An often engaging adventure-series installment but not the best entry point for new readers.
In Dunker’s third YA fantasy novel in a series, two old friends team up to create a network of spies.
Nineteen-year-old Zren Janin has settled in Manumina, a Conrosan settlement, but he won’t experience peace now that Vikland is at war with Kerek. Now, the few inhabitants of Manumina are worried about raiders, soldiers stealing their food or livestock to feed the army, and spies that might share their secrets. To try and help them fly under the nearby warring parties’ radar, Zren sends a message to Ngahuru asking for advice on how to change their appearance to blend in better and on how he might keep his friends safe. She comes to Manumina herself, along with the young people she’s taken under her wing—her “Wrens.” Ngahuru has a plan: Each of Zren’s people will teach her Wrens a different skill, and then they’ll be sent out into the world to gather intelligence that will lead to the downfall of the King. Zren and Ngahuru work together on their “Academy of Treason” with an aim to exact revenge—and maybe bring about some well-deserved peace at last. This third installment of the Tales of Zren Janin series isn’t ideal as a stand-alone; it’s recommended that the books be read in order. Still, the author does a fair job of catching new readers up on what’s happened in Zren’s life, even supplying a helpful cast of characters. But with so many unfamiliar terms, including job titles and weapon names, readers may easily get confused; at one point, for example, Ngahuru, one of the main characters, introduces herself as “Tiju Tia of Kerek City,” and she then switches between the two names throughout a good portion of the story. That said, even brand-new readers will fall for Zren, who often doubts himself and his abilities but tries his hardest to be whatever his friends need him to be. Although this fantasy tale is written for young adults, it’s sure to appeal to adult readers as well.
An often engaging adventure-series installment but not the best entry point for new readers.Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 9798985053647
Page Count: 470
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Feb. 14, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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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