"The Way of Stones" Proves Sequels Don't Have to Disappoint

When you finish Book 1 of a brand-new fantasy series, there’s always that moment of hesitation…You loved the characters.You enjoyed the world.The story hooked you.But then comes Book 2 — and that’s where a series either levels up… or lets you down.In today’s episode of Fantasy for the Ages, Jim reviews The Way of Stones by Ryan Lanz, the second installment in the Red Kingdom series, following the enjoyable first book The Silver Crystal. Does Lanz build on what worked in the first novel? Do the characters continue to shine? And does the story deepen the mysteries of this growing fantasy world?In this spoiler-lite review, Jim discusses:• What makes The Way of Stones an engaging sequel• Why the characters continue to be a highlight of the series• How the pacing and short chapters keep the story moving• The expanding magic system and plot mysteries• A few elements that may not work for every reader• Whether the series is worth continuing into Books 3–5If you enjoy accessible epic fantasy, strong character-driven storytelling, and intriguing series mysteries, this might be a series worth adding to your TBR.Have you read The Way of Stones or the Red Kingdom series yet? Share your thoughts in the comments!If you enjoy fantasy book reviews, be sure to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and check out our Patreon to help support Fantasy for the Ages: patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges#FantasyBooks #BookReview #EpicFantasy #RyanLanz #TheWayOfStones #RedKingdom #FantasyForTheAges #FantasySeries #BookTube #SpeculativeFictionWant to purchase books/media mentioned in this episode?The Silver Crystal: https://t.ly/16YPLThe Way of Stones: https://t.ly/aZF52Ways to connect with us:Follow Jim/Father on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13848336-jim-scriven Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Follow us on "X": @Fantasy4theAges Follow us on Blue Sky: @fantasy4theages.bsky.socialFollow us on Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Follow us on Mastodon: @[email protected] Email us: [email protected] Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesJim’s Microphone: Blue Yeti https://tinyurl.com/3shpvhb4 Jim’s Camera: Razer Kito Pro https://tinyurl.com/c873tc2n 0:00 - Opening2:10 - Book Details3:02 - Why Jim Read This3:39 - Spoiler-Lite Summary4:57 - Seven Reasons You May Enjoy This Book8:14 - Three Reasons It Might Not Work for Some Readers9:59 - Jim’s Final Thoughts11:33 - Closing & Wrap-Up————————————————————————————Music and video elements licensed under Envato Elements:https://elements.envato.com/