CRYSTAL AWAKENING

Nicol’s fantasy novel offers a promising start to a new spinoff series, set in former role-playing game designer Rowe’s popular Arcane Ascension world.

The author of the Mage-Born fantasy novels presents an engaging new story in the LitRPG fantasy subgenre—one that’s grounded in the universe of Rowe’s work. It’s a world of complex magic where teams of climbers attempt to scale ancient towers known as the Soaring Spires, hoping to gain magical “attunements” and treasure. In this first installment, the Guiding Star Legacy team of six climbers, each with different attunements, skills, and powers, venture to the 19th floor of the Tortoise Spire. Four of them—thoughtful seer Seji “Sage” Hayden, intimidating healer Lani Nanashi, reckless fighter Nieve Yukihara, and timid “cloudcaller” Emiko Ryotsu, who can manipulate weather—share a tight bond from years of climbing together, exchanging teasing banter and affectionate nicknames. But their last ascent was so harrowing that two other team members quit, replaced by temporary hires Aldis Somers, a prickly telepath, and Hane, an enigmatic, solitary figure. Inside the spire is a dangerous magical realm where the climbers face challenges such as monsters, mazes, and illusions, which players of Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games will find familiar. Much of the narrative reads like a description of gameplay, moving from scene to scene without much motivation or suspense. The characters also seem somewhat underdeveloped; one could easily dub them “the bold one,” “the cute one,” or “the loner.” The complicated magic system with its eight attunements, each with six levels, five magical marks, and dozens of types of magical essences and crystals can be hard to follow, despite an explanatory prologue. However, as the story unfolds, the author introduces surprising elements and shocking twists, leading to a harrowing final life-and-death battle and setting up an intriguing premise for a continuing series. Some readers may find parts of the final confrontation overly dark, but fans of anime, RPGs, and the authors’ previous work will be eager to follow Guiding Star Legacy’s further adventures.

An action-packed introductory tale that’s somewhat hampered by shallow characterization.