An enthralling, white-knuckled tale of razor-sharp characters and astonishing supernatural powers.
A young man begrudgingly trains to hone his mysterious new gift in Starostka’s debut fantasy and part of the Resonance series.
Villagers around a particular Empire know what to expect when they spot an approaching band of soldiers. Vir and his friends, in the village of Tarnav, are of age for “the Testing.” Each young adult puts their hand into a bowl and, if they draw a black stone, they become a bearer for the Empress. Vir, however, draws a golden orb, which means he’s a Salir: someone with a rarer ability than what most others wield. He, the soldiers, and a few newly minted bearers (including just-married husband Ilia and wife Tosha) gradually make their way to the palace in Novara. Vir has thoughts of murdering the Empress and somehow destroying the Empire, as they abducted his older sister years ago. Young bearers, too, must undergo “the Bonding” (with a weapon), a ritual where, if the bonding fails, will almost certainly kill them. But Vir, Ilia, and Tosha soon learn to tap into the Resonance, a “kind of life force” from which they can effectively derive power. The newlyweds each discover a supernatural ability and a mentor to guide them in training. It’s more complicated for Vir, in part because he’s so stubbornly resistant. Danger nevertheless lurks, as at least one person in the palace seems determined to take out the new Salir.
Starostka’s opening series installment ushers in a vibrant cast and riveting subplots. For starters, Vir’s animosity toward the Empire is understandable, though he’s still coming to terms with who he is (and who he could be) making copious mistakes along the way. Similarly, Ilia and Tosha train separately, which threatens to put a strain on their new marriage. It feels as if everyone at the palace has a secret, and many scenes, accordingly, are riddled with tension. At the same time, there’s a cluster of mysteries, such as the murky history regarding Vir’s parents and why currents of Resonance don’t seem to reach Tarnav. Joining the humans are various animals, both familiar and otherworldly, in key roles; one formidable creature attacks the imperial soldiers and young villagers for a very specific reason. Concise prose, meanwhile, spawns snappy dialogue and pithy descriptions, while generating a unique atmosphere. The Empress, for example, remembers first being “proclaimed” as the Empire’s new leader: “Heat rippled through the stone beneath her skin. A low hum began to rise, deep and resonant, as if the throne were drawing breath. Carved lines across its surface lit from within, golden light pouring like liquid through every groove.” Several of those running mysteries are unraveled by the end, although most linger. That’s also true for certain elements introduced throughout (e.g., things someone is expected to do but never follows through on). Regardless, the narrative delivers an exhilarating final act, with a stellar cliffhanger and plenty of incentives for readers to keep their eyes open for Book Two.
An enthralling, white-knuckled tale of razor-sharp characters and astonishing supernatural powers.Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2027
ISBN: 978-1066614011
Page Count: 492
Publisher: Resonant Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
Engrossing worldbuilding, appealing characters, and a sense of humor make this a winning entry in the Sanderson canon.
A fantasy adventure with a sometimes-biting wit.
Tress is an ordinary girl with no thirst to see the world. Charlie is the son of the local duke, but he likes stories more than fencing. When the duke realizes the two teenagers are falling in love, he takes Charlie away to find a suitable wife—and returns with a different young man as his heir. Charlie, meanwhile, has been captured by the mysterious Sorceress who rules the Midnight Sea, which leaves Tress with no choice but to go rescue him. To do that, she’ll have to get off the barren island she’s forbidden to leave, cross the dangerous Verdant Sea, the even more dangerous Crimson Sea, and the totally deadly Midnight Sea, and somehow defeat the unbeatable Sorceress. The seas on Tress’ world are dangerous because they’re not made of water—they’re made of colorful spores that pour down from the world’s 12 stationary moons. Verdant spores explode into fast-growing vines if they get wet, which means inhaling them can be deadly. Crimson and midnight spores are worse. Ships protected by spore-killing silver sail these seas, and it’s Tress’ quest to find a ship and somehow persuade its crew to carry her to a place no ships want to go, to rescue a person nobody cares about but her. Luckily, Tress is kindhearted, resourceful, and curious—which also makes her an appealing heroine. Along her journey, Tress encounters a talking rat, a crew of reluctant pirates, and plenty of danger. Her story is narrated by an unusual cabin boy with a sharp wit. (About one duke, he says, “He’d apparently been quite heroic during those wars; you could tell because a great number of his troops had died, while he lived.”) The overall effect is not unlike The Princess Bride, which Sanderson cites as an inspiration.
Engrossing worldbuilding, appealing characters, and a sense of humor make this a winning entry in the Sanderson canon.Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781250899651
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Tor
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
SEEN & HEARD
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