THE GODSTONE

Only a cabinetmaker and a healer can prevent total destruction. Luckily, neither is who they say they are.

When Arlyn gets the letter asking him to come help open his late cousin’s vault, he knows something is wrong. For one thing, Arlyn doesn’t believe Xandra is dead. And even if he were, he’d never want his vault opened because there’s something dangerous inside. So Arlyn must go to the City and secure the vault. His friend Fenra, a healer, will go with him—and try to uncover what Arlyn isn’t telling her about this artifact he claims is powerful enough to un-Make the world. Not to mention how he knows so much about practitioners when most mundanes know, and notice, next to nothing about their magic. Both Arlyn and Fenra have plenty of secrets, and as they travel toward this confrontation, we gradually learn who they really are and what’s truly at stake. Malan doles out the details of this fascinating world sparingly, keeping the reader engaged in the many mysteries, including why and how the level of technology seems to change as the travelers move through different Modes along the Road. Well-drawn characters and a quest that’s eventually revealed to be as epic as they come add depth to the story, but the standout here is this strange, highly original world. Exposition is so minimal that it does take a while to really understand what’s at stake, but the unusual worldbuilding and air of mystery are enough to draw the reader in.

An original, enigmatic fantasy about reluctant heroes drawn into a quest to save the world.