An often diverting fantasy tale, aided by impressive worldbuilding and a well-honed cast.
In Huston’s fantasy novel, a man and a woman, decades after their shared childhood trauma, reunite to mete out vengeance in a war-torn world.
Orphen McAvery made a promise to Cthali Worldbreaker when they were kids that he’d always be there when she needed him. Nearly 25 years later, Cthali gets a note to Orphen to meet him for coffee. They each have a thorny history: Golden-eyed Cthai is an exiled princess, and Orphen, as a teenager, belonged to a “gang” that investigated and tried to vanquish the cultish Church of the Seven Deep. The pair’s short time together during their childhoods included traumatic interactions with Amelia Westminster, a woman who abused them both and whom Cthali now wants to track down for purposes of revenge. The pair hop on a train and travel across the Crescent of Pangoi, a supercontinent on a planet that’s devoid of oceans. Complications quickly ensue during their travels; for example, Vandrissa Crone, the princess’ bodyguard, seems more interested in collecting the bounty that she claims is on Orphen’s head. Moreover, this small group, as they cross the nations of Pangoi, begin to see signs of war along the route, including burning and destroyed cities. In a world where magic is prevalent, Orphen and Cthali must wield their skills, such as invisibility and telepathy, to combat powerful foes, including Amelia. In addition, Orphen, Cthali, and Vandrissa end up in a love triangle of sorts, stirring up bad blood and a secret that Cthali has kept hidden from others.
Huston painstakingly develops the planet Endworld and its vast continent. For example, the distinctive nations include Titan, with its heavy military presence, and Oberon, with its desert lands, all in a bizarre milieu that features three prime energies across eight “accepted schools of magic.” The cast alone offers an array of visuals; various eye colors denote a person’s origins, and Vandrissa wears a mask, a gauntlet, and has “leathery, bat-like wings.” The process of how children are born in Pangoi is fascinating; only couples who’ve undergone a particular ritual can bear “true borne” children, while Cthali is one of the “star borne,” as she fell from the sky. The wealth of details that the author gradually reveals helps to illuminate a tale that opens with a bevy of people and places. There are several mysteries, as well, such as why the Church of the Seven Deep continues to thrive, and the significance of the “little ghost girl” who’s long appeared in Orphen’s hallucinations. However, other subplots, such as those involving romantic entanglements, aren’t quite as enthralling. Notwithstanding the ever-changing Pangoi locales, the present-day story doesn’t provide a great deal of narrative energy; instead, the characters tend to discuss and debate things that have already happened. That said, much of what does unfold in the present links unexpectedly to characters’ histories, which further enriches certain relationships. The story also doesn’t answer all the questions it asks, leaving room for a possible sequel.
An often diverting fantasy tale, aided by impressive worldbuilding and a well-honed cast.Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2023
ISBN: 979-8988977100
Page Count: 483
Publisher: Endworld Archives
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series.
In the final book of Corland’s dark fantasy trilogy, a ragtag band works together to liberate a colony and dethrone tyrants.
A group of spies, thieves, and murderers, united by a common goal of ending the treacherous rule of King Joon of Yusan, regroup after a bloody battle claims the life of one of their own—the banished Yusanian prince, Euyn. However, there’s little time for Mikail, Aeri, Sora, and Royo to mourn. Bounty hunters and assassins are after them, in part because they now possess three of five legendary Relics of the Dragon Lord. Mikail, who’s just found out that he’s the last surviving member of a royal family, wields the Water Scepter of Wei, while Aeri, King Joon’s daughter, holds the Sands of Tim and the Golden Ring of Khitan. The remaining relics—the Flaming Sword of Gaya and the Immortal Crown—remain with King Joon, who’s desperate to have all five to wield a great deal more power. Meanwhile, the cruel Count Seok, who once indentured Sora, has usurped the throne of Yusan. The group has two goals: overthrow the king and liberate the Yusanian colony of Gaya—Mikail’s homeland—so that it can again be a thriving, independent realm. The relics are powerful tools in combat, but using them is adversely affecting Aeri and Mikail’s health. They need allies, but trusting strangers is a dangerous gamble. Corland’s final book in her Broken Blades trilogy is a relentlessly thrilling and action-packed dark fantasy featuring memorable characters, intense battle scenes, romance, and a satisfying conclusion. Alternately narrated by Aeri, Mikail, Sora, Royo, and their long-lost friend, Tiyung, readers benefit from watching the story unfold through the perspectives of each compelling, well-drawn character. The author’s passion for the fantasy genre shines through in the novel’s richly detailed worldbuilding, including vivid descriptions of landscapes and palace layouts, as well as its exploration of magic. Readers will also delight in the sardonic humor sprinkled throughout, as when Mikahil narrates, “Rune thinks he fathered Seok’s son. Truly, the nobility of Yusan has too much time on their hands.”
A compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series.Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781649379153
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
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