A self-righteous romance disguised as a gladiatorial slugfest and political thriller lacking much punch.
Two reluctant foes ally to fight for survival in this series starter.
After defeating the Mother Goddess who gave them their magical powers (energeias), the six gods (and their six countries) can now settle conflicts through their similarly powered gladiators in arenas. While some gods have retreated, Geoxus (geoeia, or earth and stone magic) and Ignitus (igneia, or fire magic) continue their quarrels. Once a street-brawling quarry worker and seemingly powerless “pigstock” due to his lack of geoiea, Madoc Aurelius takes to the arena to free his adoptive sister from his evil estranged father’s clutches. But with fame and fighting come the risk of exposing his true energeia, a long-forgotten power. Meanwhile, former fire dancer Ash Nikau arrives in Deimos hoping to avenge her mother, defeat Ignitus, and save Kula from starvation and invasion. Pawns in a vast power struggle, the two champions predictably overcome enmity to become allies amid melodramatically escalating stakes. The co-written effort from Raasch and Simmons is colorful, gritty (literally, given the stone magic), and roiling with emotion, yet the repetitive mythology is underdeveloped, the worldbuilding an unexplained Greco-Roman mishmash, and the plot twists telegraphed. Resembling their manifested gods, Ash and Madoc have black hair; Ash has brown skin.
A self-righteous romance disguised as a gladiatorial slugfest and political thriller lacking much punch. (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-289156-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2020
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
