An intoxicating, top-flight dark fantasy.
A secluded island realm gets raided for its mythical secrets in this fantasy series opener.
Fourteen-year-old Icabus is a villager in Aggersel on the island of Apenninus. He’s been dreaming of ships arriving on the nearby lake and violent men who attack. One day, three ships do appear, and their captain, Furius of Authia, says “chance or fate” led them to the village. He and his small contingent are desperate to visit the Old Kingdom, sealed by the village ancestors. The sorcerer Galen once guarded “healing waters” that are now cursed. Furius nevertheless wants access to help save his homeland, fallen to the savage Arx Caeli imperialists. When the Aggersel Elders agree to vote on the matter, Furius goes behind their backs and insists that Icabus’ father, Atius, take him and his group to the Old Kingdom. The duplicitous sailors do find Galen and, with his consent, perform a swiftly brutal takeover of the village using soldiers hidden on the ships. Icabus flees into the forest, where the monstrous Taker lives. Yet deeper in the wilderness, there is hope. Apenninus is home to many strange, miraculous tribes that aren’t quite human. There’s also Nubis, a “dragon knight,” who explains to Icabus the secret of “mana,” a substance that can change a creature’s form. Agapoff’s tale is an enthralling example of showing the story rather than telling it. A minimum of exposition brings characters and dialogue to the forefront of vivid events that crest over readers. As Furius reveals his evil, the narrative’s dramatic grip tightens. Horror fans will love the surprising moments, as when one villain is eaten alive (“There was so much blood, and still the butcher shrieked, arching his body and flapping what remained of his arms and legs like bloody flippers”). While dragons are legends, missing from the world, readers instead meet the endearing Shrail, a giant talking bat. Yet change is the thematic center here. As Nubis says, “If you resist it, you will always be disappointed....Accept it, and it might be used to your advantage.” A wider world awaits in the sequel.
An intoxicating, top-flight dark fantasy.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-578-26023-5
Page Count: 468
Publisher: Mill City Press, Inc.
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.
Are we not men? We are—well, ask Bigfoot, as Brooks does in this delightful yarn, following on his bestseller World War Z(2006).
A zombie apocalypse is one thing. A volcanic eruption is quite another, for, as the journalist who does a framing voice-over narration for Brooks’ latest puts it, when Mount Rainier popped its cork, “it was the psychological aspect, the hyperbole-fueled hysteria that had ended up killing the most people.” Maybe, but the sasquatches whom the volcano displaced contributed to the statistics, too, if only out of self-defense. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesn’t know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. Indeed, the novel does double duty as a survival manual, packed full of good advice—for instance, try not to get wounded, for “injury turns you from a giver to a taker. Taking up our resources, our time to care for you.” Brooks presents a case for making room for Bigfoot in the world while peppering his narrative with timely social criticism about bad behavior on the human side of the conflict: The explosion of Rainier might have been better forecast had the president not slashed the budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from “the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead man’s heart and lungs.” Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene.
A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy.Pub Date: June 16, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-2678-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Del Rey/Ballantine
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK TO SCREEN
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.
A reluctant princess is thrust into deadly political intrigue in Perry’s sweeping, high-stakes romantasy.
Odessa is the overlooked and underestimated princess of Quentis, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a deal is struck between her father and the formidable Turan warriors force her into an arranged marriage with their enigmatic prince, Zavier Wolfe. Intended as a mere formality to secure trade routes and military alliances, the betrothal spirals into something far more dangerous when ancient magic, a ruthless Guardian, and a looming war threaten to upend everything she knows. Finally emerging from the shadow of her seemingly perfect half sister, Mae, Odessa must navigate court politics, monstrous creatures, and her own uncertain place in a world where survival often depends on strategy rather than strength. As tensions rise, she finds herself entangled with the dangerous, enigmatic Guardian—a man whose silver eyes hold secrets of their own. Perry’s worldbuilding is lush and immersive, crafting a kingdom rife with old magic, deadly beasts, and political machinations that add depth. The pacing is relentless, carrying Odessa from one life-altering event to another as she grapples with duty, defiance, and a destiny she never chose. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between the expectations placed upon her and the fierce independence that threatens to make her an outcast in her own kingdom. Romance simmers as Odessa struggles to reconcile her obligations with her growing attraction to the Guardian, whose past is as shadowed as his reputation. Mae is introduced as Odessa’s political foil, and although her presence drives much of Odessa’s internal drama—being constantly overshadowed or underestimated—she’s mostly seen through Odessa’s perspective. Her motivations, ambitions, and political maneuverings might have benefited from deeper exploration to give more nuance to the power dynamics. However, Perry’s evocative prose and intricate plotting make for a gripping tale. Readers looking for a slow-burn romantasy with rich political intrigue and a protagonist forced to create her own fate will find much to enjoy.
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378514
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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