THE CHRONICLES OF DURAJAN

A band of banished people form alliances and battle the vicious foes surrounding them in Lewis’ fantasy novel.

In a forgotten, ruined world, “the awakened” slowly emerged. They gradually brought back what this world once had—the social constructs of religion, tribes, nations, and war. Now, The Nine Nations encircle the Durajan, where branded individuals are sent as punishment for various offenses. One such exile is Samike, a young woman who stumbles upon and frees former soldier Dothemides, who’d been left in a cage. The duo’s ensuing bond leads to their decision to bring order to the Durajan and unite the branded, who hail “from all walks of life.” They ultimately form the city of Dothemia and unofficially name Dothemides and Samike king and queen. Expanding Dothemia requires making alliances with clans residing between nations, but not everyone wants this city to grow; the biggest threat comes from the Creed, whose grim belief is that this Awakened World was better off lingering in “the silence,” a time devoid of emotion and memory. From the beginning, Lewis establishes an unhurried pace, affording time for assiduous worldbuilding. Readers quickly learn where each of the Nine Nations is, both geographically and politically. While the cast is extensive, an engaging few get the spotlight, including Dothemides and Samike, who were both enslaved as children; Valloch, a competent and much-feared warchief; and the mysterious shaman Ailis. (Numerous journal excerpts appear throughout the text, but provide only a modicum of distinction between the characters’ myriad voices.) Some subplots don’t hold much weight; a woman falling for Dothemides, for instance, means little when he very clearly isn’t a one-queen king. This novel, the first in a series, leaves plenty of narrative avenues to explore.

Enthralling characters usher readers into a fascinating, mysterious, and war-torn world.