Ford truly excels at creating characters who are not only enjoyable but also imperfect and relatable. Aelis continues to be a mix of maddening and deeply understandable. Her obsessive focus on her mission often had me wanting to shake some sense into her, but her fierce loyalty to her mentor and her unwavering principles are what keep me invested in her story. Mihil was a fantastic addition. I’m eagerly awaiting to see where Aelis’ journey goes next.

Called back to the city of her university days to assist a dear professor and mentor on trial for murder, Aelis finds herself in the middle of a grand conspiracy that has been dogging her since her assignment to Lone Pine that may involve familiar faces. All the while, Maurenia is still stuck in the forest glen, trapped by whatever magic had bound its previous occupant. Between investigating her mentor's case, uncovering a shadowy group of powerful wizards, and attending to her duties as a Count's daughter. Aelis searches for answers to Maurenia's entrapment.

I was so so excited to receive an ARC of this book, as I have rabidly followed Aelis' story since I first got my hands on the Warden. I was really excited to explore more of the world Daniel M. Ford has built and see the Lyceum and the surrounding city that Aelis has so much reflected upon in the last couple of books, even if I was sad to be leaving behind Lone Pine and its cast of loveable characters.

Unfortunately, as was my experience with Necrobane, this book captured me in the very beginning and then slowed waaayyy down until about the last 25% of the book, where I was then fighting for my life to turn pages fast enough to see what was happening. It was a slog to get through in the middle, as we followed Aelis around her various missions in her investigation. At times it felt repetitious as Aelis repeatedly went to the clothier, or asked her friends for help. It wasn't the worst possible form of repetition and slowness, but it did mean it took me FOREVER to get through a book I could've flown through.

However, Ford's strength does really seem to be in creating very enjoyable characters while also not making them the shiniest, most perfect people. Aelis continues her pattern of being so incredibly aggravating while also being deeply understandable. Her laser focus on her task at the expense of everything around her had me screaming and wanting to reach into the pages to shake her, but her unwavering devotion not only to her mentor, but to her principals is what makes me continue to love her. Mihil was a great addition, filling in a Tun/Dobrusz Brothers shaped hole and it was so fun to meet Aelis' college friend Miralla.

The ending had me gasping and screaming, as Ford through some curveballs into the mix and now I'm interested to see where Aelis' story goes next.

I enjoyed getting into this series and this book, it was fun and interesting, having similar vibes from Ford's other books. I liked that this was a fun continuation, but ultimately felt like a filler book to me, which is okay!

If you enjoyed the other books, you'll still really like this one!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

My thanks to both NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this new novel of fantasy dealing with a woman facing trials and tribulations in life, love and loyalty, and finding out the things she thought were true might not be, and even money and power aren't safe from evil and darkness.

When I was young I exclusively read genre books. Fantasy, science fiction and mystery books were my jam, with men's adventure books and maybe a little bit of history, if the cover of the book had a cool explosion on it. As I go older I put away my childish things, though I stayed with comics, and my reading began to expand. At the time fantasy books were in a rut, working on the principle that many books in a series made great writing. I watched from a distance for a long time working as a bookseller, and as I paid attention I saw that fantasy and science fiction were both going through some changes, changes for the better. The stories began to expand, the world building was increased, and the characters began to become more diverse, and interesting. Along with the plots. Stories became more about people dealing with real emotions, not fake heroism while fighting a dragon. Slowly I found myself reading more and more. And one of the writers I found I enjoyed was Daniel M. Ford and his character of Aelis de Lenti. Advocate is the thrid book in the Wardens series, which tells of Warden Aelis living her country life and returning to the big city, a place she has missed, but one that is loaded with dangers and betrayals, deep in the heart of the organization she belongs to.

Aelis de Lenti has had a very busy time as Warden of the small town of Lone Pine. Aelis has fought the undead, invaders, killed a powerful sorcerer not once, but twice, nearly died, made friends, and had the love of her life trapped in an inescapable prison. Into this mix, Aelis has been asked to be an advocate for an old instructor and friend, one who treated her not like a rich girl slumming in the Wardens, but as a capable person, with real skills and abilities. Traveling to the great city of Lascenise, Aelis is nearly killed in an assassination attempt, an attempt that alerts her to a secret group that has gone unnoticed for some time. Aelis finds that her mentor has been accused of murder most foul, and it looks like the fix is in. Aelis takes her duties as advocate seriously, digging up evidence, finding people, and facts, that prove this case might be the tip of the iceberg, an iceberg that might sink the ideas that Aelis always found so noble about being a Warden and a user of magic.

There is a lot to enjoy in this series. The magic for one is quite well developed, and I love the hierarchy and bureaucracy that Ford has made in developing it. The world is interesting, a mix of technology using magic, or practical sense, fun menus, and a lot of interesting characters and lots of character building. One gets the sense that Aelis has changed from the first book, going from know-it-all rich girl, to experienced, and angry Warden. The story moves well, it might be a tad long, but that means more time with characters I enjoy so that's a good thing. There is a lot of action, a lot of magic, and a lot of interplay between the characters that makes one care, and want to know more, and more importantly read more.

As this is the third book, start with the first, just to get a sense of the storyline, and follow the growth of the characters. One won't be disappointed. Fantasy fans will enjoy this and role players can learn quite a bit about magic, the use of food and clothing in their adventures, and how to set up magical libraries. A very fun series, one that await further adventures in.

Aelis de Lenti is called from her place in the countryside to act as an advocate for an old professor and mentor, accused of murder. What at first seems straightforward becomes a dangerous tangle of assassins, smuggling, magical artifacts, and conspiracies that she must untangle if she has any hope of saving her Professor from the gallows.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. Strong world and interesting characters although I found cd the pacing to lag a bit particularly in the middle third. I enjoy the authors writing style and easy prose.

Ultimately, I was underwhelmed by this book. While exploring a new setting and finally meeting previously talked about characters was amusing, I did find portions of the middle section to be boring. The investigation plot really dragged on. It doesn't help that Alis never truly has to struggle for anything. She always comes out on top in a fight no matter the odds. Makes for low tension scenes. I must accept she is simply a character I'll never love.

Otherwise, Ford's writing and character work is consistent in this installment. If you enjoyed the previous books, I see you getting a kick out of this one.

Daniel Ford can do no wrong, and Advocate serves as proof of that. What an absolutely delightful continuation of The Warden series!

Why has no one been talking about this series?? It is so much fun. Ford is a master at making a character that we really shouldn't like, but we do. We root for her and her small town problems. Can't wait to see what happens next