Johnson’s debut novel launches a fantasy series in which two sisters lost in a strange, magic-laden world search for each other and a way home.
As part of her indentured servitude, 20-something Crystalyn Creek catalogs artifacts. She brings little sis, Jade, to work, where an ancient tome of symbols coupled with sapphire obelisks spawns a misty “dark curtain.” When Jade suddenly vanishes, Crystalyn willingly steps through the curtain. But she’s not in her home world of Terra anymore; she’s in Astura, where magic is common. Crystalyn seeks help from magic-wielding “naturists” in finding her sister. Meanwhile, Jade is on another side of Astura, where “Users” of dark magic are prevalent. Her goal is the same as Crystalyn’s—reunite with her sibling and go home. Both sisters brave strange creatures and more familiar elements, like harsh weather. It also seems they’re capable of their own unusual skills. Jade sees people’s auras, and Crystalyn derives power from imagining symbols she recalls from the ancient book. Crystalyn’s inexperience, however, may be dangerous. Her power makes her sick with migraines and nosebleeds. Johnson loads this epic tale with sharply developed characters, such that a final-act betrayal has serious impact. But not every character proves necessary. The sisters’ father winds up in Astura in search of his family; this subplot is diverting but adds little to Crystalyn’s and Jade’s already intense stories. The unadorned prose effectively details characters and setting. For example, Crystalyn has an unexpected telepathic link with Broth, a “huge canine-like being” whose “sienna fur” makes him exceedingly huggable. The ending, which leaves issues unresolved (including someone’s fate), sets the stage for Book 2.
Dense but entertaining story of fascinating other realms.