A spirited world and characters make this dark, epic fantasy well worth the journey.
In Murray’s debut fantasy novel, a race of warriors uses magic to face off against assorted enemies devastating their land.
Kenlin lives in a village of survivors who’ve hidden away for 16 years after hostiles massacred the city of Natzut. While out hunting with friends, Kenlin spots a father and daughter and unexpectedly senses something poised for an attack. He warns the duo, only for the would-be ambushers to assault everyone, including the hunters. Following a brutal fight, Kenlin learns the travelers, both of whom have the same emerald-green eyes as he does, are his uncle Lord Klanjad and cousin Ranja. They’re the last of the Jazei, a lineage Kenlin knew of but didn’t know he belonged to. He’s taken aback when Klanjad claims that Kenlin is a magician like his uncle and his late father. This means the enemy coming after Klanjad will now be targeting Kenlin as well. In part to protect his village, Kenlin leaves with the other Jazeiz, and the three travel to various sites throughout the greater land of Jranajana. Those massacring villains continue to wreak havoc; they include the telekinetic Droál, the “brutish” Unnatilz, and the Misks, who are capable of “Vanishing” (essentially teleportation). Klanjad has spent 16 years battling such foes, so it’s hardly surprising that he and Ranja don’t easily trust others; as Ranja puts it, they live in a “world of suspicions and ambushes.” But if they want to save as many people as they can, or even themselves, the Jazei trio may have to depend on an unlikely ally.
Murray tells an enthralling story of ever-present adversaries who leave death and destruction in their wake. The opening takes place in the past, when Kenlin’s father, Ranton, and Khanjad are frighteningly unprepared for the powerful Droál, who’ve aligned themselves with the hostiles. Worldbuilding forms a solid foundation for the characters; Jranjana is home for Five Species, including humans, Misks, Unnatilz, Faeries, and Dwarves (the Droál are human). The author doesn’t let the grim tone take over completely, making room for lighthearted dialogue and narrative details (Klanjad searches for a “perfect, un-ambush-able campsite”). The characters often steep their conversations in sarcasm; one person notes that a potential death march is better than a “death sit.” All of this comes courtesy of a lengthy, deliberately paced text. While there are exhilarating, magic-infused confrontations aplenty, there are even more scenes depicting the cast in downtime—Kenlin, who’s spent much of his life in the village, knows very little about Jranjanan history and, understandably, bombards Klanjad and Ranja with questions. (“He didn’t know you were the queen, he didn’t recognize my name at all, and so far he hasn’t even shown any understanding of the fact that he’s Jazei,” complains Klanjad to Kenlin’s mother.) The final act involves “Fading” to other Strata (akin to parallel dimensions) and a baffling surreal turn that confuses even Kenlin—but that hardly dampens the reader’s overall enjoyment, or the unforgettable ending.
A spirited world and characters make this dark, epic fantasy well worth the journey.Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2025
ISBN: 9798992116915
Page Count: 535
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series.
In the final book of Corland’s dark fantasy trilogy, a ragtag band works together to liberate a colony and dethrone tyrants.
A group of spies, thieves, and murderers, united by a common goal of ending the treacherous rule of King Joon of Yusan, regroup after a bloody battle claims the life of one of their own—the banished Yusanian prince, Euyn. However, there’s little time for Mikail, Aeri, Sora, and Royo to mourn. Bounty hunters and assassins are after them, in part because they now possess three of five legendary Relics of the Dragon Lord. Mikail, who’s just found out that he’s the last surviving member of a royal family, wields the Water Scepter of Wei, while Aeri, King Joon’s daughter, holds the Sands of Tim and the Golden Ring of Khitan. The remaining relics—the Flaming Sword of Gaya and the Immortal Crown—remain with King Joon, who’s desperate to have all five to wield a great deal more power. Meanwhile, the cruel Count Seok, who once indentured Sora, has usurped the throne of Yusan. The group has two goals: overthrow the king and liberate the Yusanian colony of Gaya—Mikail’s homeland—so that it can again be a thriving, independent realm. The relics are powerful tools in combat, but using them is adversely affecting Aeri and Mikail’s health. They need allies, but trusting strangers is a dangerous gamble. Corland’s final book in her Broken Blades trilogy is a relentlessly thrilling and action-packed dark fantasy featuring memorable characters, intense battle scenes, romance, and a satisfying conclusion. Alternately narrated by Aeri, Mikail, Sora, Royo, and their long-lost friend, Tiyung, readers benefit from watching the story unfold through the perspectives of each compelling, well-drawn character. The author’s passion for the fantasy genre shines through in the novel’s richly detailed worldbuilding, including vivid descriptions of landscapes and palace layouts, as well as its exploration of magic. Readers will also delight in the sardonic humor sprinkled throughout, as when Mikahil narrates, “Rune thinks he fathered Seok’s son. Truly, the nobility of Yusan has too much time on their hands.”
A compelling and skillfully written end to a thrilling fantasy series.Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781649379153
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.
On the orders of her mother, a woman goes to dragon-riding school.
Even though her mother is a general in Navarre’s army, 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail was raised by her father to follow his path as a scribe. After his death, though, Violet's mother shocks her by forcing her to enter the elite and deadly dragon rider academy at Basgiath War College. Most students die at the War College: during training sessions, at the hands of their classmates, or by the very dragons they hope to one day be paired with. From Day One, Violet is targeted by her classmates, some because they hate her mother, others because they think she’s too physically frail to succeed. She must survive a daily gauntlet of physical challenges and the deadly attacks of classmates, which she does with the help of secret knowledge handed down by her two older siblings, who'd been students there before her. Violet is at the mercy of the plot rather than being in charge of it, hurtling through one obstacle after another. As a result, the story is action-packed and fast-paced, but Violet is a strange mix of pure competence and total passivity, always managing to come out on the winning side. The book is categorized as romantasy, with Violet pulled between the comforting love she feels from her childhood best friend, Dain Aetos, and the incendiary attraction she feels for family enemy Xaden Riorson. However, the way Dain constantly undermines Violet's abilities and his lack of character development make this an unconvincing storyline. The plots and subplots aren’t well-integrated, with the first half purely focused on Violet’s training, followed by a brief detour for romance, and then a final focus on outside threats.
Read this for the action-packed plot, not character development or worldbuilding.Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374042
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
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