Category Archives: Love

Why You Need to Read: "A Broken Queen"

The Nine Realms #3: A Broken Queen

By: Sarah Kozloff

Published: March 24, 2020

Genre: Fantasy

NOTE: There are minor spoilers for the previous books in the series. You have been warned. 

            …sure that she was dying with her task unfulfilled, her people condemned to suffering, and the line of Nargis Queens judging her harshly, (Chapter Nine, “Aboard Island Dreamer”). 

            All great stories and storytellers know how to present the events and the plot to the audience. And, in the age of online streaming services, modern audiences started to forget what it’s like to have a cliffhanger and it being drawn out to where one wants their suspicions to be either confirmed or debunked. The Queen of Raiders—Book 2 in The Nine Realms—ended with this type of cliffhanger. Readers suspected that the protagonist did not meet her end, but the mystery of “what happened” and “what is going to happen” is addressed in A Broken Queen, Book 3 in The Nine Realms. 

            Thalen, Skylark and the Raiders have defeated the Oros in Oromondo. Unfortunately, Skylark is injured during the escape, falls into and is lost to the sea. Believing Skylark is dead, Thalen and the Raiders return to the Free States in order to lift the siege and to end the occupation of the Oros. Meanwhile, Gustie and Hartling do all they can to keep the Resistance going until the Oro army leaves; Matwyck has become drunk on power, finally, and has taken on interfering with the blossoming romance of his son, Marcot; and, the Spirits are becoming more active in their influence on the affairs of their Agents and the other mortals. All the while, Cerúlia—now using the alias, Phénix—ends up in Salubriton in the Realm of Wyeland, which is on the other side of Ennea Món. It is there Cerúlia is able to heal from both her injuries and her traumas. Even though Thalen and all of the denizens of the Free States now have to deal with the aftermath of the war and the occupation, and Matwyck becomes more and more devious with his “regency,” it is Cerúlia who develops the most in this book. This time, she learns empathy through her interactions with the other patients at the recovery house as they heal from ailments that plague the body, the mind, and the soul. At the same time, the Spirits present themselves to being as petty as stagnant as any other divine being. Then again, the conflicts of the Spirits are just as complex as their worshippers! 

            The plot in A Broken Queen is Cerúlia’s determination to reclaim the Nargis Throne after being hidden and in exile for 15 years. Once again, she’s shocked to learn of the lengths Matwyck goes to in order to prevent her return. But first, Cerúlia must regain her strength and come up with a plan for seizing control of Weirandale from the usurpers. There are several subplots as well, and they tie into the plot. First, there is the occupation of the Oromondo army in the Free States. Even though the war is over with a victory for the Free States, the Oros have no plans to leave the place where there is no famine or poisoned water. The war did not resolve the reason for the invasion, which is now becoming the dilemma to be solved by both the Free States and the Oros. Second, is the “Regency” of Matwyck and the toll its taking on the remaining citizens of Weirandale. With more arrests and disappearances, those who remain secretly plan on what to do when the Queen does return to Cascada. At the same time, Matwyck is losing control over his Council as they show themselves to being just as greedy and deceptive as him. This leads him into trying to maintain his last bit of control he has, which he believes is his son. Last, the Spirits—who are upset by the recent events involving Cerúlia—are arguing with each other over grudges of the past and the present. And, they have gone from using their Agents to act on their wills and behalves to overreaching into each other’s Realms: fires and tornadoes, sea storms and lightning, earthquakes, etc. All of these subplots go back to the plot of the Nargis Throne, which remains in chaos because of Matwyck and the other usurpers. It all traces back to what happened at the very beginning of the story. 

            Once again, the narrative is told from multiple characters and their points-of-view. This is a chronological sequence told in first-person P.O.V. and in the stream-of-consciousness of these reliable narrators. Readers will know what is going on everywhere all at once. It should be mentioned that attention should be placed on the characters Cerúlia meets during her recovery in Wyeland because it represents the reality that injury and trauma are not always obtained on a battlefield. And, there are two cases in which readers will see manipulation as an act of desperation to maintain control over what cannot be controlled. Desperate individuals do desperate things. 

            The style Sarah Kozloff uses in A Broken Queen focuses on both the recovery of the injured from the traumas of war and other unspeakable events, and the growing instability amongst the Divine. Although the main focus shifts back to Cerúlia, she’s not the only one who learns empathy through her interaction with other people (and animals). Thalen, Gunnit and Marcot learn how individuals don’t overcome their traumas overnight. Time is essential for recovery, and there are some who never recover. In addition, the reason one country would invade another one is readdressed here and it cannot be overlooked. All of their issues and themes reflect the reality of life as mentioned in history and in journals (both personal and professional/academic) by: soldiers, doctors, nurses, civilians, psychologists and survivors. The mood is somber and bittersweet. This is because while the war is over, the survivors have to deal with the traumas and the aftermath of everything that happened to them and rebuild their lives knowing it’ll never be the same. The tone is resilience and recovery, especially how all of the characters go through the process of becoming whole again. The maps—which were not included in the eARC—and the glossary will assist readers in keeping track of who’s who and where all of the characters are throughout the narrative. 

            The appeal for A Broken Queen will be positive. This is because it is in this book in which the story reaches its climax and some of the plots and the storylines are wrapping up. Fans and readers of The Nine Realms must continue reading the series because the pacing and the narration do not stop and we need to know what happens to our favorite characters. And, while it’ll be sad and difficult to say goodbye once The Cerulean Queen is released, we will all need the closure to the end of the author’s story.

            A Broken Queen continues the adventures and the turmoil wroth throughout The Nine Realms. Only this time it’s not only politicians and armies at work. The characters have grown into who they are and what they have to become given the circumstances. Emotions and trauma are the focus in the book, but the author incorporates them in a way which works with the story instead of it dragging it down. I’m already counting down the days for when I can read The Cerulean Queen! Luckily, we all don’t have to wait too long!

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!!

Why You Need to Read: “The Priory of the Orange Tree”

The Priory of the Orange Tree

By: Samantha Shannon                                    Audiobook: 25 hours 52 minutes

Published: February 26, 2019                          Narrated by: Liyah Summers

Genre: Epic Fantasy

            A low growl rolled through Nayimathun. She spoke as if to herself. “He is stirring. The shadow lies heavy on the West,” (Chapter 25, East).

            Avid readers—especially those who read history, biographies and memoirs, and speculative fiction—do not fear tackling “long” books. In fact, many readers get upset when a long book is about to come to an end. Then, there are “long” books in which readers ask themselves, “how am I going to get through this?” This is what I asked myself when I heard about The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. This 800+ page book was declared “one of the Best of 2019,” and other readers who have managed to finish the book had nothing but positive things to say about it. First, I borrowed the standalone novel from my library and started to read it. However, I knew I would need more than 2 weeks to read this book (library policy). So, I bought the eBook—when it was on sale—and I kept reading. Yet, I felt I wasn’t reading it at my usual pace. So then, I bought the audiobook and started listening to it from the beginning. It took me two months, but I enjoyed every minute of it! And, I bought the printed edition because I wanted my own hardcopy edition of the book (and it was half off)! I don’t regret purchasing these editions of this novel! The Priory of the Orange Tree is Samantha Shannon’s epic fantasy novel about female leaders, dragons, conspiracies—both political and historical—imminent danger, and identity. Don’t allow the length of the story to intimidate you, this epic tale details everything that occurs throughout this fantasy adventure!

            Like most epic fantasies, there are several characters who are part of the story and play their roles. Yet, there are three protagonists who provide both the point-of-view and the connections both to the events and to several other main characters throughout the narrative. First, there is Tané, a poor orphan who is given the rare opportunity to train as a dragonrider. Overcoming the rigorous training and her destitute status, Tané is about to Test to become a dragonrider for her island home in the East. However, on the night before the Passage, an outsider washes on to the beach. Fearing that the outsider will cause a delay of the Tests—outsiders are quarantined in order to prevent any illnesses from spreading into the population— Tané hides the outsider at the home of a resident who is also not from the island. This leads to the second protagonist, Doctor Niclays Roos (a male) who resides in the East in exile after failing to please the Queen in the West. This Queen in the West, Sabran the Ninth of House Berethnet, has remained unwed since her coronation. This is a dilemma because one of her roles as queen is to bear a daughter in order to protect her kingdom from an ancient evil. However, Queen Sabran’s time consists of avoiding assassination attempts and suffering from vivid nightmares. But, she has allies. One of them is the third protagonist, Ead Duryan—one of the ladies-in-waiting to the Queen—who is really a member of a hidden society of mages whose mission centers around protecting the royal bloodline of House Berethnet, and the entire world, from Armageddon. These protagonists are rounded—they have strengths and weaknesses, they are selfish and sympathetic, they are motivated, and they are survivors—which make them believable to the readers as their narratives are presented to them. These protagonists are neither royalty nor the elite social class, which is relevant because they are able to maneuver through their societies with access to the knowledge and the information given to them by the upper class. At the same time, these protagonists are able to uncover the truth of the past for themselves and of their societies and the world they live in. And, it’s up to them to try and save it. Yet, out of the three protagonists, it is both Tané and Ead Duryan who demonstrate the most character development. Even though both women make mistakes and lose the trust of their friends and allies, they hold on to their convictions that danger is coming. Meanwhile, Doctor Niclays Roos decides to start up the same research that led to his exile. He doesn’t have anything to lose, but his experience is essential to the plot. Although, the band of characters make it difficult to keep track of at times, they appear and are mentioned enough for readers to recall who they are and their relationships to the protagonists and the other main characters. 

            The plot—similar to other fantasy and/or adventure tales—involves prophecies, magic and saving the world. About 1,000 years ago, heroes of the world defeated and sealed an ancient threat. However, the seal would break after a thousand years, so the heroes and the armies left and established new kingdoms—and secret orders—in order to prepare for the return of that ancient threat. Unfortunately, history becomes myth, and religion and legend with all sources of information becomes lost or altered. The story and the plot take place just as the 1,000 years are up, and the descendants are searching for a way to defeat the threat before it emerges. The subplots are how each of the four continents are preparing for Armageddon. Obviously, many do not believe or know that this event is about to occur. It takes time for the plot to develop because all of the subplots—from the introductions of the characters, the settings and the conflicts to the character development and the world-building—must develop alongside the plot. This is a slow, but an appropriate rate for the plots and the subplots to develop and to converge because this is a standalone novel. After the subplots have developed—not resolved—then the plot continues to develop on its own and at its own pace. 

            The narrative is told in present time and from the P.O.V.s of the protagonists. Each of the six parts of this story presents the stream-of-consciousness of Tané, Doctor Roos and Ead. This allows readers to comprehend the motives, the culture and the decisions they make throughout the story. Given that the protagonists have their desires and the events are happening in real-time, each part of the narrative is reliable because the revelations and the reactions are believable and the situations the characters find themselves in are because of the decisions and the demeanors of the characters. The narrative is easy to follow because of the step-by-step action and reaction narration presented to the readers. 

            The style Samantha Shannon uses for this novel is a combination of fantasy tropes, history, literature and folklore. In other words, The Priory of the Orange Tree is a reimagination of true events and culture. History and folklore such as Christianity, the Amazons, and dragons were influences for this novel. Historical moments and the literature that were written—the Crusades and stories such as The Faerie Queen by Edmund Spenser and The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley—are also found within the pages of the novel. The style the author uses for this story is not new; in fact, folklore and religion are often retellings of both history and culture. However, readers become aware of this while reading the story, but would they ever consider a similar possibility that the same thing could be possible with our life and culture? The mood of the novel is foreboding and callowness. The tone is what to do and how to handle information based on what actually took place and how the truth can remain hidden within all of the stories, the mysteries, and the lies for hundreds of years. The tone and the mood work in tandem, but this plot device is revealed to the readers through a handful of characters who know the (actual) truth. This reflects reality because the truth of events is revealed to a select few of people (typically) and that is only when the truth surfaces (not always).

            The appeal of this novel have been noteworthy. The Priory of the Orange Tree was labeled “one of the Best Fantasy Books of 2019,” by numerous critics and fans of epic fantasy written by Jacqueline Carey and Brandon Sanderson or any standalone fantasy story will enjoy this book the most. As for the narration of the audiobook, Liyah Summers did a great job voicing all of the characters—male and female—without there being any confusion as to which character was speaking and the accents used for each dialect of speech. Her pacing of the narration worked for both the length of the novel and the given size of the world as hinted from the numerous locations. Liyah Summers was a great choice for this large narration and its large assembly of characters. 

            The Priory of the Orange Tree is an ambitious story of strong female characters, dragons and wyverns, magic, conspiracies, lost histories, and the end-of-the-world. Anyone who is familiar with epic fantasy stories should read this book; and, fans of fantasy and speculative fiction should not be daunted by the size of the book, but know that the story within it contains a world with rich characters whose lives are about to become interconnected for reasons lost to their histories. Not only will readers be satisfied with the narration up to the end, but also feel a sense of accomplishment for completing this amazing and adventurous fantasy story. Readers will find the time and a way to read this book as I did.

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!! 

Why You Need to Read: “Realm of Ash”

The Books of Ambha: #2: Realm of Ash

By: Tasha Suri

Published: November 12, 2019

Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction/Coming-of-Age

NOTE: Some minor spoilers from Empire of Sand. You have been warned. 

            “My blood—my Amrithi blood in this loyal Ambhan body—is part of the curse. But it’s also part of the cure. I just don’t know how. But the Emperor’s family, your mistress…they might. Perhaps they’ll find answers in my blood that I can’t. You should send me to them, if they’ll have me,” (Chapter Five). 

            In 2018, a debut fantasy novel based on Indian mysticism was released to praise by readers and critics alike; and, Empire of Sand won the 2019 British Fantasy Award for Best Newcomer and the 2019 Brave New Words Award. In 2019, the follow-up, Realm of Ash, picks up ten years after the events in the first book and answers all of the questions in it. It was a long year to wait to read this book by Tasha Suri, and it was worth it. 

            Arwa, Mehr’s younger sister who was spirited away to safety by their stepmother, Maryam, and their father, is all grown-up (she’s 21) and recently widowed from a massacre at Darez Fort. Instead of returning to Hara to live with her parents, Arwa decides to live in a hermitage of widows (for nobility). At the beginning of the novel, Arwa is plagued by guilt for surviving the massacre, for failing in her duties as a wife (to her stepmother’s grief), and for revealing her heritage of being an Amrithi. Arwa believes Mehr died with the Maha, and her parents did everything they could to make sure Arwa didn’t repeat the same mistakes her sister made. Since Arwa looks more Ambhan (lighter skin tone) than Mehr (darker skin tone), she was taught to blend into Ambhan society and view her Amrithi heritage as a curse. However, the last lesson Mehr taught Arwa about their blood is the reason Arwa survived the massacre, and she doesn’t know how to feel about it. After arriving at the hermitage, Arwa meets Gulshera, another widow with connections to the royal family. Arwa asks Gulshera for the chance to serve the royal family and to save the Empire from ruin, an unfortunate effect of the Maha’s death. At the palace, Arwa meets Jihan, the princess, who tells her her assignment, to assist the Emperor’s blessed (bastard) son, Zahir—Jihan’s brother, with his work in occult arts to seek the Maha’s knowledge. Knowledge that could revive the Empire. Readers will see the resemblance Arwa has to Mehr in how the two sisters were sheltered from the truth of their heritage and the Emperor’s power. The more Arwa learns the more she grows into the person she had to suppress as per her stepmother and (Ambhan) gender role expectations. Arwa develops as both a characters and an individual as she makes her way through the complexities of her new status—widow and tool of the Empire—in a society which believes the past has the answers. 

            The plot of Realm of Ash is the fallout based on the ending of Empire of Sand. The Ambhan Empire has fallen on hard times since the Maha’s death. In addition, Arwa’s father was stripped of his governorship due to his behavior towards the Emperor regarding Mehr. For ten years, Arwa was raised with the goal of restoring her family to their previous status while the Empire moved into decline after 400 years of affluence. Arwa’s widowhood and revealed heritage is the chance for Arwa to restore both her family’s glory and the Empire’s prosperity. However, as Arwa and Zahir study more about the Empire’s past with the Amrithi and learn about the motivations the royal family hope to achieve with this knowledge, the two “illegitimate heretics” must determine other factors for saving the Empire. There are two subplots in this novel. The first is the truth which is revealed about the Amrithi and their ties to the Emperor’s and the Maha’s rule. The second is the tension amongst the royal siblings as the Emperor is on his deathbed and must name his successor. Both subplots are related because, as Arwa learns, the Amrithi aren’t cursed, but they were coveted for their abilities and their magic, which were used and abused by the Maha and the royal family for their benefit. These revelations comes as a shock to Arwa because it means that the foundations of the Ambhan Empire are built on lies and corruption, and the royal family made sure that those lies became beliefs within the Empire. Of course, the royal family would prefer if Arwa and Zahir would stay focused on gaining the Maha’s knowledge so that everything can go back to the way things were before his death. It’s too bad Arwa has her sister’s temperament and stubbornness for doing the “right” thing. These subplots enrich the plot in that Arwa’s life gets sidetracked again and she has to decide what to do with the truth she’s learned regarding the Empire and her family. Arwa realizes that the Empire, the Emperor and the Maha are at fault, not her sister and not the Amrithi. 

            The narrative is told from Arwa’s point-of-view as she becomes the hope for reviving the Empire. In Empire of Sand, readers learned about the Amrithi and the Maha from Mehr’s P.O.V.; in Realm of Ash, readers learn about the Ambhan and the Emperor from Arwa’s P.O.V. This provides readers with the two halves of the world-building and an understanding of all of the events across both books. In the case of Realm of Ash, Arwa experiences moments of the past in flashbacks as part of the occult rituals she performs with Zahir. In those memories, Arwa witnesses the horrific truth of her Amrithi heritage, but it leads to her accepting and marveling at it, eventually. The narrative presents Arwa’s change in demeanor and personality as she learns to heal from her traumatic experience and the shame she believed she should have for her Amrithi heritage. All of these elements of the narrative make Arwa a reliable narrator whom can be followed by all readers. 

            Tasha Suri continues to use the same style she used in Empire of Sand in Realm of Ash. She presents the Ambhan Empire as a beautiful place with denizens of various social classes and faiths. Only this time, the author puts more emphasis on the consequences of colonialism, parental influences, magic, and societal expectations and practices. The mood is hardship of a declining society and a loss of purpose in life. The tone is how individuals and society can continue to thrive once they find a new purpose and a new way to live, if given the chance. If Empire of Sand focuses on themes of strength and survival, then the themes in Realm of Ash are based on enduring and resilience!

            The appeal of Realm of Ash surpasses its predecessor, thus making the series, and the author, worthy of all of the praise given to it. Fans of fantasy, and the first book, will want to read this book; and, fans of historical fiction might enjoy this book as well. Both Books of Ambha can be read in either order—amidst minor spoilers—and readers will get the complete experience of the world the author created. The same warnings of violence and abuse from the first book are relevant in this one, but given the historical and societal context of the story, those aspects do not affect the way readers will enjoy the story.

            Realm of Ash is an amazing follow-up to Empire of Sand and answers all the questions readers had from the previous book. It is not unusual for the next book in a series to be better than the first, but Realm of Ash is a stronger story dealing with issues of lost, family, and magic. It also adds to the world-building that was half-finished in the first book, providing a complete and beautiful world that is worth saving. This book was in my top five of my favorite speculative fiction books of 2019, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by Tasha Suri.

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!!

Why You Need to Read: “The Queen of Raiders”

The Nine Realms #2: The Queen of Raiders

By: Sarah Kozloff

Published: February 18, 2020

Genre: Fantasy

            I could lend my Talent to (the) Raiders. I could attack the Oros in their lair, (Chapter Thirteen, Slagos to Alpetar).

            The wait between books in a series are often long. There are times when the book comes out the next year, or in two or three years. Then, there was the case of Alan Garner’s Tales of Alderley Trilogy which had a 50-year wait between the 2nd and the 3rd books! And, of course fantasy fans still await for the next books by both George R.R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss, patiently. Meanwhile, author Sarah Kozloff gifted her fans and readers with a one-month waiting period between each book in her The Nine Realms Quartet! And, The Queen of Raiders begins where A Queen in Hiding ended.

            Book 2 starts off with Thalen and the other survivors of the invasion of the Oromondo army. Thalen decides that a small group of raiders instead of a large army would work more to their advantage in fighting back. Once the first rounds of recruitment are over, Thalen and his Raiders travel into Oromondo in order to liberate the Free States. Meanwhile, Wren—now under the alias of ‘Kestrel’—escaped detection from Lord Matwyck but had to leave her foster family. She arrives in the Green Isles and Kestrel must decide her next move before she is recognized again and captured. Gustie, one of Thalen’s friends from the Scolairíum, has been captured by the Oros and is forced to serve one of the generals, but she decides to fight back with the other captors. And, Lord Matwyck continues to increase his power and corruption as Lord Regent of Weirandale, leaving only his son, Marcot, to question his governorship without fear of losing his life. Each of these characters develop more into themselves due to the Oromondo aggression. Out of all of these protagonists, only Matwyck ignores the Oromondo threat, which serves as a reminder that Matwyck is ruling for himself and for power, and not for the benefit of his country or its people. Thalen, Kestrel, Gustie and all of the other characters are aware of the extent the Oromondos can have on their nations if they’re not stopped. The only thing Marcot can do is work behind his father’s back and learn how Matwyck’s selfishness is affecting everyone else in Weirandale. No one is safe from either Matwyck or the Oro army. The complexity lies not amongst the characters, but how they deal with their complex scenarios. These characters develop because of these hardships and conflicts.

            The main plot in The Queen of Raiders is the resistance and the retaliation against the Oromondo army. Thalen is the Commander of the Raiders and he leads his small army into enemy territory knowing that the odds are stacked against them. Gustie uses her location amongst the Oros to her advantage and plots various attacks on the Oro army from the inside. And, Kestrel decides to participate alongside the Raiders in order to protect her citizens and to get vengeance for Weirandale. There are two subplots within this novel. The first is the continued corruption of Lord Matwyck and his “council.” It’s been over a decade since Matwyck seized control of Weirandale and he’s become obsessed with power. Matwyck’s corruption and desperation to maintain power has him posting bounties of the missing heir in other realms and executing the nobles who remain loyal to the Nargis Throne. The citizens suffer and Cerúlia remains in exile. The second subplot focuses on both the survival and the world-building in the other realms affected by the Oromondo invasion. The army didn’t just invade the Free States, but the realms bordering Oromondo as well. It turns out that because the Oromondos suffered, it lead to the suffering of the neighboring realms in the name of survival. So, these other realms decide to fight back as well, and the protagonists (and the readers) learn about the culture and the livelihood of the denizens of those realms, and what they need to do in order to survive the war and the occupation. Kestrel doesn’t return to Cascada due to the Oromondo invasion. She knows that the bigger conflict must be dealt with first before she reclaims the Nargis Throne. This is necessary to know because Kestrel is aware of her responsibilities as the queen she hopes to become. 

            Once again, the narration is told from several points-of-view. The protagonists and the other characters are reliable narrators as they provide this chronological sequence from first-person P.O.V. and their stream-of-consciousness. Just like in A Queen in Hiding, the readers will know everything that is going on everywhere consecutively. Only this time, the motivations and the actions of the characters aren’t as complicated and justified as they were in the first book.   

            The style Sarah Kozloff uses in The Queen of Raiders focuses on military occupation and military strategy. Other recent military fantasy series written by R.F. Kuang and Myke Cole are about the realities of war. War isn’t just fighting and dying. Not all soldiers are trained fighters and are able to survive harsh conditions and injuries. Supplies run out, wounds become infected, horses die, etc. The stories told afterwards mentions all of the heroics and the battles; however, what occurs in the present are the planning, the struggling, the decision making, the suffering and the dying are often left out of those tales. The author presents war and occupation as a long-term conflict, not a quick battle. Anyone who participates with the fighting unit—cooks, medics, etc.—is just as vulnerable as the soldiers to the costs and the conditions of war. Success is often paid with death. The mood in this book is the occupation of hostiles and the terror that comes with it. Victims of the Oromondo army are held as slaves within their own homes and the denizens of Weirandale are suppressed by Matwyck and his “council.” The tone of the novel is rebellion. Both groups of oppression rebel in catches as opposed to one large group. This is done in order to derive suspicion from everyone else while succeeding with smaller victories; victories that garter hope for the oppressed and reflect the same fear back to the oppressors. Sometimes warfare becomes a necessity for survival.  

            The appeal for The Queen of Raiders will be a positive one. I say this because both the narrative and the pacing continues where A Queen in Hiding ended, leaving no open questions to be asked by the readers. Anyone who enjoyed the first book in The Nine Realms will be pleased with the short waiting period so that they can start back where they left off. And, with the cliffhanger at the end of this book, many readers will be happy that the wait for Book 3—A Broken Queen—is a short one! I want to mention that the final publications of the books do contain maps of the realms so following along the treks of all of the characters makes it easy for the readers to keep track of the events everywhere in the author’s world. 

            The Queen of Raiders is an excellent follow-up to A Queen in Hiding. Fans will appreciate how the conflicts continue in their own direction while all of the characters develop and participate in maintaining order through those conflicts. This action-packed part of the series reminds readers that there are other responsibilities individuals must rise up to in order to becomes the leaders they must be.

My Rating: MUST READ IT NOW (5 out of 5)!!!

Why You Need to Read: “Daughter from the Dark”

Daughter from the Dark

By: Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

Published: 2006 in Russian; February 11, 2020 in English

Translated by: Julia Meitov Hersey

Genre: Metaphysical/Speculative Fiction/Psychological

            Aspirin had to admit—he was his own worst enemy. He’d brought it on himself: the first time when he did not leave the girl alone where she was, and the second time when he refused to give her back to his camo-clad guest,(Tuesday).

            As you know, Vita Nostra is one of my favorite books of all-time. This translated book—from Russian and translated to English by Julia Meitov Hersey—introduced some readers and I to the metaphysical fiction genre—that is NOT a graphic novel—and to the creative minds of the authors: Marina and Sergey Dyachenko. Daughter from the Dark is NOT the next book in the Metamorphosis series, but a standalone story about a girl from another dimension, and the man who is assigned to be her guardian. 

            The main protagonist is Alexey Igorevich Grimalsky, who goes by his radio sobriquet—Aspirin, is a radio DJ host and a nightclub DJ who lives his life carefree with small comforts that keep him satisfied. One Sunday evening, he finds a young girl shivering in an alley holding a teddy bear. He asks the girl where her parents are before they are attacked by a group of hoodlums and their Pitbull; but, before anything can happen, a large shadow appears on the wall (the teddy bear?) looms over everyone and attacks the dog in self-defense. Shaken up and confused, Aspirin brings the girl into his apartment as a gesture of goodwill. However, the next morning (Monday), the girl refuses to leave or to say anything about herself or where she came from. Then, a stranger appears at his door with intention to take the girl back with him. When Aspirin refuses to let the girl—Alyona—leave with the man, Aspirin finds himself holding a birth certificate stating that he’s the father, which he is not. In a blink of an eye, Aspirin goes from carefree man to father, and it seems everyone else around him believes Alyona is his daughter from Pervomaysk. At the same time, Alyona has no intention in playing the role of “daughter.” Instead of attending school, she cleans the house and listens to CDs (remember those?). Alyona left her home so that she can find her brother, who is a musician. Alyona not only brought her teddy bear, “Mishutka,” but also “special” music strings. Her plan is to learn how to play the violin so that she can play a song, which will call out to him. That means Aspirin has to register Alyona for music lessons, to buy her a violin, and to put up with her aloofness and her eccentricities: feeding Mishutka, ignoring her pain and illness, making “claims” about other people, etc. Meanwhile, Aspirin sees Alyona as an annoying houseguest who keeps interfering with his life and daily lifestyle: going to work, attending parties, hooking up with women, etc. And, Alyona views Aspirin as a coward who is nice but afraid of commitment and wastes his musical gifts. The two characters become more like college roommates than father and daughter, but that living arrangement seems to work for them. Neither Aspirin nor Alyona develop much as characters, but they do demonstrate growth with help from Whiskas—Aspirin’s friend and colleague—and, Irina—Aspirin’s neighbor. Then again, complex characters (and people) don’t change their behaviors overnight, it takes several months. 

            The plot of Daughter from the Dark is straightforward. Aspirin becomes the guardian for 11-year-old Alyona and must learn how to put her needs before his own. It sounds like something from a movie or a T.V. sitcom, but that’s where the similarities end. This leads to the two subplots. The first one involves Alyona’s music. She learns how to play the violin at a rate in which she’s called a music prodigy, but she quits music school so she can focus on learning to play the song which will call her brother and send him home. The second subplot is Aspirin’s slow maturity during the duration of Alyona’s stay. Aspirin considers his music gifts more and more. He even starts a long-term relationship with Irina instead of hooking up with random women. Yes, Aspirin tries to get Alyona to leave more than once, but he learns how to deal with her and everyone who gets involved with her: their neighbors, her music teacher, etc. These subplots are essential for the plot because they explain the reasons and the reactions to Alyona’s unexpected arrival. It is obvious Aspirin doesn’t have a daughter, so allowing the subplots to become part of the plot is necessary and it allows for it to go at an appropriate rate so that the story seems believable. 

            The narrative is told from Aspirin’s point-of-view and his stream-of-consciousness. So not only do readers experience everything from Aspirin’s perspective, but also his thoughts as everything happens around him in real-time. Given the strange occurrences involving Mishutka, Alyona’s music and birth certificate, and the changes involving Alyona’s identity, Aspirin—for all of his flaws—is a reliable narrator. This is because several moments throughout the narrative leave us asking the same questions Aspirin asks himself: What’s happening? Is this real? Where did Alyona come from? Is Mishutka really a teddy bear? Readers are able to follow the narrative because they understand how confused Aspirin is because they feel the same way. The book is in 3 parts, which presents the length of time both Aspirin and Alyona live together. Part I is in days and Parts II and III are in months. These breakdowns are marked by what happens to both characters during those days and months. This sequence is significant because it illustrates ALL of the changes that occur around Aspirin and Alyona. 

            The style the authors—Marina and Sergey Dyachenko—use follows the rules of metaphysical fiction, but it’s written and presented differently. In Vita Nostra, a handful of individuals possessed talents which could bend reality and defy physical laws. In Daughter from the Dark, there are several moments where the extraordinary occurs, and there are several witnesses who experience those moments, but they react with discomfort and questioning whether or not that event actually happened. At the same time, the longer Alyona remains in Aspirin’s world (our world), her identity alters to match the “cover story” she and Aspirin came up with. So not only does Alyona have a time limit to learning the song and finding her brother, but also there is a time limit concerning Alyona’s connection to her world and when or if she’ll be able to go back there. This type of metaphysical fiction trope is similar to the theory about parallel worlds and alternate dimensions. The novel, and the authors, demonstrate what could happen if one or two “other worldly” beings find their way into another world. The mood in this novel is imperfection. Alyona points out constantly how imperfect our world is, which it is, and how it is inspiration for the creative mind. The tone is how a gifted individual can use creativity to seek perfection in an imperfect world. Aspirin, Alyona, Alyona’s brother and all creative artists seek their art in our imperfect world. Music is the central theme in Daughter from the Dark and the authors do an amazing job incorporating music and its techniques and truths within the story.

            The appeal surrounding Daughter from the Dark will continue to present English readers and fans of speculative fiction what they’ve been missing out on. I will reiterate that this novel is NOT the next book in the Metamorphosis series! This novel is a separate story about characters and metaphysical tropes. In other words, don’t read Daughter from the Dark expecting Vita Nostra! Readers of speculative fiction should know better than to expect identical stories form the same author! Daughter from the Dark is its own example of metaphysical fiction and translated work of speculative fiction. This novel is another great addition for the canon, and we have Julia Meitov Hersey to thank again for taking the time to translate the book. And, she is already translating another book by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, and I can’t wait to read it! Readers and fans of Vita Nostra and Middlegame by Seanan McGuire will not be disappointed with this novel!       

            Daughter from the Dark is the latest translated work by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, and the focus is on music instead of a hidden school. The narrative and the plot are more relatable and more action-paced than Vita Nostra, but fans of metaphysical fiction will enjoy this book the most. This novel is the most down-to-Earth mind-bending work by the husband and wife duo so far, and the books keep coming! Anyone who is interested in reading anything by them should start with this book. For everyone else, it’s not at the same level in terms of genre, but the experience is worth reading. Now, all I have to do is wait for the next book to be translated into English!

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.5 out of 5).

Why You Need to Read: “The Kingdom of Copper”

The Daevabad Trilogy #2: The Kingdom of Copper

By: S.A. Chakraborty

Published: February 21, 2019

Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction

            She shook her head. “Whatever the consequences, Dara acted to protect my daughter from a fate I fought for decades. I cannot fault him for that. And if you think Ghassan wasn’t looking for a reason to crack down on the Daevas the instant a Nahid and Afshin strolled through the gates of Daevabad, you clearly do not know him at all.” She gave them another sharp look. “Tearing each other apart is not why we are here,” (4, Dara). 

            As I mentioned in my review of The City of Brass, the first book in The Daevabad Trilogy, this is a series in which the characters and the world are influenced by Middle Eastern history, culture and folklore. Yet, the story of political power, corruption and struggle is a universal theme in stories and an issue within our world. The Kingdom of Copper expands both the influences and the themes in the magical world S.A. Chakraborty presents to us.

            The story takes place 5 years after Dara’s—short for Darayavahoush e-Afshin—death and resurrection, Nahri’s forced marriage to Prince Muntadhir, and Prince Alizayd’s—Muntadhir’s younger brother—exile to Am Gezira for plotting against his father, King Ghassan al Qahtani. Dara has been resurrected by Manizheh, Nahri’s mother—who faked her death in order to protect herself and her family—so that he can assist her in leading a rebellion against King Ghassan for his treachery and in order to reclaim the throne that was held by the Nahids—the ancestors and tribe of Nahri and Manizheh. Nahri is now wife to Muntadhir, the king’s son and heir, is the new Banu Nahid, or royal healer, and is trapped in the gilded cage of the palace with no one she can trust. She uses her healing gifts and her desire to be a physician in order to cope with her current scenario and unwanted status. Prince Ali has settled in a small community in an oasis in Am Gezira away from his father’s assassins and members of his mother’s family (who want him on the throne). During his exile he learns how to control the abilities gifted to him by the marid, water spirits, on the night he slew Dara. All three protagonists are in scenarios based on the poor choices they made 5 years ago. They all have to live with the consequences of their actions and find other methods to achieve their original goals. Dara, Nahri and Ali develop further into maturity and they must find a way to maneuver through the unrest between ruling classes and amongst the six tribes of the djinn. The complexity of their situations mirror the complexity of their characteristics. 

            The plot continues from where The City of Brass left off. King Ghassan continues to subdue his subjects—mostly the shafit (those of mixed human and djinn heritage)—to harsh treatment and brutal punishments for minor offenses. Ghassan believes with Ali exiled for his betrayal, the death of the last of the Afshins (a.k.a. Dara), and his dominance over Nahri and the supporters of the Nahids he’ll remain in control. However, the king’s enemies have learned how to work underground and soon of the king’s subjects will revolt against the descendants of the rebel who overthrew the Nahids from power. This plot was the subplot in the first book, and it proves how relevant it is to this story’s narrative. There are two main subplots. The first regards Dara and his failure to protect Nahri is the latest of his long list of failures. Due to his imprisonment before meeting Nahri, Dara hasn’t had time to deal with the consequences of his actions that led to the death of his family. Not to mention, Dara’s memories are becoming clearer and he’s starting to remember the events that led to his actions from centuries ago, and those memories are causing him to question whether or not his alliance with Manizheh will lead to similar consequences. The second subplot focuses on the concept of identity and what it means for both Nahri and Ali. Nahri knows she is descended from the Nahids, but she’s not sure what that means. She doesn’t trust anyone in Daevabad, so promises of better things to come by the priests and the other healers means nothing to her. At the same time, Nahri stumbles over information as to how and what her ancestors were really like during their reign in Daevabad and what the Daeva priests expect from her. Meanwhile, Ali learns that he has more abilities than the ones “gifted” to him by the marids. Once again, Ali must find a way to keep his family safe while protecting the denizens of Daevabad from his father’s tyranny. These subplots move along with the plot at an appropriate rate providing development of the plot and the characters, and a way to continue the world-building left off in the first book. 

            The narrative continues from the points-of-view of Dara, Nahri and Ali. Once again, the P.O.V.s are 3rd person limited narrative; meaning they know only what is happening around them at that moment, which means the narrative is told in real time. Readers are aware of each protagonist’s thoughts thanks to their stream-of-consciousness, and because there are moments when one protagonist knows more than the other two at random intervals. All three protagonists are reliable narrators and they provide readers with everything that is going on with all of the characters—including moments of foreshadowing—which, can be followed easily due to the narrative’s sequence.

            The style S.A. Chakraborty uses continues from The City of Brass to The Kingdom of Copper. The history and the folklore of the Middle East—during the Ottoman Rule—continues to influence the story, and the themes of tyrannical rule and rebellion and its endless cycle within the story. The mood in this book is one of tension brought on by corruption and mistreatment of people and the fighting amongst the tribes and the growth of that tension. The tone in this story is how someone should react when tensions are to the point where unrest is coming and how someone should prepare themselves for it regardless of how others want them to act. Trusting one’s instincts is the only way someone can hope to survive when unrest is inevitable. 

            The appeal towards The Kingdom of Copper buildup from the first book. Readers and critics alike praised the author for continuing her fantasy story using her method of storytelling, which led to compliments about the story’s structure by a few readers. Now that the stakes have been raised, fans can only hope for more from S.A. Chakraborty. The critical acclaim will keep the book in popularity and in the fantasy canon. And, fans will be eager to read the story’s conclusion in The Empire of Gold when it is released. 

             The Kingdom of Copper is a strong sequel in The Daevabad Trilogy. The pacing of the world-building and the conflicts go at a more appropriate rate this time, and the input of a realm’s forgotten history makes the story more realistic. The complexity of the characters make them all the more tragic, yet lovable. This novel makes the upcoming conclusion to this trilogy to be very promising. 

My Rating: Enjoy It (4.5 out of 5)!

TV Episode Review: “His Dark Materials: The Fight to the Death”

This episode picks up where the last episode, and the books, left us. Lyra survives her fall from Lee Scoresby’s balloon, only to be captured by the panserbjørne—the name the Ice Bears call themselves in the books (and in the movie)—and brought before King Iofur Raknison. Lyra learns her father is alive, her friends survived the attack on the balloon, and Iorek Byrinison is on his way to rescue her. 

            However, Iorek is in exile and he was the previous king. Lyra uses her cunning, her ability to lie, and the alethiometer in order to trick Iofur Raknison into fighting Iorek Byrinison. This scene is interesting for two reasons. The first is we learn more about Lyra’s character and how she resembles both of her parents—as she is told constantly by other characters—especially, in her drive to succeed. The second is that Iofur Raknison is duped by Lyra—and Mrs. Coulter—because of his desire to behave like a human (this is explored more in the film, and in the books). 

            With the exception of Mrs. Coulter’s role and relationship with Iofur Raknison, everything follows the books from how Lyra tricks Iofur Raknison (which Iorek now calls her Lyra Silvertongue), to the fight between the two panserbjørnes, to the use of bloodmoss (read the books). Iofur Rakinson has been defeated and Iorek Byrinison has reclaimed the throne. Now, Lyra has to travel further North in order to rescue her father before the Magisterium kills him. She leaves with Roger and Iorek. 

            Meanwhile, the plot involving Will Parry catches up to the books—The Subtle Knife—in this episode. Will’s mother is visited again by the man from the Magisterium (his name is Lord Carlo Boreal). She is driven to the edge of a breakdown, and when she refuses to give the man any answers, he allows his daemon to scare her. She meets Will at his school, and he manages to calm his mother down. However, when they return home, they find it’s been broken into and searched. They flee to the home of one of Will’s teachers, but Will returns to the house to retrieve his father’s letters—which is what the Magisterium has been searching for. Will finds the letters as the thieves enter the house. He is able to defend himself, but he kills one of the men. Not knowing what to do, he packs some of his belongings and leaves town, with his father’s letters. 

            The Fight to the Death ends with Lyra arriving where her father is staying. Lord Asriel is NOT pleased to see her and tells her to leave. However, he changes his mind once he sees that she brought her friend, Roger, with her. Lyra is trying to process what just happened. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter barters again with the Magisterium to allow her to speak to Lord Asriel instead of killing him. And, both Lee Scoresby and King Iorek Byrinison prepare to face off against the Magisterium as they make their way North. What is Lord Asriel up to that has everyone scared? There’s one episode left in Season One and we’ll see how this adaptation decides to end.

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10.