in Evans’ “Mages of the Wheel” series to see what happens next with the kingdoms of Tamar and Sakrum.
SPFBO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ORDER
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