A worthy follow-up to its predecessor, with a cliffhanger of an ending that will leave readers eager for more.
Told from the dual perspectives of Jenna Farrow, princess and dragonrider, and 16-year-old Reigh, a human boy raised in the elven jungle, Harbinger takes the baton from Savage (2017) and forges ahead.
Jenna is one of the fiercest warriors her kingdom has, much her father’s chagrin—he’d rather she pursue more ladylike endeavors. She and her brother do their best to protect Maldobar, but they prove no match for Tibran forces and are soon captured in battle and tortured for information by Lord Argonox. Jaevid Broadfeather has returned, much to the delight of the citizens of Luntharda and Maldobar, but he has his work cut out for him with the Tibran army increasing in size and brutality and with fate telling him he must join forces with Reigh to give Maldobar the victory it needs. Reigh must answer the call of the dark goddess who has chosen him or risk the destruction of the ones he loves. Can Jenna endure the cruelty of Argonox long enough to fight back? Can Jaevid be the savior his people so desperately need? The story is filled with fast-paced action and emotional arcs that pull readers in as much as the battle scenes. Main characters are implied white, and there is diversity of skin tone in secondary characters.
A worthy follow-up to its predecessor, with a cliffhanger of an ending that will leave readers eager for more. (map) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-948671-27-9
Page Count: 374
Publisher: Month9Books
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
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
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations.
Magic, mystery, and love intertwine and invite in this newest take on the “enchanted circus” trope.
Sisters raised by their abusive father, a governor of a colonial backwater in a world vaguely reminiscent of the late 18th century, Scarlett and Donatella each long for something more. Scarlett, olive-skinned, dark of hair and attitude, longs for Caraval, the fabled, magical circus helmed by the possibly evil Master Legend Santos, while blonde, sunny Tella finds comfort in drink and the embraces of various men. A slightly awkward start, with inconsistencies of attitude and setting, rapidly smooths out when they, along with handsome “golden-brown” sailor Julian, flee to Caraval on the eve of Scarlett’s arranged marriage. Tella disappears, and Scarlett must navigate a nighttime world of magic to find her. Caraval delights the senses: beautiful and scary, described in luscious prose, this is a show readers will wish they could enter. Dresses can be purchased for secrets or days of life; clocks can become doors; bridges move: this is an inventive and original circus, laced with an edge of horror. A double love story, one sensual romance and the other sisterly loyalty, anchors the plot, but the real star here is Caraval and its secrets.
Immersive and engaging, despite some flaws, and destined to capture imaginations. (Fantasy. 14 & up)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-09525-1
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2016
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