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Enduring Flame #2
The Phoenix Endangered
In The Phoenix Endangered , second in The Enduring Flame, Tiercel, a budding High Mage, and Harrier, a reluctant Knight-Mage, develop greater power—and learn of the evils of war when they see the devastation caused by the fanatical armies of the Wild Mage Bisochim. The desert tribespeople led by young Shaiara flee Bisochim’s evil, seeking a legendary oasis deep in the desert—a refuge that may hold the key to stopping Bisochim and preserving the Balance between Light and Darkness . . . or that may be the cause of Light’s ultimate downfall.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2008
73 people are currently reading
1764 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
442 books9,508 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
March 7, 2019
I have to say, while I still love the world, and the story is good, I felt like I really enjoyed the first trilogy much more. The tale of Tyr and Harrier stalls in places, quite a bit and yet in places it can also feel a bit rushed. They're not bad, and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of either authors. I just feel like the story's pacing should have been more consistent.
December 13, 2015
I am slightly less angry about this second installment but I still really dislike this series. As I said, I paid money for them and I will feel ripped off if I don't read them at least once. So here it goes. This one at least has more action and there is even one character who I have started to really like. Shaiara is pretty bad ass and I have never really seen a female "strong, silent type" so that was refreshing. I alternate between liking and hating Kareta, she does have a few endearing moments, but I find still find the two main characters absolutely insufferable. Tircel and Harrier, or Dopey and Mopey, as I have been mentally referring them to are just not characters that I really care about or root for. They just get more and more whiny as the novel goes on and it irks me. As I have said with the last book and with the previous much better series, these authors are TERRIBLE at pacing their novels. The action goes by much too quickly but the inconsequential conversations and musings never end. I only have one more novel left in this series and I just hope that it's short.
June 20, 2012
I thought about giving this sequel one star more than the previous book The Phoenix Unchained because of the story, but it's again too slow for me. I thought the story was a clear improvement. There are some things I don't particularly like about the book, and it's mostly some of the characters. Harrier, for example, is a very annoying character. The unicorn is also annoying. Tiercel is not as annoying, just not very special. My favourite is the antagonist Bisochim and his dragon Seravasse and I hope they have a worthy end in the last book.
May 20, 2017
The main characters are a bit whiny in both books thus far, and I guess I can accept that teenage boys but wow it gets a bit too much at times. And it is written that if you missed the first book you get what has happened but for Lackey this too is a bit heavy handed. Perhaps I missed the age group it was aimed at but seems more YA than anything maybe that is the reason I struggled to relate.
July 6, 2009
Not a patch on the original trilogy. A dumbed down attempt at a coming of age story with wooden characters.
April 21, 2022
8/10
This is an entertaining, rather traditional fantasy, book 2 in a series. Enough action to move the plot forward, enough humor to offset the bleakness of certain events, and enough heart to offset the recurring fantasy cliches.
This is an entertaining, rather traditional fantasy, book 2 in a series. Enough action to move the plot forward, enough humor to offset the bleakness of certain events, and enough heart to offset the recurring fantasy cliches.
October 8, 2025
Starting the next book in the series. Very exciting story and ended on a cliff hanger.
May 23, 2021
Sadly, there wasn't a huge improvement in this second book of the Enduring Flame trilogy.
Like book one, this also has vast amounts of writing that takes the reader absolutely nowhere, with very few chapters written that have some actual action in them, in between.
Unfortunately, the two main characters aren't really improving, either!
Tiercel is still dithering about, acting like a complete idiot, while Harrier seems to be in a perpetual pout - acting like an angry ox one moment, then refusing to study the three Wild Mage books that he was given, in order to help him become a Wild Mage.
So far, if it wasn't for various characters helping them along the way, including Ancaladar, Tiercel's bonded dragon, then I'm sure that the two boys would still be sat in their home town, oblivious to the coming troubles!
To be fair, it isn't a bad story, but the pacing of it is atrocious, as there have been times I've almost fallen asleep, when the writing has droned on without any action at all, for far too much of the book.
I think any decent editor may have made one good book out of the two so far, as far too many conversations have rambled over multiple pages, never really getting to the point at all!
I'll be reading the third book of this trilogy: The Phoenix Transformed, but I'm really, really, really, hoping that the plot speeds up, and that Tiercel and Harrier grow up quickly, before the story ends!
Like book one, this also has vast amounts of writing that takes the reader absolutely nowhere, with very few chapters written that have some actual action in them, in between.
Unfortunately, the two main characters aren't really improving, either!
Tiercel is still dithering about, acting like a complete idiot, while Harrier seems to be in a perpetual pout - acting like an angry ox one moment, then refusing to study the three Wild Mage books that he was given, in order to help him become a Wild Mage.
So far, if it wasn't for various characters helping them along the way, including Ancaladar, Tiercel's bonded dragon, then I'm sure that the two boys would still be sat in their home town, oblivious to the coming troubles!
To be fair, it isn't a bad story, but the pacing of it is atrocious, as there have been times I've almost fallen asleep, when the writing has droned on without any action at all, for far too much of the book.
I think any decent editor may have made one good book out of the two so far, as far too many conversations have rambled over multiple pages, never really getting to the point at all!
I'll be reading the third book of this trilogy: The Phoenix Transformed, but I'm really, really, really, hoping that the plot speeds up, and that Tiercel and Harrier grow up quickly, before the story ends!
March 11, 2022
This book dragged on forever. I had purchased it several years ago and tried to read it, but was unable to finish. I did read it this time, in a period of several days, but could easily put it down at any point. Even If I accidentally started a few pages further in than I had been reading, it made little difference to the storyline.
The world-building was good, and there were several ethnic groups that it was fun to read about, with the most interesting being the desert folks. Unfortunately we got both too little and too much about their customs (walking off into the desert to die alone, something certain Native American tribes used to do, reflects a good heritage, but we heard very little about itO). Dragons used to roam the world, but little is really mentioned. Elves were visited but little was shared about them - or maybe I slept through that bit. The camels, called shotor, were interesting too.
Overall, a book I won't miss if it disappears from my bookshelf.
The world-building was good, and there were several ethnic groups that it was fun to read about, with the most interesting being the desert folks. Unfortunately we got both too little and too much about their customs (walking off into the desert to die alone, something certain Native American tribes used to do, reflects a good heritage, but we heard very little about itO). Dragons used to roam the world, but little is really mentioned. Elves were visited but little was shared about them - or maybe I slept through that bit. The camels, called shotor, were interesting too.
Overall, a book I won't miss if it disappears from my bookshelf.
February 22, 2018
In my review of the first book, I said that it felt like it was just a set up for the next. My hope was that the story and action would finally get rolling in the second. In some ways I was dissapointed, but at least there was a pretty intense few chapters toward the end.
Usually within a book series, each book has it's own story to be told within the overarching larger plot. This series however have just ended as if the author met their word quota and decided to stop. It's not necessarily a bad thing as it leaves you wanting more, but at the conclusion of this book I've decided to let go of some of my high hopes and expectations going forward.
Usually within a book series, each book has it's own story to be told within the overarching larger plot. This series however have just ended as if the author met their word quota and decided to stop. It's not necessarily a bad thing as it leaves you wanting more, but at the conclusion of this book I've decided to let go of some of my high hopes and expectations going forward.
January 21, 2020
Took me a long time to listen to the entire thing, mostly because I got busy with living and family, and didn't have time, and it went back to the library a couple of times. A lot of this story is road trip, about how the boys travel after getting together with the dragon. Harrier saves the life of a warrior and in return, he teaches him how to use a sword. Then the bad guy's minions attack the city on the edge of the desert where the warrior lives, and the boys discover they don't like killing. At all. By the end of the story, they find where the lake of fire is-- or the path to it, at least-- and gain an ally in their quest. It's a good story. I liked it.
September 21, 2017
I love the story that is unfolding! The favorite part of my days recently has been reading these books which I stumbled across at my local library. I enjoy the development of Ter and Har and although the plot didn't fold out the way i had thought it would i was entertained and kept on the hook all the way through. Highly recommend this series!
December 3, 2023
Riveting!!
Who needs sleep when they have a series this riveting to Voraciously read? I assure you that the desire for rest is easily set aside by a true aficionado of these two fantastic authors. I am glad I got all 3 books at the same time because I am eager to see what happens next.
Who needs sleep when they have a series this riveting to Voraciously read? I assure you that the desire for rest is easily set aside by a true aficionado of these two fantastic authors. I am glad I got all 3 books at the same time because I am eager to see what happens next.
August 24, 2024
the journey
For all the high fantasy markers, there’s a lot of fumbling around, traveling for weeks and best-laid plans falling apart. And two close friends who are nothing alike bickering like siblings in the midst of magic, history, and an ineffable magic that pulls the strings of fate and chance.
For all the high fantasy markers, there’s a lot of fumbling around, traveling for weeks and best-laid plans falling apart. And two close friends who are nothing alike bickering like siblings in the midst of magic, history, and an ineffable magic that pulls the strings of fate and chance.
January 17, 2025
Better than the first book. I enjoy learning about the people who live in and around the desert and exploring the ancient abandoned city. I think the first series is better though, I was in tears reading some of the battles and suspenseful moments in the first series but I haven’t felt that level of emotion for this series yet.
December 18, 2017
The second book didn't hook me as much as the first, though it is the fate of many second in a trilogy. Good advancement of story and plot, I enjoyed the filling in of more details of the prior struggles of the ages in the world.
September 9, 2018
The book was a little better than the first. There were actual parts of the plot that were not completely predictable, and that alone is better.
The writing has never been the issue. Only the ideas. Every idea has been used before, just try to make them a bit different.
The writing has never been the issue. Only the ideas. Every idea has been used before, just try to make them a bit different.
April 2, 2020
I tagged this as "non-European fictional world" because most of the novel is spent in the fantasy!Saharah desert.
I really like this book. Two of the main characters, Harrier and Tiercel, find themselves having to defend a city against a conquering army. The two have to struggle with the fact that, to defend the city, they're going to have to murder thousands of people in the opposing army when neither young man has ever so much as hurt someone before. I thought the moral dilemma was really interesting and I appreciated that the characters actually thought about the implications of what they were doing. I'm really looking forward to the last book in the trilogy now.
I really like this book. Two of the main characters, Harrier and Tiercel, find themselves having to defend a city against a conquering army. The two have to struggle with the fact that, to defend the city, they're going to have to murder thousands of people in the opposing army when neither young man has ever so much as hurt someone before. I thought the moral dilemma was really interesting and I appreciated that the characters actually thought about the implications of what they were doing. I'm really looking forward to the last book in the trilogy now.
May 5, 2023
It started out okay, and then the end really dragged on. The writing is very repetitive; events are described multiple times as if the authors expect us to have already forgotten them. I got 3/4 of the way through and then gave up.
September 24, 2024
Better than the first book.
I really enjoyed Shiara and the parts of the story that focus on her and her clan. This series just doesn't grab me the way the previous one did, but it's good enough to continue and find out what happens.
This is a tired, late night review.
I really enjoyed Shiara and the parts of the story that focus on her and her clan. This series just doesn't grab me the way the previous one did, but it's good enough to continue and find out what happens.
This is a tired, late night review.
December 31, 2017
Still a fun series!
November 22, 2019
Still pretty light-hearted. Enjoyable story. Great, slightly epic, fantasy book to get young readers into the genre.
March 9, 2020
A decent read with an amusing set of characters and an immersive story. Tyr and Harrier make a great combo.
Read
October 17, 2020The second in a series that I have read/listened to twice. I found the story easy to follow and intriguing as thre was always something new to keep the story moving forward.
December 16, 2020
The pacing suffered in this one, but I still love my old series's continuation.
August 21, 2021
Omg the whining about killing evildoers... Fucking ridiculous main characters
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2024
Pretty good for a "second act" book, but of course it ends with a cliff-hanger question because this is, of course, a trilogy.
February 6, 2025
A little simplistic but a decent tale so far
March 30, 2025
I do not believe Mercedes Lackey wrote this book. It contains grammatical solecisms that I have never seen in her work.
June 30, 2025
Better than the first book but it still dragged in places. 3 1/2*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews