I am very thankful to have been gifted a copy of this book; however, at this point this book will be moving to my DNF shelf. It sounds like something I would have really enjoyed, and will happily come back and re-review once I am in a better mindset for the book.

If you enjoyed the first part of this saga, you'll no doubt be here for the next part. I have seen others compare the story to Patrick Rothfuss, but I was reminded more of past fantasy epic authors - this is definitely following a tradition, but if you enjoy such things, the ride is fun.

I didn't wind up reading this. I wasn't in the right space during the summer and it just fell off my radar. Honestly it mostly has to do with me moving away from ebooks and sticking strictly with print and audiobooks. I am hoping to pick this book up in print to continue the series in that manner.

The Doors of Midnight by R.R. Virdi is a total page-turner. It’s packed with action, magic, and twists that’ll keep you hooked from start to finish. The main character, Dominic, is the kind of hero you can’t help but root for, even when he’s making tough decisions. Virdi builds a world that feels both fresh and familiar, blending supernatural intrigue with a deep emotional core.

It’s not just about the action; it’s about sacrifice, loyalty, and the choices that shape us. If you love fast-paced fantasy with complex characters and a gripping plot, this one’s a must-read!

Maybe it's the time I tried reading this, but I could not finish The Doors of Midnight by R.R. Virdi. I will definitely return to it at a later date when I am not so busy with university.

I am super appreciative to the publisher for sending a widget for this one and the sequel through email, but it just wasn't for me. The writing style was a little formal and dense, but I appreciate the talent and am still happy to recommend this to epic fantasy readers looking for something long and with big worldbuilding!

It was alright. Not my favorite, but also not the worst. A good introduction to the author for new readers of the books.

I wasn't as captivated by with this book as I was with the first Binding. For me it was more slower paced than the first one. I love the story within a story concept alot in novels especially when it its done correctly and I think these books does a phenomenal job. This book I would recommend is for readers who enjoy Lord of the rings.

Ended up Dnfing book one and have chosen not to continue with this series.

Thank you net galley, publisher and author for the earc.

I read book 1, The First Binding and really enjoyed it. I am a sucker for a cheeky protagonist and Virdi started creating a rich world of political intrigue inspired by countries along the Silk Road. Doors of Midnight begins almost immediately after the events of The First Binding, but didn’t hit as high of a note for me.

Let’s start with what I enjoyed. Doors of Midnight continues to have beautiful prose and I’m starting to see the frame work of the overarching story Virdi is building. I have more than a few questions about Ari’s friend Aram and his budding love interest Eloine. And all the scenes with Shola the cat are highly entertaining. Finally, the Ashura continue to be a source of fascination and I want to know more about Ari’s future interactions with them.

Now what didn’t work for me. Pacing was a major issue. Epic fantasies are not always action packed, but I found the story within a story plot device not as effective in this book. It, more often than not, bogged down more interesting events. With Doors of Midnight, I found some parts where Virdi had me itching to continue reading and others were I really struggled to keep going, because it felt like nothing was happening. I also found Ari’s affinity for helping street urchins repetitive. There is only so many times he can help a street crew before I’m bored. Same with his training. I felt that too much time was spent describing the details of both his magical and combat training

Despite the shortcomings of book 2, I’m still invested in Ari’s story and am curious to see what trouble he lands himself in next. Hopefully book 3 will show improvement in pacing.

DNF at about 40%

I enjoyed the first book, and although it was long and slow-paced, it kept my interest and I was able to finish it over the course of several sittings. In that case, I did feel the urge to keep picking the book up. However, I put this down one day and never felt the need to pick it back up again because I didn't particularly care about what was going to happen. While this is still a story within a story, there is something about it that was just not as compelling as the first. I will not be continuing in this series.

This is the longest book I've tackled in a while, and while it took me three months to get through it, that was by choice rather than pace—I wanted to savor every richly woven moment. R.R. Virdi's prose is nothing short of enchanting, reaffirming his place as one of the finest wordsmiths in epic fantasy today. My digital copy is brimming with highlights; there's at LEAST one on every page!

Ari's journey continues to captivate me. His growth, both in his skills and as a person, is what keeps me entranced with his story. His big heart and innate desire to help and protect the weak shines through, making him a hero you can't help but root for. Watching an older Ari reflect on his brash younger self adds a layer of depth, making his earlier flaws feel more like charming quirks. As with the first book, the framing narrative expertly blends a coming-of-age tale with a reflective political murder mystery, and most of the time I'm irrationally mad when we have to switch, because I want both to continue. The slow-burn tension of the present-day plotline kept me hooked, even if there were moments when I was desperate to know what would happen next. It’s a testament to Virdi's skill that he can balance anticipation with satisfaction so deftly.

This novel is truly epic in scope. So much happens that it would take multiple seasons or multiple films to do it justice on screen. From extended time at the Ashram to exploring a new city with a desert (dare I say Dune-like) setting, and even venturing into otherworldly realms, the world-building is expansive and immersive.

One of the most compelling aspects is the book's profound exploration of stories themselves. Virdi delves into the power narratives hold—not just as tales to entertain, but as forces that can shape reality and influence the world around us (in more ways than you might think). This concept is slowly and masterfully developed, and I can't wait to see how it will be woven into the magic system.

Such a monumental achievement in epic fantasy. If you appreciate rich prose, complex characters, and a story that you can truly immerse yourself in, this book is a must-read. I can't wait to see where Ari's legend takes us next!

Oh, Doors of Midnight, you were such a beast. I had a love/relationship with this book. I found some of the same issues in book one appearing in book two. Mostly, it’s slow and has terrible pacing.

We start pretty much where we left off in book one! I was so into this book for the first 35%. My favorite parts of the story are by far, when he’s in the Ashram and his present circumstances. The characters in this book are fantastic. I love how they all intertwine and bring important lessons to each other.

I think that Virdi has such amazing and beautiful prose. This book is full of beautiful and quotable moments and lessons. It is where his writing shines. At times, it can get repetitive and becomes too much. Virdi also has a lot of humor, which I’m glad he does. It’s needed throughout many instances in Ari’s life lessons. One thing to note- he’s narrating this story from the present, so you know he doesn’t ever die during all his “close calls.” My biggest issue with the writing is that Virdi does too good of a job making things so slow and hard to read. The middle of this book is arduously slow. I’m a huge mood reader and it is hard to continue.

The dessert is where he spends most of this time and it just didn’t seem all that important. Sure, he learned a lot of lessons, but it was so boring. Even though it was hard to get through, I adored Enshae. She was an amazing character, and I was glad to see their ‘one hundred and one’ nights together. The doors at midnight section of the book was fascinating but also felt slow. The last 20% of the book is where it picked back up for me.

The characters will keep me coming back for more. The plot and story we are chasing is fascinating, and want to know more about. Ari’s story and all the stories told about him were so fun to see. It’s so interesting how stories take off, and he didn’t have to do much. One of the things I adore is that Ari is always about rooting for the underdog. Ari doesn’t move away from that, and it’s appreciated.

Again, this book is too long. It is the biggest and same issue I had with book one. There are so many fascinating things going on, plus complex and interesting characters. We have a book of over 800 pages and little movement in the plot, which is frustrating. I do want to see where this story goes, and will probably pick up the next.

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I personally found The Doors of Midnight to be a book that I found myself constantly struggling with. It is extremely well written and you can tell that R.R. Virdi has put an immense amount effort into his poetic style of prose, but ultimately after two different attempts at reading this book I have come to the conclusion that it just might not be for me. It is not like this book is objectively bad, it isn't, but I just could not find myself to get hooked on this second chapter of Ari's journey. I want to give this book one more try, but I am going to give it some time and hope to come back to find myself more enthralled by the novel at a later date.

I have also purchased a physical copy of the book to show my appreciation to Tor and the author for giving myself an opportunity to read an early review copy of The Doors of Midnight.

Thank you to Ronnie for an early copy of this outstanding sequel to one of my favourite series.

I want to start by putting two fingers up to all the plagiarism accusations. This book took The Tales of Tremaine to a whole new level. I love Ari and his journey so far.

One of my favourite things about Ronnies writing is the mythology and stories behind it. These are not shortcoming in this there are lots and for those who love lore this is for you.

Remember this is not a John Gwynne or high battle fantasy book, but the pacing is fast and you don’t miss the few and far between battles. This is an epic fantasy and won’t disappoint you.

I love the prose and I love Ari’a voice. No matter what character he is in, he never fails to tell a phenomenal story.

Overall I loved this, and I cannot wait for the official release to through out an official review over on the blog.

The second installment and it held my attention just as much as the first.

The Doors of Midnight picks up right where the first book left off and continues the same pacing and writing style. I really enjoyed Book One so I was really excited that Book Two was similar in tone and pace.

Ari continues to be a great main character and I'm enjoying watching the character development as we continue through his story in the flash back timeline.

Ari's present day timeline is just as exciting honestly. It's really picking up in the second book and I'm really torn on what timeline I like more!!

I can't wait for the next book!!!

In this follow-up story, we return to Ari’s world. A mesmerizing tale of magic and mystery, overflowing with lyrical prose.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and TOR Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheDoorsOfMidnight #TORPublishing

Book two was everything I was looking for after finishing the first book. I was curious about this one as the first on does have a lot of similarities with Name of the Wind, I was wondering what direction Virdi took this one. I am glad I checked this book out and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the prose of the first book and the storytelling trope like Name of the Wind but also wanted a fresh story.

I like a story inside a story. With additional stories being told by other characters. Plenty of that in "The Doors of Midnight" which continues the Tales of Tremaine books from R. R. Virdi.

Ari is in a bit of sticky wicket, being imprisoned for (spoils for book 1) killing a prince of the country he is currently in is not great. The fact that he was framed is also not interesting for many folks who are of the best first and blame the foreigner persuasion. While dealing with that we find out more of his story, the legends he crafted from just his cleverness and the things every Binder needs. Though, what do you think when the stories are lies?

Thanks to Macmillan Audio I received an audio copy, which gave my wrists a break from curling tomes. Vikas Adam narrates, can hear the depth of pain and joy as Ari navigates his growing myth.

Reasons to read:
-Two plot lines that hint at what are the goals
-Rather fond of the story breaks, reasonably sure I know a few things that are going down in the third one now
-Love a good tome to stay with the characters for a while
-Travel occurred so we met new people
-Honestly figured that person would live longer

Cons:
-Didn't have time for a reread so I was checking names in the first book

This was an excellent follow up to the previous book. Ari’s story continues to intrigue me and I love the magic system. Eloine is delightful and still an absolute mystery. Even though this is a big book, it doesn’t feel like it. I’m interested to see what happens next.