An ambitious, engrossing fantasy epic from a talented young author.
A young soldier finds himself hunted by his own king in this second installment of a YA fantasy series.
Castien Varic is a Stormless—a person born without magical abilities. On the continent of Auris, this puts him at a disadvantage: The crystal-wielding Summoners are able to call upon the powers of the seven Tempests in battle, but Castien is forced to rely on his skills with a bow. He is in a particularly tricky spot at the moment, since one of his friends, the Summoner Ilyana, turned out to be a spy and assassinated Castien’s liege lord, the king of Arvendon, Avenos Titansworn. Now, Castien is an accessory to murder. For the sake of survival, he’s forced to flee to Celes, a rival kingdom with which Arvendon is now at war. Ilyana, it turns out, is the daughter of the king of Celes, who was also recently assassinated. Avenos ordered the killing, a move that sparked Ilyana’s retribution. Castien can only hope that at some point he will be able to sabotage Celes and redeem himself in the eyes of Arvendon. The new king of Arvendon, Summoner Faelyn Titansworn, is hellbent on tracking down his father’s killers, but will his desire for revenge be his undoing? Meanwhile, the powerful Asteros Silverglade awakens after a long sleep in the Void, ready to learn further secrets from the shadowy creature called the Emissary. What he learns will change his understanding of Auris’ past—and have grim ramifications for the coming conflict. Stitle’s prose is imbued with quiet magic that helps sell this fantasy world: “Ash swirled in the air, twisting and turning through the morning winds. It fell from the sky like rain, a quiet echo of destruction gently floating to the ground. White wisps swirled around, dancing in and out of the billowing smoke.” It’s all standard fare for the epic fantasy genre, but given Stitle’s youth—he’s only 17 years old, according to his author bio—it’s a highly impressive work of storytelling. Fantasy fans will devour this latest installment and look forward to the volumes that lie ahead for this promising writer.
An ambitious, engrossing fantasy epic from a talented young author.Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9798987896259
Page Count: 568
Publisher: Blazecrest Publishing, LLC
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology.
This thrilling sequel to The Sunbearer Trials (2022) follows Teo and Xio, two semidioses (or demigods) and former friends, as they fight on opposite sides during a war and an apocalypse.
Following the theft of the Sol Stone by the formerly exiled and now unleashed Obsidian gods and their monstrous Celestials, the inhabitants of Reino del Sol are plunged into a dark and uncertain future. Flanked by his best friend and crush, Teo embarks on an odyssey to resurrect Sol and save the world, while Xio wrestles with their role in the Obsidians’ revenge. Teo learns that the power structures and histories he learned from the ruling dioses (including his mother, Quetzal) may hide injustices and inequities that he doesn’t want to restore. Meanwhile, Xio begins to question whether the quest for justice for which they were conscripted to fight might instead be a subterfuge that’s intended to enact an oppressive new world. While action-packed with both battles and romance, the story also deftly delves into themes of systemic violence, generational trauma, and abuse of power. Teo and Xio are complex characters who offer strong representation of and for trans and nonbinary teens, respectively. The central messages of self-discovery, social justice, and building communities of care in a hostile world will resonate with readers who are facing challenges themselves.
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781250822086
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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