Resolution still looks far off, but sparks fly as hooves and hearts pound.
In this second episode, Adams’ horsey epic gallops through a whirlwind of betrayals and rescues to a climactic assault on a rebel stronghold and several fateful developments.
Picking up the action from the opener, Of Fire and Ash (2021), characters meet, part, and meet again as the three storylines continue to intertwine. But also again, it’s the horses that steal the show: fire-blasting Mindar, ridden by willful queen Ceridwen; coltish sea-demon Ghost, bonded to secretive princeling Rafi; and an unnamed and possibly legendary dawnling, reputedly able to heal wounds and the object of a relentless search by new Scroll Jakim’s captors. The four-legged cast includes numerous other rides who are able to bond and share powers with humans—notably stone-eye tigers, whose glance numbs the minds of prey—and they add considerable color and vim to the lengthy series of battles, journeys, chases, and flights that bring profound changes to Jakim’s life while leaving Ceridwen far from her realm but personally closer to Rafi and his cause. Still, prospects look dim for the leads in this multiracial world, pitted against foes who consistently outmaneuver them, being plainly smarter as well as more powerful and ruthless. Will one more volume be enough for good hearts and worthy steeds to win out? Only time will tell, as the author hasn’t, yet.
Resolution still looks far off, but sparks fly as hooves and hearts pound. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 21, 2023
ISBN: 9798886050783
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Enclave Escape
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia.
A teenage witch goes up against the evil king of the mountain to save a cursed village.
Witch-in-training Verity Vox has spent a year apiece in different villages, helping in any way she can as she learns her art. When it’s time to move on, she receives a sign that shows her where to go next. When the latest sign appears in the form of a note begging for help that floats down on a leaf, she’s eager for the challenge. Verity winds up in Foxfire, a village in the Appalachian mountains that’s been magically cut off from the rest of the world for years, leaving its people close to starvation. The root of their suffering is a man they know as Earl, who lives in the hills and strikes deals with the townspeople that ultimately cause crops to wither, folks to disappear, and the only bridge out of the valley to crumble. Verity is determined to change the villagers’ fortunes, but to do so she’ll have to face off against not just Earl but the ancient power of the mountains itself. Loosely based on the Germanic Erlking legend and told in a voice reminiscent of folktales, the story features a queer romance and a cast that presents white. The convoluted magic system undercuts the strong themes of reciprocity, poverty, and privilege, but Appalachian readers will instantly recognize home.
A sweet if muddled tale of the magic of Appalachia. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798890032706
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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
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