Land Keep (Farworld) by J. Scott Savage

I must say it took me a long time to finally get the courage to read the second book in the Farworld series, and am I glad I did.  I really was not a huge fan of the first book, Water Keep.  It just did not catch my attention and seemed so far fetched in Savage's descriptions of all the creatures.  Land Keep proved to capture my attention and was very enjoyable to read.  It had a lot of suspense and action and really put a twist on things in the last chapter.  I am excited to continue this series now.  

Marcus and Kyja found Water Keep in the first book and have a water elemental traveling with them.  They are now searching for Land Keep in order to get a land elemental to join their quest to open a portal between Earth and Farworld so they can both go back to their respective worlds.  Their quest brings them to a city where Keepers suck magic from you and give it to those in power.  Marcus and Kyja escape only to find themselves captured in a swamp and held captive by creatures that will kill you if you try to leave. This just happens to be the entrance to Land Keep, however, they find out that it has been 3,000 years since any land elementals have been in Farworld and so the entrance and land has been corrupted by the Dark Circle.  Marcus and Kyja, in order to find the land elementals, must pass a series of tests in order to find the land elementals.  Once they finally complete these tests, a pair of land elementals join their quest.  

Unfortunately, they must make a detour back to Terra ne Steric in order to save the city from the Keepers that have overtaken it.  Marcus must pass his biggest challenge yet or possibly destroy the world thinking he is cleansing it.  Kyja saves him from making this terrible mistake and the Keepers are destroyed and the Dark Circle is held back for a time.  Best of all, in pretty much the last sentence of the book we find out that the Water and Land Elementals are working with the Dark Circle and Marcus and Kyja are still going to find the last two elemental groups to help them.  Makes you wonder why the elementals are helping the Dark Circle and what will happen in the future books.