The Banned and The Banished Books In Order

Publication Order of The Banned and the Banished Books

The Banned and The Banished is a series of fantasy novels written by James Clemens. The books tell the story of a young lady who must harness her powers and free her land from the clutches of an evil sorcerer.

+The Story

The Banned and The Banished series is only ever commended by people who have actually read it. For those who have only glanced at it or even skimmed a few chapters, the series holds no appeal whatsoever.

This is because it seems like one of the more clichéd fantasy series in the literary arena. Fantasy has a relatively predictable structure which has stood for so long that most contemporary authors only ever succeed by going against it.

For so many decades, the fantasy genre was inundated by novels telling stories of lands that were overrun by evil and the one hero who could bring salvation. The hero is normally just an average person at the start of the story.

But as their series picks up speed, he or she learns of his special powers and the special destiny he holds. Only he has the strength to take the fight to the dark lord, defeat him and bring freedom to the land.

But first he must master his special gifts, typically while he undertakes a journey through unknown lands; a journey that sees him gather a motley crew of followers with whom he forms a bond that gives him the courage to succeed.

This structure has been repeated in so many fantasy novels that it has been all but worn out, and it is for that reason that the Banned and the Banished series has a negative reputation in some circles.

The books sound like the most clichéd fantasy novels on the market.

The central character is a girl named Elena. Only 13-years-old when she is first introduced, Elena is a farmer’s daughter and she doesn’t expect to live anything but an ordinary life.

But then circumstances drive Elena to learn that she is the reincarnation of an ancient sorceress of great strength. More than that, only she has the power to fight and defeat a dreaded Dark Lord.

When the Dark Lord learns of Elena’s existence, he makes it his goal to claim her and turn her into his greatest weapon. Now hunted by the very thing she must fight, Elena goes on the run with her brother.

Together they slowly but surely learn the true nature of her power. They gather for themselves a small group of exceptional allies. There’s plenty of infighting, and trust isn’t always in abundance.

While everyone agrees that the Dark One must fall, there are divisive opinions on the best way to make that happen. And while Elena has her mind focused primarily on achieving her goal, her brother cannot help but suspect some of their allies of potential betrayal.

Elena must stay alive long enough to grasp the power she needs to save the world, and she is ready to die for her cause.

While naysayers will dismiss this series for the numerous tropes it chooses to work with, there are many readers who love the Banned and the Banished books. And they all accept that the James Clemens novels have a very clichéd synopsis.

However, they argue that the books transform from predictable fantasy into something far more wondrous as the story progresses. Clemens, the author, has been commended for creating a vast world filled with all manner of races, creatures, and magics.

Each book reveals a new layer of Alasea that makes it seem all the more solid and wonderful. And the characters are clearly well thought out and appropriately developed.

Every secondary character has an important role to play in the story. Elena looks like the clichéd chosen one that has been seen in myriads of fantasy novels. However, James Clemens gives her an edge that makes her memorable.

The readers that love the Banned and the Banished series have compared these books to the likes of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, not only in the concepts that Clemens introduces but also the level of complex character development that takes place.

The one problem that everyone agrees on, even those readers that love this series, is James Clemens’ penchant for using apostrophes. He throws them into everything, even when they achieve no significant purpose.

But his fans argue that once the story begins to pick up steam, even that quirk seizes to matter.

+Witch Fire

The first book in the Banned and the Banished series introduces readers to Elena Morinstal. Elena’s parents are orchard keepers living in a valley where she has spent all her life and which she desires to escape.

Elena wants to see Alasea. She doesn’t realize how dark the world has become. Ever since Alasea was abandoned by the magic of Chi Long, its people have been at the mercer of invaders that came from across the ocean.

Elena doesn’t know that Alasea’s people have been largely subjugated and assimilated. She expects to spend the rest of her days working her parent’s orchard. But then Elena ascends to womanhood and everything changes.

A power awakens in her that elicits the attention of an ancient evil. When this dark force tries to claim Elena, branding her a witch, her parents resist this leading into chaos. With her brother taken from her, Elena goes on a journey to discover her origins.

Along the way, she garners the interest of a diverse group of individuals that have been drawn by her power. It begins to dawn on Elena that it is up to her to give the land its freedom and rejuvenate their once glorious empire.

+Witch Storm

Elena has the mark of the Witch, a mark that signifies her place in the world as the vessel for unimaginable power. The Dark Lord wants that power and he has continued to dispatch his minions to search for her and claim her.

It would take a mistress of blood magic to stand against the dark lord. But Elena has yet to master her power. So she must survive until she is ready, protected in the meantime by an ageless warrior and a band of renegades.

Elena must find a lost tome that could hold the key to the Dark Lord’s downfall.