A bloody, messy fantasy epic that will keep readers enthralled.
A ragtag fellowship of unlikely allies assembles to try to save the world in this debut fantasy.
The continent of Halja is suffering. Famine is spreading throughout the various nations, creating a crisis unlike any seen since the first two Calamities. Some fear a Third Calamity—the worst one of all—is coming, and the rival nations of Halja must unite in order to stop it. Queen Janere of the jungle land of Mo-Duo believes the secret to their survival rests in an ancient power hidden deep within the Middle: an inhospitable region at the center of Halja filled with deadly beasts. An ancient enemy dwells there, one who needs to be destroyed. She has sent emissaries to her neighbors seeking the finest warriors they can provide to help her in her quest. From remote La Isla comes Felix, captain of the Electus, the largest ship in the island’s pirate fleet. From the frozen northern land of Fortiso comes Jurgen of the viri forti, a race of giant men known for their toughness. Jurgen has been to the Middle before, the only survivor of a company of seasoned warriors. From the magic land of Nuntias comes Scitus, a wizard with a ferret familiar and the ability to use the Gift, though he is skeptical of any alliance between the nations. “Damned fools,” writes Scitus. “Foul pirates, corrupt bishops, savage tribesmen, and barbarians breaking bread and sharing supper. Whoever heard of such lunacy? There is no need for any of this mad talk of venturing into the Middle. Of seeking out a foe solely for the sake of vanquishing it.” Can these allies work together to save Halja, or will their secret agendas—and those of others—prevent them from acting against the threat until it is too late?
In this series opener, Mulder’s worldbuilding is an impressive feat of the imagination, revealing a complex web of geography, culture, religion, and mythology. His high fantasy ambitions are balanced by a sensorial, sword-and-sorcery prose style: Jurgen’s “blood had felt hot from the moment he was told about the mission until well after they had brought the beast down together, his own superbly forged bastard sword finding its way into the animal’s abdomen while it struggled to get away from his brothers on the ground.” But the permissive bloodthirstiness goes a bit too far sometimes. Several of the main characters are introduced speaking fondly of sexual violence, and the author delights in brutal and upsetting imagery throughout the novel. Furthermore, the depiction of some of the constituent peoples of Halja—how they look and speak—gets uncomfortably close to racial stereotypes from readers’ own world. Despite these elements, Mulder’s deft pacing and confident use of familiar fantasy conventions will keep readers invested in the novel. While the work does not approach the heights of Tolkien or George R.R. Martin, fans of the genre will enjoy this quick and dirty offering, which will likely increase in scope with its subsequent volumes.
A bloody, messy fantasy epic that will keep readers enthralled.Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-07-955524-0
Page Count: 482
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.
A young Navarrian woman faces even greater challenges in her second year at dragon-riding school.
Violet Sorrengail did all the normal things one would do as a first-year student at Basgiath War College: made new friends, fell in love, and survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also the first rider to ever bond with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon with a distinguished battle history, and Andarna, a baby dragon too young to carry a rider. At the end of Fourth Wing (2023), Violet and her lover, Xaden Riorson, discovered that Navarre is under attack from wyvern, evil two-legged dragons, and venin, soulless monsters that harvest energy from the ground. Navarrians had always been told that these were monsters of legend and myth, not real creatures dangerously close to breaking through Navarre’s wards and attacking civilian populations. In this overly long sequel, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons are determined to find a way to protect Navarre, despite the fact that the army and government hid the truth about these creatures. Due to the machinations of several traitorous instructors at Basgiath, Xaden and Violet are separated for most of the book—he’s stationed at a distant outpost, leaving her to handle the treacherous, cutthroat world of the war college on her own. Violet is repeatedly threatened by her new vice commandant, a brutal man who wants to silence her. Although Violet and her dragons continue to model extreme bravery, the novel feels repetitive and more than a little sloppy, leaving obvious questions about the world unanswered. The book is full of action and just as full of plot holes, including scenes that are illogical or disconnected from the main narrative. Secondary characters are ignored until a scene requires them to assist Violet or to be killed in the endless violence that plagues their school.
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374172
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
Dark magic, romance, and divinity.
What do you do when the voice in your head is real?
Lore, Bastian, and Gabe are all still alive following the events in The Foxglove King (2023), despite a ritual meant to take Lore’s life and usher in a new age for the god Apollius. But Lore, determined to live despite—or perhaps because of—her deep and unyielding connection to the magical death force Mortem, is unwilling to be used as a tool. Now that Bastian is no longer prince but Sainted King, Gabe is Priest Exalted, and Lore is the king’s deathwitch, her safety should be secure. The court, however, distrusts Lore and her uncanny powers, and even more dangerous are the gods, leaning ever closer and perhaps not so separate from the world as a thwarted ritual might imply. Bastian has been changing, able to control Spiritum, Mortem’s mirror image, in new and powerful ways, but also acting more erratic and strange. Meanwhile, the voice in Lore’s head is growing louder. To make matters worse, Gabe and Bastian can hardly look at each other, while Lore feels torn between the two of them and in need of both. In the second volume of the Nightshade Crown series, things go from bad to much worse, while a familiar gothic atmosphere looms oppressively around the characters. As Lore strives to keep as many people as safe as possible, others scheme with sinister forces and powerful magic. In a tense and atmospheric installment, Lore moves quickly between heart-pounding romantic encounters and adrenaline-filled moments facing danger and death.
Dark magic, romance, and divinity.Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780316435291
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Orbit
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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