A determined but unpolished exploration of love and fate.
Singh’s fantasy debut sees an assassin fall in love with the brother of her royal target.
Martia is an orphan living in Promapple, a village where highly trained dissidents live in open rebellion against Zarek, king of Absyleous. When Martia is 10, she evades the village guards and goes to see for herself whether Zarek is worthy of her hatred. Her enterprise impresses Promanthae, the enlightened despot whose iron will and instruction have made Promapple and its soldiers so redoubtable. He adopts Martia, and for the next 10 years, she trains constantly—both physically and mentally—to succeed him as village leader and ultimately to depose Zarek (or his heir, Coaleme). When Martia turns 20, however, she sneaks away from the village once more and encounters Coaleme’s brother, a peaceful, compassionate doctor whom she knows only as “Prince.” Martia and Prince fall instantly in love, but theirs is a star-crossed romance. Martia’s training has forged her into an unparalleled warrior. To keep Prince safe, she must not only abandon Promapple and fight against its people, but also take on the royal court of Absyleous. Martia’s dearest wish is to spirit Prince far away and live a quiet life together, but she has been trained as a killer and finds it difficult to express her love. Furthermore, men who should be loyal to her—her friend Minver, her top general, Lovshayie—may not be trustworthy. Will fate eventually spare Martia and Prince, or have factors beyond their control doomed them forever to tragedy?
Singh narrates Martia’s tale in the omniscient past tense, starting with a chapter of heavy exposition. This opening section calls to mind the dramatic prologues of Shakespearean drama, and there are thematic echoes of the bard in both the strength of Martia and Prince’s love and the unforgiving destiny that dogs them. Like stage players, Singh’s characters are fond of monologues, which, unfortunately, aren’t especially poetic. For instance, the tutor Arigue’s telling but stilted vision of Martia’s future: “But you, Martia, with the path you are on, you never had and never will have anything that you would want to treasure or protect, and if, fortunately, you might get something precious you want to save, then also, because of your destructive nature, I feel like this beautiful, tragic story will become your reality.” In addition, the prose isn’t particularly polished; fight scenes read like stage directions to be interpreted and embellished upon by the actors: “After getting the signal, which could only be seen by the assassins, all five started attacking her simultaneously.” Martia is a strong character, unparalleled as a warrior and fiercely determined to bend an unjust society to her will. Her empowerment is inspirational, and her failures moving. But while the despairing existential commentary will strike a chord with many readers, on a line-by-line basis, it remains difficult to ingest.
A determined but unpolished exploration of love and fate.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2023
ISBN: 979-8887498027
Page Count: 260
Publisher: Notion Press
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.
With only a month left until the world ends due to a swiftly approaching black hole, Don and Rodney, a retired gay couple, road-trip from Maine to Washington to spend their final days with their son.
After reports that a planet-swallowing black hole is making its way toward Earth, Rodney and Don—who have been together for 40 years and survived everything from homophobia to the HIV crisis—decide to pack their belongings into an RV, say goodbye to their neighbors, and travel from Camden, Maine, to Washington to uphold a promise to spend their final days with their son. They can’t wait any longer, since there’s already chaos around the country: “Military vehicles in the streets of most cities and towns. Looting, rioting, the burning of cars and buildings and people, all of it had already happened.” As they make their way west across the country, they encounter fellow travelers ranging from close-knit families to free-spirited hippies, some of whom have come to terms with the impending end of the world and others who haven’t. While the story seems to be asking readers what they would do if they had 30 days left to live, and reflects on what different kinds of acceptance might look like in the face of unavoidable tragedy, it loses some of its poignancy in a series of thinly padded monologues about the meaning of life. Clearly intended to pack an emotional punch, it’s failed by an abrupt ending, and the way the journey’s mystery—which will be obvious to many readers—is revealed by an info dump in the last chapter.
An existential crisis that steps on its own final moments.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781250881236
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.
In Green’s inspirational novel, a journalist boarding the wrong train discovers the right moment to speak the words that matter.
Daniel arrives at the Beacon station carrying a leather notebook filled with an unfinished eulogy for his still-living grandfather, only to be swept onto the mysterious 5:07 Gratitude Express, a steam locomotive that appears “for those who want to express gratitude.” His uncanny journey sends him through vividly rendered moments from his own life, where he witnesses the ripple effects of kindnesses he has offered and reunites—sometimes for the first time—with people who were permanently shaped by those actions. Each stop brings a new encounter: A childhood classmate says, “That morning, you altered the course of my life”; an elderly woman confesses, “Your simple act of kindness saved me that day”; a mentor tells him, “You need to figure out what you’re good at and what you like to do. Because when you do that, your potential is limitless.” By the time Daniel reaches Cedarville, intent on seeing his grandfather—the person who most profoundly shaped him—his reflections echo the conductor’s warning that “Time is unpredictable, and unsaid words bring pain and regret.” What follows is a moving affirmation of connection that honors the story’s central message: Appreciation should be expressed to the living. Green structures the narrative as a fable, with emotional clarity and cinematic pacing. The train’s dissolving walls, the recurring whistle rising “high into the dark sky,” and the symbolic briefcase filled with long-kept letters lend the tale a gentle magical-realist texture. While the storyline remains linear and accessible for all ages, the themes—regret, legacy, and intergenerational love—invite adult reflection. The prose is simple, intentionally so, grounding the fantastical elements in an earnest emotional register. This is not a plot-twist-driven story; it’s a quiet parable urging readers to act before time steals their chances. Readers who appreciate heartfelt, uplifting narrative journeys will find resonance in Green’s message.
A tender reminder that gratitude is a path we choose, one conversation at a time.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9798891385252
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Jan. 13, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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