Mogweed and Fardale are si'lura twins, members of a shapeshifting race who are unfortunately stuck in the form of a human and of a treewolf respectively. They too are banished, until such time as they can free themselves of their static shapes and become true si'lura once again. The two groups will come together under a mountain and face off against the Dark Lord and his powers in the first battle of the war for the soul of a land. Wit'ch Fire is a serviceable first installment. With the main characters introduced and their stories begun, the sequel should walk a smoother road.
Writing is art and craft, and as with either, improves with practice.
With momentum and the rocky first novel behind him, James Clemens might just be able to carve a niche for himself on the crowded shelves of the epic fantasy genre.