Matabar 2

A Progression Fantasy Epic

De: Kirill Klevanski

Narrado por: Adam Stubbs

Metropolis—the beating heart of the Empire of the New Monarchy—is a city of intrigue, power, and backalley bargains.

Ardan Egobar, once a simple hunter from a remote mountain tribe, is now a newly awakened mage, a student of the Imperial Magical University, and an operative of the Emperor’s Second Chancery—the last of the Matabar.

In Volume II, the stakes rise in the capital: old enemies return, new dangers close in, and every alliance can be a trap. In a world where magic walks hand in hand with progress, Ardan must choose—be crushed by the capital, or pay the price to grow stronger.

A fastpaced continuation filled with conspiracies, peril, bright moments, and even more magic and mystery.

From Kirill Klevanski, the bestselling author of Dragon Heart, comes book 2 of this epic new Progression Fantasy adventure about a young wizards rise to power, featuring a detailed magic system, expansive world-building, slow-build power progression, epic action, and unforgettable characters.

©2026 AETHON (P)2026 Aethon Audio

A Drastic Shift into Frustrating Narrative Inertia

While the world-building in Matabar remains top-tier, Volume 2 suffers from a significant identity crisis. The series has pivoted away from the promising university arc of the first book, opting instead for a long-winded urban investigation that feels like a genre bait-and-switch.

The most glaring issue is Ardan himself. Despite being established as a character with high deductive reasoning, his "ridiculous naivety" feels like a forced plot device to keep him in peril. This lack of agency is exhausting; Ardan no longer drives the plot but is instead dragged through it by the author's whims. This is further bogged down by "purple prose"—dense blocks of exposition that describe mundane actions with unnecessary complexity, severely damaging the pacing.

The romance subplot is equally unconvincing, lacking the organic development needed to make the reader care. If you enjoyed the structured progression and academic focus of Book 1, be prepared for a slog that feels more like a detective novel where the protagonist is the least capable person in the room.

5 Star storytelling !

Simply amazing. This was a master class in writing, captivating from start to finish. Amazing characters in depth storytelling. Simply amazing.

Love the progression of the story

I love the world the author has built. It has a mix of many different things enjoy in a story. I look forward to reading the next one.

Unique blend of magic and science and a nice bridge and blend of old and new.

Really enjoyed the unique story line and the unique magic system. It had some great mystery elements as well.

Really progressed the main character

They really out in the time to develop the main character and show true growth.