Spectacular worldbuilding, breathtaking action, and plenty of mischief.
Every year the twin cities of San-Er hold a set of games, a fight to the death with the promise of unimaginable riches for the victor. This time, there's an unlikely competitor—Princess Calla Tuoleimi, who’s presumed dead, has entered the contest in disguise.
For five years, Princess Calla has been living in hiding from the absolute monarch, King Kasa, ever since, in a defiant and ruthless massacre, she killed the leaders of Er—her own parents. Her plan has always been to free the people of San-Er from the oppressive monarchy, and she won’t stop until the palace falls and she has the king’s head. It’s finally time for her to finish what she started, and the only way to get close enough to him is by besting the other 87 players and winning the competition. Lucky for her, the king’s heir, August, would also like to see King Kasa dead and a new era for San-Er begun. With their aligned endgame of regicide and shared willingness to break some rules, August can assure Calla’s safety until the final battle of the games. But this book isn’t The Hunger Games—it’s an epic fantasy. So the wrinkle? There are people in San-Er with the ability to jump between bodies, and the best jumpers are the most confident and deadly competitors in the games. Gong packs her story with thrilling fight sequences in which each player’s distinct and recognizable pugilist style shines through even when they wear different physical forms. Eventually, Calla faces her toughest competitor, Anton Makusa, an exiled noble fighting to win the prize to pay off the medical debts of his beloved, who’s in a coma. From the moment their weapons meet, Anton has Calla questioning her single-minded purpose. In a power play dripping with blood and lust, the two become allies, though they know there can be only one winner. Calla and Anton are as charming as they are deceitful. No matter whom you're rooting for, there’s a lot on the line. When the book ends on a well-earned cliffhanger, readers will be clamoring for the next volume of this planned trilogy.
Spectacular worldbuilding, breathtaking action, and plenty of mischief.Pub Date: July 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781668000229
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Saga/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
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
An expertly crafted page-turner with unpredictable twists, steamy romance, and magical creatures.
A princess and a gladiator join forces amidst political intrigue and bloody carnage in Robson’s fantasy novel.
For the citizens of the wealthy kingdom of Arrow, the most exciting entertainment can be found in the arena—for the gladiators from the surrounding kingdoms, it’s a relentlessly brutal series of fights to the death. The combatants hope to win enough matches to earn the royal title of “Bloodguard,” which will allow their families to immigrate to Arrow. Leith, a gladiator in his mid-20s, is a skilled fighter driven by his desperation to support his mother and two younger sisters (and by the rage built from years of killing his peers for an audience’s delectation). After killing the arrogant Lord Filip (who challenged him to an impromptu duel) and subsequently emerging victorious in a surprise melee with a group of his peers and a dragon, Leith is getting closer to becoming a Bloodguard. He attracts the attention of Princess Maeve, a 20-year-old healer. Now that her fiance, Lord Filip, is dead, she’s in dire need of a noble spouse so that she can claim the throne when she turns 21. Maeve proposes a deal: She’ll help Leith achieve the Bloodguard status in exchange for his hand in marriage. But as their relationship blossoms, problems arise when royal secrets are revealed and government corruption is exposed. Soon, they’re not just vying for a title and a crown—they’re fighting for their lives. Robson’s novel is an exciting blend of action, palace intrigue, and romance in a high fantasy setting. The story unfolds through the perspectives of Maeve and Leith, who are both compelling and well developed, with flaws, foibles, and distinctive voices. The supporting characters are equally intriguing. Readers will love the richly detailed worldbuilding and combat sequences, as well as the use of snarky, modern language (“Of course the only royal offering me help is one who’s clawing her way to the throne, not already sitting pretty on one. That tracks,” Leith gripes). The book’s thoughtful queer representation and exploration of oppression and exploitation are also noteworthy.
An expertly crafted page-turner with unpredictable twists, steamy romance, and magical creatures.Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781649374059
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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