Nora Roberts’ The Becoming is one of the best books I read this year. However, I can’t recommend the second book in her Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy unless you’ve read the first one, The Awakening. Breen Siobhan Kelly’s relationships and life in Ireland and Talamh are too complex for a reader to follow unless someone has already immersed themselves in her story.
Breen doesn’t remember her childhood in Talamh, a magical world separated from Ireland by a portal. Her mother took her to Philadelphia after a traumatic experience, and tried to deny Breen’s magical heritage. But, Breen’s grandmother was watching from afar, and finally realized the time was right, and the need was great, and Breen traveled to Ireland where she discovered family and friends in Talamh that she didn’t remember she had.
She also learned she had untapped magicks, and she was the one best suited to oppose a god who wanted to destroy worlds, an outcast god who was her grandfather Odran. The Becoming picks up following The Awakening, when Breen returns to Talamh, inadvertently bringing her best friend, Marco, with her. Marco grabbed on to her as she was jumping between worlds because he wasn’t going to let his best friend leave him again.
The Becoming is Marco’s story as well as Breen’s. The gay black man from Philadelphia finds people who accept and love him in Talmah. His cooking skills and his musical abilities are appreciated in that world. Once he’s over the shock of discovering the magick place, Marco is more at home there than Breen was when she first arrived.
But, Breen is preparing for war. She continues her lessons with a man she is growing to love, Keegan, the taoiseach, the leader of Talamh. Her visions of Odran prepare the world for upcoming battles, although they know they’ll have to fight a final battle and destroy the god.
It’s hard for me to provide an adequate review of The Becoming. I love the setting, Ireland and an alternate world reminiscent of Ireland. I love the characters, the music, the laughter in this volume of the series.
The Becoming is the interlude, the peace before the final storm that occurs in fantasies. Despite hatred directed at Breen, and a battle, this is a relatively peaceful book. It provides Breen the opportunity to grow in strength, while she and Marco discover more about the country and people they’re growing to love. This book provides the reasons; the people, the love, the beautiful lands; the reasons that Breen and Keegan will stretch their abilities and skills to fight the final battle.
Nora Roberts’ website is https://noraroberts.com/
The Becoming by Nora Roberts. St. Martin’s Press, 2022. ISBN 9781250280183 (hardcover), 435p.
FTC Full Disclosure – Library book
Good review. Jackie says she is going to have to go back and review the first one before she reads the new one. She said a year in between is too long.
Aside: our sad story is as follows. We checked out of our hotel and got to the airport early for the flight home. But then there was an unexplained delay, followed by another. Then, it seems there was fog that made it impossible to land or take off, and all flights were canceled! We are rescheduled for NOON today. The airline did NOTHING to help any of us with accommodations. We had to get our luggage back and make our own plans. We ended up at a hotel in Metairie and are hoping we get home today.
This is the first – and last time we are getting on a plane for the foreseeable future.
Jackie is right, Jeff. A year in between is too long. I just love this series, though.
Geez. I know people haven’t been great to airlines in the last year. But, it’s as if COVID freed people to be rude, and allowed airlines to do whatever they wanted, too. I hope you get home today!
Oh, jeff. What a huge pain! fingers crossed for you and Jackie and getting home today.
It looks like we’ll be going at 1:30, fingers crossed. The sun is coming out and planes are taking off and landing.
I hope you’re home, and settling in to your own place tonight, Jeff.
I bought The Awakening for $5 so I could read it again before reading the next. Then, miraculously, I won The Becoming from GoodReads. I’m waiting for just the right time to read them in succession.
Oh, yes, Margie. I don’t blame you for waiting. And, then I’ll look forward to your comments on a Thursday here whenever you get around to The Becoming. Loved it!
What a perfect review, Lesa! And I agree with everyone that a year in between is just too long. Since I love binge reading series, that is exactly what I’ll do with this wonderful trial by when the third one is released a year from now. I live the characters in this series so much, but Marco is really quite special.
Damned autocorrect!
Wonderful TRILOGY.
I LOVE the characters
Harumph
Though I do read fantasy occasionally, I doubt this trilogy is for me. I am, however, delighted to see so many others of you enjoying it!
Jeff: bummer. You’d think the airline would have been at least somewhat helpful.
Kaye: Harumph indeed.
No help at all, Rick.
Just checking in to say we’re home. They had two flights scheduled at the same time this afternoon at the same gate – why, you’d have to ask them. (I mean, why couldn’t they use a second gate?) Anyway, the New York flight got in just ahead of the Boston flight so we got out first. We would have been a half hpour earlier but had to wait and wait… for the crew! They strolled in half an hour late. Anyway, the flight was very good in that it was half empty and took only two hours and twenty minutes in the air.
NEw York is MUCH colder thatn New Orleans…but you knew that.
Glad you’re home, Jeff. Oh, I had that happen once with Delta. I haven’t flown Delta since – same planes, same time, same gate, and that was after we waited hours. They didn’t have a crew. Sometimes, I just don’t get it.