Patient readers who stick with this will find solid character development and an emotionally resonant plot.
A newly rediscovered religion acts as a catalyst for an era of political manipulation and upheaval.
Silas, a trapper, discovers a hidden altar from an ancient religion in a tunnel deep within the frozen ground. His prayers to the Hearthlord summon Senya, a girl with healing powers, who emerges from a supernatural portal. He becomes a priest—Father Silas—and as the religion grows, angels known as the Hearthborn arrive through the portal to free the Hearthlord from the tundra, leaving Senya behind in the cold. Meanwhile, in her homeland, a gradual shift is taking place from religious to political power—and warfare. Senya returns home to serve the Hearthlord, teaming up with Siegfried, a dispossessed soldier from Feracht House, and Nell, a rogue princess from Aesterland. The novel opens with plodding worldbuilding framed by an origin story and little exploration of characters’ emotions before eventually exploding into the horrific devastation of war. Shifting third-person points of view provide detailed backstories and clues about the central characters’ roles as victims of political power plays. Eventually, these perspectives come together even as the leads confront individual losses in their world’s new and dangerous landscape. Some plot points are left unresolved, leaving room for a sequel. In a white-presenting world, Senya stands out for having deep bronze skin, pale eyes, and white hair.
Patient readers who stick with this will find solid character development and an emotionally resonant plot. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781960120175
Page Count: 254
Publisher: Sterncastle Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry.
Three young people find their places in a world of vengeance and destiny in National Book Award winner Tahir’s duology opener set in the multicultural world of her An Ember in the Ashes series.
Aiz, from the impoverished nation of Kegar, seeks revenge against Tiral bet-Hiwa, an air squadron commander who, as a child, murdered Aiz’s fellow orphans. Guided by a voice claiming to be Mother Div, Kegar’s first queen, Aiz escapes imprisonment after her failed assassination attempt on Tiral and embarks on a journey to free Mother Div’s trapped spirit. In the Martial Empire, Sirsha, a skilled tracker with magical abilities who’s been banished from her homeland, is saved by a stranger who hires her to hunt an unnatural killer. Quil, the crown prince of the Martial Empire, faces an invasion by the Kegari and the lingering threat of a mysterious force responsible for recent murders, including those of two of his loved ones. As the storylines converge, Sirsha and Quil cross paths, leading to revelations about the insidious force. The story explores the blurred line between good and evil and the lengths one will go to for a better life. Tahir’s deep and intricate worldbuilding requires time for readers to fully grasp. Following a slow start, the plot engages as pieces fall into place, leading up to an unexpected ending. The beautiful writing compensates for the romantic relationships, which develop quickly and somewhat inorganically.
A fantasy with complex characterization that will build anticipation for the next entry. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780593616949
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
