I absolutely LOVED this. A lot of trilogies suffer "second book syndrome." That was not the case here. This improved upon the first book and I had so much fun with it. The pacing was great. I liked the new characters and the politics. I missed seeing some of the characters that were left behind and do wish we'd gotten a bit more of their POVs, but I expect we'll see more of them in the next book.

The stakes felt higher in this book and the tension was consistent throughout. Luca and Touraine were the stars, but I found myself really enjoying Sabine and Ghadin and Aranen. There were a lot of elements introduced in this that have to be dealt with in the next book - I'm curious to see how this wraps up! I want the next book ASAP!

First of all, this cover is one of the best covers I’ve ever seen…PERIOD. But seriously this book did not disappoint! First off this book focuses more on Luca so if she wasn’t your fav in book one YMMV on this one but I really encourage everyone who read and enjoyed the first book in the series to go for this one as well.

The story is just as exciting and fast paced as the first one and I could not put it down! The themes of colonialism and actively being anti colonialist is incredible present. I wish more fantasy novels could lean more heavily into these themes and I think the success of these books will definitively inspire more publishers to publish more of them.

If you loved the first book I think you I’ll enjoy this ride immensely. I can’t wait for book three!

The Faithless is the second book in C.L. Clark’s Magic of the Lost Trilogy and IT DELIVERS. Clark’s brilliance continues to blow me away–in the portrayal of the intricate web of colonialism and the complex politics of empire; in the ability to depict resist oversimplifying opposing forces into binary good and bad and instead immerse us in all the messy, sticky grayness of it all, but still hold the reader, the characters and oppressive systems accountable; and of course, in the masterful creation of new curse words.

Reasons to read (AFTER you have read The Unbroken)
--hot disaster lesbians part 2 (with some real character development and growth for our MCs)
--brilliant depiction of the complexity of colonial politics and a deeper look at the seeds of discontent within the --lower classes of an empire’s own capital
--demonstrates: you don’t get a reward or exoneration for embarking on a belated journey of recognizing your own privilege and finally truly listening and doing the work to be better, but doing so by choice and without expecting something back does make you someone maybe finally ready to earn trust (and perhaps more…)
--did I mention the fun swear words
--we get to know SABINE and her foppish, seducteur ways
--we get chapters on PRUETT and I just want more
--THE ENDING

The Faithless picks up months after the conclusion of The Unbroken. Qazāl has provisional sovereignty and the empire is withdrawing, but they’ve yet to sign the treaty solidifying terms. Luca’s uncle Nicolas still sits on the throne and everything points to him challenging to hold it; Luca will need allies. Touraine returns to Balladaire as an ambassador of Qazāli, and we see a new and shifting dynamic between her and Luca. We still get gritty military action on the ground with Pruett, but we are also fully immersed in the intrigue and court politics of Balladaire, and we witness the sparks of another type of rebellion within the overlooked, unsatisfied working classes in the heart of the empire.

There are some elements I wanted more of, such as a deeper look at and more clarity around the magical system and gods. I think we’ll get some of that resolution in book 3, and perhaps stuffing too much into this middle volume may have added some drag; as written, I didn’t feel that it suffered any of the “middle book syndrome” you sometimes find in second books, especially in Fantasy Trilogies. These characters still have my whole heart.

The sequel to The Broken moves the action to Balladaire and follows the aftermath of Qazal's independence. Touraine is sent to Balladaire as an ambassador in the hopes that her relationship with Princess Luca will bring food support to Qazal without requiring any sacrifice of autonomy. Luca is suffering the consequences of allowing Qazal's freedom with reduced influence and a reduced chance of becoming queen. She is still searching for magic that she hopes will protect Balladaire from another Withering and therefore solidify her position. The political dance brings yet more conflict between Touraine and Luca, who are trying to deal with their feelings for each other without weakening their positions. An interesting continuation from The Broken, though it does drag a bit towards the middle.

Second book syndrome where?

Some may disagree here, but I didn't feel like this book suffered from second book syndrome and I was so sure that it might.

Touraine grows so much with this book as do others. This was especially important to me as we continue to have the multiple points of views in this sequel as well.

The plot was insane! There were quite a few twists! It is mainly character driven this time around with some political issues but I personally liked that! However, I could totally see how it may seem like much isn't happening in the story. I definitely think you should try it for yourself all the same.

I loved The Unbroken so much that I was frightened to read this book. How could it compare? I read The Unbroken more than a year ago, and still it seems that not a day goes by that I don’t think about Touraine, or Luca, or Pruett, or Jaghotai, or - you get the picture. I was afraid that The Faithless would fall prey to that dreaded second book syndrome.

But it didn’t, not even a little bit. The Faithless blows the world of The Unbroken wide open: where The Unbroken was narrow in scope, focusing only on the desert colony of Qazāl as Luca comes with the Sands, her colonial brigade, to survey, The Faithless shows us a wide world all tied through trade, blood, or war to the imperial seat of Balladaire. We meet Taargen princes and priests, travel across the wide Shālan desert to the colony of Masridān, wander through the slums of La Chaise, and walk the golden fields of Champs d’Or.

I was so excited to finally see Balladaire, and meet characters mentioned in The Unbroken like the duke and Sabine! I loved Sabine in particular - she’s irreverent, full of herself, and bold, a glimpse at who Touraine might have been if she was raised by Jaghotai and not the harsh Balladarian empire and General Cantic. In hindsight, it’s hilarious that Luca spends much of book 1 wondering what Sabine would do if she was there, and then as soon as we meet the marquise, it’s apparent that the answer is “cause problems on purpose”. I think she also takes the prize for most sexual innuendo involving a sword of any character ever written, and she completely unironically describes herself as “charming and handsome”. And yet she’s a fully realized character and a self-proclaimed coward with an inner struggle that dances around the edge of the page. Her complicated history and relationship with Luca added so much to the book. There was one Sabine moment that made me scream out loud - you will know exactly which one when you read it, I promise.

The book’s central question comes as a gut-punch, spoken by the young Qazāli servant Ghadin to Touraine - “Why did you let him do that to you?” She’s asking why Touraine let the duke regent humiliate her, but Touraine’s response - “Sometimes you just have to” - calls back to the first book, when Touraine was caught between Rogan, Cantic, and Luca herself. Why did Touraine aid in the brutal subjugation of her own people, the execution of her uncle, the deaths of Sands soldiers under her command? Why was she so eager to please Cantic even if it meant betraying her own? And why has she come back to Balladaire?

This question resonates throughout the entire book. It’s a question of agency, one that every character has to answer for themselves, certainly not just Touraine. Luca also has to confront this question within herself - is she as innocent as she thinks in the subjugation of Qazal and all of the Balladairan colonies? Are her small kindnesses to the Qazālis in Balladaire enough to make up for being the heir to a brutal colonial empire? The emptiness of Luca’s well-intentioned gestures is laid bare throughout the book - why does she let her uncle do the things that he does? And how far is she willing to go in order to stop him? The princess spends much of this book moving from impossible decision to impossible decision, somehow managing to let people down no matter which way she turns. Her point of view is beautifully claustrophobic - as the world widens for the reader, Luca’s own world is narrowing. There are only so many options available to her, and it seems as though her allies are dropping like flies….

CL Clark is an absolute master of characterization and point of view. Each character’s chapters are filled with their own unique markers, from the haziness and poetry of Pruett’s mind to Fili’s youthful ideals to Touraine’s constant feeling that she is out of place. The romance was messy, stressful, and dramatic - the will-they-won’t-theys of it all had me on the edge of my seat as much as any of the other conflicts. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I liked this book even more than The Unbroken. It’s definitely cemented Clark as one of my favorite authors, and I can’t wait to see where book 3 takes the story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC!

I love when you get a good classic "oh fuck, it's the second book, everything's a little bit faster and a little bit worse", especially when it comes to Luca and Touraine. Touraine gets sent as an ambassador to Not France right as the subtle battle for the throne between Luca and her shitty uncle (they named him Nicholas, not even subtle with the Romanov analogue there) starts to bubble to the surface, and the people she comes with end up being put at stake in this battle. They also manage to wrestle further with exactly how Luca and Touraine are entwined, while wrestling with their own love and desire, which is A++ sapphic angst that doesn't shy away from the shittiness of imperialism and who all gets caught up in it. There's an attempt to play Luca and Touraine as more morally grey, but it feels like Clark is escalating and possibly gearing up for something big there in the last book, but isn't willing to fully commit just yet. The ending for this book ends up being happier than I expected, but still aware of the storms on the horizon. Also, goddamn, that cover. In summary, fucking get this, you are in for that excellent sapphic fantasy.

The second novel in the Magic of the Lost series in which we rejoin our imperfectly perfect heroines Touraine and Princess Luca. Luca vowed to free Touraine's people and plans for a peace treaty are underway. While her people are starving due to the rebellion's previous actions, Touraine (with Aranen the priestess, and her new page Ghadin) heads off to the palace to negotiate while being quite out of her depth. She is soon embroiled in the chess-like battle for their country between Luca and her Uncle while she and Luca try to figure out their feelings for one another. Meanwhile, there is a rebellion brewing in the streets of Balladaire and Luca still seeks magic to assist her people with the threat of the Withering disease that claimed her parents. At home, Pruett is given her own chance to shine and seek help from the people who sold her into conscription when she was a child.

Whew! This was a whirlwind and we got to meet all kinds of new characters. I wasn't sold on Pruett in the first novel, but I adored her chapters as they helped to build anticipation for the next novel. As someone who was uncertain about the power dynamics between Touraine and Luca in the first novel, I applaud C L Clark for making certain to equalize these two before anything could happen. There was an intense dance of yearning and hurting one another that tugged on every single heartstring I have. My emotions were played like a fine-tuned instrument. I fell deeply and madly in love with these characters, which is the mark of success in a second novel in my humble opinion. I still adored the world-building; this intensely political story is cruel and sometimes there are NO right decisions. Sometimes, the decisions will hurt lots of people. Sometimes good things happen in the story and then are immediately ripped away.

This book will give you anxiety in the VERY BEST way. One million stars for these precious baby characters that I will love forever. Can I please have book three immediately?

This is a fantastic follow-up to The Unbroken! I loved returning to the world and the characters set up in the first book of the trilogy, and am so excited to see it conclude. Full review on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@allyzinnia/video/7204934681475779882?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7130665745683334699

4.3/5

Thank you Orbit books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review

It’s not very often you come across a second book in a trilogy that doesn’t suffer from the sophomore slump– I’d argue The Faithless is better than the first. The novel continues after the independence of Qazāl, as Touraine and Luca navigate a complex sociopolitical climate to reach their (often conflicting) political aspirations. The book is slow-paced and there are a lot of different political factions with their own ambitions. Still, the complexity and political intrigue make this book stand out compared to its predecessor. I felt more attached to the characters and their motivations in this sequel. The romance in the first book felt icky, but it feels much more organic here and the copious gay yearning was honestly fantastic. I never knew the trope of lovers to enemies could hit this good until I read this book. I feel like parts of this book could have been shortened a bit, as I think it would have been just as interesting to see what was happening with the council in Qazāl rather than just focusing on Balladaire. Additionally, I would have loved to learn more about the different religions in the world, and the other groups that have been colonized such as the Many-Legged, as the world-building was quite rich, but we don’t really get to experience much outside Balladaire. While this book is marketed as a fantasy, it's so much more than that; it’s a book about colonialism, forced assimilation, generational trauma, faith, and filled with copious gay yearning.

(Also, the cover is truly the gift that keeps giving because I did not expect Luca to look like THAT)

Before I even start, the cover is gorgeous!

Like The Unbroken, The Faithless is an intricate, politically-focused, intrigue-based fantasy with two leading women who are both formidable in their own right.

Where The Unbroken had a ton of action and magic, this book takes a turn for the political. I read this book very quickly, despite it being a bit of chonker. I’m not as interested in the power plays of nobles, but the way Clark has crafted the city, its varying peoples, and its systems are incredibly intricate and enveloping. The world-building is astoundingly detailed - Balladaire is clearly based on France (the story is influenced by the colonial history of France and North Africa) but it also retains its own flavours of being a fantasy world. Clark does an amazing job taking elements of real history and blending them into her fantasy novel. This makes for a rich and immersive experience that feels like a real place.

One of my favourite elements of the world-building is the addition of what are clearly French Revolutionary aspects. As much as I like Luca, I’m also all for tearing down the aristocracy, so this part was really intriguing to me, and I hope there will be more in book three.

The characters, as with last time, are excellent. Touraine, for being a badass, really has issues with her place in the world - which makes sense given her upbringing and her love of Luca. Touraine clearly loves things about Balladaire as much as she resents (rightfully so) their colonialism. Her struggle is very apparent and well done, as it addresses ideas of systemic problems which force complicity because there are no real practical solutions to these problems. This is seen in so many countries, including my own, where the effects of centuries of colonialism have created lingering effects that are so complex even those affected aren’t sure how to approach it.

I loved how Touraine has flaws when it comes to fighting - she’s not this perfect fighter who can pick up any weapon and kick ass with it. This aspect comes into play in this novel, and it’s so realistic. I also loved that she clearly has PTSD from the events of the last book - rarely in fantasy is this addressed, so that was fantastic. This truly is a realism-based fantasy through and through, despite the magic aspects.

Luca is not much different from book one - she’s outwardly strong but inwardly struggling. The best parts between these two women are their attraction and emotion towards one another and how they wrestle with it for different reasons. Their love story is big part of the plot but it’s not overly “romancey” which was great.

The side characters are wonderful. Pruett is my favourite. She’s tough and rough around the edges - she’s bitter and angry and full of grit. Ghadin and Sabine were also fun.

The best character is Sevroush, though, the pet vulture. I loved him. So fun!

The fight scenes, while few and far between in this novel, are well-described and exciting. Clark has a grittiness to her fights that remind me of Joe Abercrombie in a way, or even Kameron Hurley, in that they focus on the not-so-pretty aspects of anatomy and wounds.

There was a bit of a pacing issue throughout the novel though, as things progressed but I never really felt any urgency on the face of it. Perhaps there isn’t supposed to be, but this led to a lack of tension in certain parts of the novel. I was still fully engaged, as the book is so rich, but the plot meanders a bit at times.

The prose itself is much like the story - realistic and grounded. There’s not a lot of pithy metaphors or elegiac sentences, but this works for this novel. There’s a lot going on, so concise language works well here.

Overall, I enjoyed The Faithless even more than The Unbroken and I really look forward to book 3.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the e-arc.

Do you know how sometimes the second book doesn't live up to the first? Yeah, that is not the case this time around at all. I am in genuine awe of this book, and I cannot wait until my physical copy arrives so that I can re-read this and annotate it.

This book was fast-paced and engaging, and I was completely enthralled from start to finish. Without spoiling anything, I will say that this book is full of twists and turns that kept me turning the page to see what was coming next.

I loved that we got to see the story from new POV's and I especially loved finally getting Pruett's POV because she's such a fun and interesting character and I was obsessed with her in The Unbroken.

I love when books have characters face the consequences for their actions and when we see how these actions and consequences affect not only themselves but the people around them and lets just say....this book definitely delivers on that front.

This book deals directly with colonialism and its effects and is actively anti-colonialist even though one of our main characters, Luca, is the leader of said colonial nation. Clark has done a masterful job telling this story about rebellion, colonialism, friendship, and love.

Touraine..hand in marriage, please? I am begging. I'll fight Luca. Or are y'all looking for a third? Just let me know.

C.L Clark has just solidified their spot as an instant buy author and I can't wait to see what they write next!

The Faithless by C.L. Clark 10/10. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

This was an incredible sequel. Political intrigues punctuated by exciting fight scenes and shameless flirting. The Faithless was able to explore the intricacies and horrors of colonialism through both plot and character development. What makes this series so unique is the depiction of the systemic issues of imperialism/colonialism with a main focus on how this is manifested on the level of individuals. Clark’s world building continues to be incredible but the real heart of the series is the characters. They are all so incredibly sexy and well developed. I would love to explore Pruett’s character more in the next book. Thank you CL Clark for this amazing story

Sabine and Tourraine….call me.

TLDR: Horny girl rights 😤

I did not think you could top The Unbroken but omg, I was mistaken. This story is so full and fleshed out. We get more in the heads of the characters and also into their connection. This took me on a ride that I was prepared and unprepared for. C.L. Clark is one of the great fantasy writers of our time and I am honored to read this second installment.

I love C L Clark's writing and after reading this and rereading the first book in the series (The Unbroken) I firmly believe that C L Clark will be an auto-buy author for me. Even though I was totally engrossed the entire time I was reading this book, for me the thing I enjoyed the most was the representation. All too much in these types of books its very cis-het white people centric. I love that it has good representation of LGBT+, POC and disabled people. On another note, can we talk about how beautiful this cover is? The cover artist for both The Faithless and The Unbroken hit it out of the dang park!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!
Wowwwww okay this picked up after the very cliff hanger ending of The Unbroken and just did not let off the entire book. It was heavy, it was exciting. It was well, a lot of political intrigue and so many challenges to get to the throne. I thoroughly enjoy seeing Luca be just an absolute badass and I really appreciate disabled heroes in stories. Touraine is the star of the show again and really came into her own. We met some other incredible characters and had a Pruett side quest (no spoilers on that but 👀👀👀). I simply cannot rest until I know what happens next 😭

First off, wow, I liked this a lot more than The Unbroken. Not that I didn't enjoy The Unbroken, but I didn't absolutely love it either, and found it a bit slow for me to get through. With The Faithless, on the other hand, I ended up reading the second half in about a day, and even before that there was a compulsivity to it that I didn't find with the first book. You could probably credit this to my familiarity with the world and pre-built investment into the characters, but I also believe C.L. Clark's writing has improved noticeably from the first book, at least to my taste.

In particular, I was impressed by how packed this was. I've seen others say it's still slow, which is true in the sense of wide-scale plot progress, advances being blocked at every turn. But there were certainly enough threads running at any one time to keep me hooked. A few POVs - Aranen, Pruett, and a new character Fili - we only got sparse chapters from, but even those were surprisingly effective. I want to complain that I wanted to see more of this or that, spend more time in Qazāl and the colonies than the palace, but honestly it was all very well crafted for what was accomplished. I also appreciate that the novel reads like a full thought - we weren't wallowing around in setup, and though by nature this is a book of aftermath, that's more to it's credit than anything. So often the aftermath is an afterthought.

Some of the defining features of The Unbroken were its nuance and messiness - Touraine makes decisions one way and then the other, many potentially sympathetic characters are hardly in the right all the time, if even most, who's on whose side is always in question. And nothing ever comes easy. All of that holds true here as well. I can't even say how many times a plan was ruined or a tenuous alliance fell apart while I sat there thinking, "Damn, can not even one thing go right?" It's believable though, and drives the characters to new lengths and developments. None of them remain static. I even happened upon a new favorite, who seemed like he should only exist as a set dressing but somehow managed to evolve into a side character in his own right.

Though empires, rebellions, and imperialism are staples in adult fantasy, I maintain that I've never seen it done like this - the intentional attempted deconstruction of a colonialist power, from without and within. Again, this harks back to the nuance I mentioned earlier. Even when the characters aren't directly addressing it, there are so many acknowledgements of things like the flaws and inherent inequality of a government system (a monarchy, obviously, but also a council), complicated intersections of race and class, the veiled stability that a colonialist country may seem to provide. I appreciate how these themes act not only as the setup for the story, but are ever present throughout and evidently well thought out, and that consequences also aren't shied away from.

The only thing I will comment on the romance is that I much preferred it in this one, always a fan of the slow-burn, and the casual poly-ness of a number of characters was such a pleasant surprise. So far as magic, while still not the primary focus, I enjoyed what more we learned of it, how it feels almost like it's seeping in at the seems. Both of these aspects I'm looking forward to continuing to explore in the third book.

If you did like The Unbroken, I'd guess you'll enjoy the sequel just as well, unless perhaps you are particularly adverse to court intrigue. And possibly, like me, you'll even like it better! Go give The Faithless a read and join me in awaiting the finale.

The Faithless is a perfect follow up to The Unbroken. It expands upon the events of the previous novel and takes them from Qazal to the heart of Balladaire, where somehow, the stakes become unimaginably higher. Tourraine and Luca's relationship is on unsteady feet as they both deal with the often conflicting needs of their nations. As we move to Balladaire, we see new players emerge in the conflict between Qazal and Balladaire, and even Balladaire and its own people. I can't wait to see what the third book holds!

Genre: fantasy, second world

Nothing is well in Balladaire. Princess Luca as rightful heir is still trying to wrest power from the hands of her uncle, the Duke and over-extending regent. Touraine now sits on the Qazali council, and returns to Balladaire on a mission to win freedom for the Qazali people… and to guard her heart from the princess who has broken it once before. In a realm where everyone is playing at politics and the native Qazali are looking to throw off the reins of the colonizing Balladairians, a world with powerful magic can be a dangerous place.

I’ve been obsessed with this cover since its reveal, and can now confirm that it captures the energy of the book absurdly well. Luca has wanted the power she believes is rightfully hers and to live up to the legacy left by her father, and yet she’s uncomfortable in the role in public. Over two books, we’ve seen her grow and gain poise, and yet we imagine she’s never going to be comfortable unless Touraine is at her side, even though they both know that’s a terrible political idea.

One of the things I love about CL Clark’s writing is the subtlety she uses for her character morality, despite the fact that there’s clearly a colonizer and a subjugated nation in play. Just because the empires have done wrong to another doesn’t mean that there aren’t people who make decisions based on broader (or narrower) interests on each side.

I still consider this “martial fantasy” because of Touraine’s background, but this one is a little more political in style. But as we are reminded, “Revolution is not a game” even if those in political offices sometimes may think it is. The Magic of the Lost series is gritty and complex and stunning.

"What will you have to become to withstand her flames?"

Plot: 4/5
As Clark said on twitter, The Unbroken was mommy issues and The Faithless is daddy issues. That whole aspect of daddy issues and the shit with the Duke caused me so much stress but it was damn good for the plot.
I loved the amount of politics in The Unbroken all centered around a rebellion but I found the amount/kind of politics in this one to make it drag a lot. The story is centered around court politics and betrayals. There are a lot of characters in play and it is really hard to keep track of who contributed what.

Characters:4/5
These are some of the messiest lesbians I've ever read. Touraine and Luca continue their back and forth but they finally are able to take some of what is owed to them.
Sabine is such a complex character and I love the addition of her to the story, she caused so much tension between Luca and Touraine. If Sabine continues to be present, I demand a thruple. Clark isn't a coward, they can do it.
We also get new POVs from Filli and Pruet which added really valuable perspectives to the book. And the interludes from Aranen?! Incredible.

Writing: 5/5
Clark is an incredible writer, they have a very distinct style and, boy, do they understand how to write slow burn pining. Their word choice and descriptions paint a perfect picture of the time period they're mirroring.

Overall: 4/5