Synopsis from Amazon:
On the shores of a rusty sea, in the streets of a starving city, a young man named Áed scraps to build a life for himself and the makeshift family he loves. Scarred by a trauma he cannot remember, and haunted by the brutal damage it left behind, he has no idea of the courage his future will demand.
When a heart-wrenching tragedy shatters his family, a desperate Áed risks a treacherous journey to seek a kingdom of legend—and a new beginning. But an ancient legacy smoldering within him is about to turn deadly, and neither he—nor the legends—will ever be the same.
My Thoughts: ARC copy
I’m going to start by saying that I liked this book. I liked it enough to start book two in the series. There was a lot of missed potential in this novel though that was hard to ignore.
Pros: There is some nice character development and design in this novel. You like the main character, Aed, and his ward, Ronan. You want them to succeed in finding the White City and making a life for themselves there. The relationship between those characters is pretty well done, though I think the story could have benefitted from more conversation between them to really build more personality into Ronan’s character. The secondary characters like Boudicca and her brothers are also likeable despite their flaws.
The world building is pretty solid. The dichotomy between the Maze/Smudge and the White City is a harsh divide. The differences in the lives of the citizens of the two regions is well described. I liked the added touch of the conversation about the differences in how the regions celebrate a common holiday. The descriptions of places are enough to give you a feel for the environment without needlessly dragging on.
Cons: The plot pacing and the relationship building between characters, two critical components, both felt rushed.
The relationship between Aed and Ninian is laid out almost as if we have had a previous book to rely on to make us feel the connection between the characters. We know that they are together, but there isn’t a reason for the reader to miss Ninian later in the novel other than we are told Aed misses him. We can empathize, but the reader should feel a little loss of connection as well. The abruptness with which Aed and Ronan form a relationship with Boudicca also strains the suspension of disbelief. I can understand the author’s need for a vehicle to introduce two groups of characters to each other and establish a foothold for the protagonist in the new city; however, it was not a natural transition.
The pacing of the plot was a double-edged sword. On one hand, events moved forward quickly and the reader was never left wishing the chapter would just be over already. On the other hand though, there were places where it felt like big chunks of the story were missing. The villains of the story seem almost like afterthoughts. We hardly see Morcant, who is the character catalyst behind the move from the Maze to the White City. He is definitely not developed enough for us to care about what happens to him. Oengus is perhaps slightly more dislikable, but mostly due to the results of his interaction with the protagonist than any real development of the character himself. The last real villain, Boudicca’s step-father, is developed more and granted more interaction with the protagonist. This too feels rushed and could have built into a genuinely hated character that you could feel really good about getting what he deserved.
Overall, it feels like the author tried to do too much with this first novel. It probably could have been divided into two. The first novel would give more time to the Maze, building the relationship with Ninian and the desperation of their situation so that the flee to the White City seemed more inevitable. This would have also given more time to use Morcant as a proper antagonist. The journey to the White City could have been more fleshed out and given more significance. This would have been valuable time to allow Aed to more slowly discover the abilities that make him unique and perhaps begin to question his disability more. The second novel could have focused on the White City and all of the events that happen there. This would have given opportunity to build Oengus and Elisedd into stronger antagonists as well. There was a lot of opportunity to really delve in to Aed’s abilities and PTSD and how he handles all of the issues that arise as the events unfold.
I wavered between three and four burs for this one. Ultimately though, I enjoyed the story, so I’m giving it four. The frustration stems from wishing that I had experienced more of the journey, not less. I liked the characters, world, and concept enough to want to read the next installment. Hopefully, the author will slow down just a little for book two!
Want to give it a try? Find it on Amazon here!
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