As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Tiger at Midnight, the first book in a YA fantasy trilogy inspired by Indian history and Hindu mythology, is Swati Teerdhala’s debut novel. It follows two characters from antagonistic kingdoms who become entangled in a game of cat and mouse: Esha, the legendary vigilante known as the Viper, and Kunal, a soldier trying to capture the Viper and bring the famed rebel to justice for the assassination of his uncle/general.

Esha and Kunal’s nations were once a kingdom and a queendom, respectively. Both of their lands flourished due to an annual blood sacrifice made by their monarchs, whose twin ancestors received the gifts of this rite and the shape-shifting blood that allowed them to perform it from the gods themselves. But about a decade before the beginning of the story, the king’s younger brother had the queen and her family murdered and took her throne for himself, making the yearly ritual impossible: it requires blood from both a male descendant of the male twin and a female descendant of the female twin. It’s said that one princess escaped the night the usurper murdered the royal family, but with no sign of her since then, the former queendom’s land has been dying—and soon, the drought will spread to the neighboring kingdom and affect its people as well.

The night of the coup was also personally traumatizing for Esha and Kunal, both of whom lost parents during the massacre. Esha’s king provided for her after the deaths of her parents, one of whom had served as an ambassador to the queendom, and she spent the years that followed training, working to undermine the traitor king, and dreaming of vengeance. But when she’s about to fulfill her mission to kill the general who slaughtered her parents, she discovers that someone else beat her to it—just barely, as the man is bleeding out and not quite dead yet when she finds him—and framed her for his murder, leaving behind a replica of one of the Viper’s trademark whips.

After the general’s assassination, his nephew Kunal and three other soldiers are sent to capture the Viper. Whoever successfully captures him (because, of course, they assume the Viper must be a “he”) will become the new commander, and everyone who fails to do so will be punished. The four soldiers are given a choice as to whether or not they accept the mission and its consequences, but it’s not much of a choice for Kunal: his uncle not only raised him after his parents died but had also wanted Kunal to follow in his footsteps and take his place as commander someday.

As Kunal pursues Esha and Esha pursues information on who set her up and why, the two adversaries frequently find themselves getting into and out of scrapes together—and the more time they spend together, the more their growing fondness for each other conflicts with their goals and worldviews.

Tropes sometimes get a bad rap, but there is a good reason particular formulas become common in storytelling. Of course, like anything in fiction, they can fall flat if done poorly or if the story and characters are not well written, but many tropes are popular because they’re custom-made for creating entertaining situations, drama, or compelling character dynamics. In some cases, tropes can even be a novel’s greatest strength—and I believe that to be precisely the case with The Tiger at Midnight.

This is an incredibly fun novel, and I thought that was largely because of the way the author integrated various familiar aspects like enemies whose lives are made more complicated by their mutual attraction, a fiercer girl and a softer boy, and a character with a secret identity. I was left with the impression that Swati Teerdhala not only loves these specific tropes but also really understands what makes them work given the way she wrote her main protagonists and their perspectives.

The story is told through the third-person perspectives of both Esha and Kunal, who first meet in the opening chapter—although Kunal has no idea Esha is the Viper or that she intends to assassinate his uncle, believing her to simply be a lost girl heading in the wrong direction at the time. As he leads her to the footpath leading to the harbor, Kunal finds himself admiring this beautiful, defiant, smart girl and falling into an unusually familiar and flirtatious ease with her. And Esha, in turn, finds herself surprised by the kind-hearted soldier boy who went out of his way to try to help her and is so comfortable talking to him that she slips up and gives him her real name when he asks.

After Kunal sets out to find the Viper, the two meet again and end up spending the night hiding in a tree after fleeing a tiger, allowing them to get to know each other more before Kunal discovers Esha’s true identity. Once he realizes she is the Viper after their first couple of encounters, they continue to run into each other frequently and they have a wonderful dynamic that gets better and better the more they’re thrown together. The two seem to be a match in different ways when they do grapple, and they seem to delight in each other’s company as they end up getting into and out of various situations and even start leaving each other notes. Kunal comes to admire Esha for her fire, strength, and conviction, and between her influence and what he sees during his travels, he further examines his complex relationship with his cruel yet protective uncle and begins to see why Esha and the rebels want change. Esha admires Kunal’s heart, belief in honor and justice (even if he can be naive at times), and thoughtfulness (even if the way he pauses to consider his words carefully before speaking makes her impatient sometimes)—but she also fears someone like this could never care for someone with so much blood on her hands.

A more ruthless, vengeance-driven character and a more merciful, justice-driven character are a great combination, and their scenes are filled with amusing banter. Swati Teerdhala also adds some delicious suspense by using both viewpoints to let readers in on some secrets before the main characters manage to piece them together. Anticipating how and when the characters figure it out, their reactions, and learning more details just makes the reading experience all the more enjoyable.

Although I had a great time with The Tiger at Midnight and its characters, it didn’t have the type of notable prose or dimensional protagonists that would have made it especially memorable to me. However, I found it to be just the type of diverting story I could use this year (and can say the same of the sequel, The Archer at Dawn).

My Rating: 7/10

Where I got my reading copy: I purchased the ebook on sale (knowing a publicist would be mailing a copy of The Archer at Dawn).

Read an Excerpt from The Tiger at Midnight

Listen to an Audio Sample from The Tiger at Midnight

Read “The Unlikeable Heroine” by Swati Teerdhala

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound like they may be interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (the latter of which are mainly unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

There were no new reviews last week, although the one I’ve been working on for a while is close enough to done now that I’m hoping to be able to post it soon. (I have been finding it much harder than usual to write reviews the last few months.)

But there are two books that I had pre-ordered that arrived last week, and they both sound amazing!

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse - Cover Image

Black Sun (Between Earth and Sky #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

Black Sun, the first book in an epic fantasy series by New York Times bestselling and Nebula, Hugo, and Astounding Award–winning author Rebecca Roanhorse, was released last week (hardcover, ebook, audiobook).

Simon & Schuster has an audio sample and text excerpt from Black Sun on their website.

Tor.com has a sneak peek of the map art by Robert Lazzaretti along with a piece about the world, inspired by pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas, written by Rebecca Roanhorse.

I’ve wanted to read Black Sun ever since I first heard about it, and I’ve only grown more excited about it since learning it has giant crows and eagles.

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Resistance Reborn comes the first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.

A god will return
When the earth and sky converge
Under the black sun

In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.

Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.

Crafted with unforgettable characters, Rebecca Roanhorse has created an epic adventure exploring the decadence of power amidst the weight of history and the struggle of individuals swimming against the confines of society and their broken pasts in the most original series debut of the decade.

The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk - Cover Image

The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk

The Midnight Bargain, a romantic Regency-inspired fantasy novel by World Fantasy Award–winning author C. L. Polk, was released last week (hardcover, ebook, audiobook).

Tor.com has an excerpt from The Midnight Bargain.

I’ve been excited about reading this since I first read the description, and I also ordered it because I wanted to support Erewhon Books, a new independent publisher of speculative fiction with many titles that sound rather intriguing.

 

From the beloved World Fantasy Award-winning author of Witchmark comes The Midnight Bargain, a sweeping, romantic new fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women’s magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family.

Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means descend upon the city to negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only she can save them, by securing an advantageous match before their creditors come calling.

In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice’s first kiss . . . with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.

The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries—even for love—she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound like they may be interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (the latter of which are mainly unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

There haven’t been as many books in the mail lately so it’s been a little while since the last of these posts, but there are some recent arrivals to cover even if I am a day late. (I spent a lot of yesterday cooking and cleaning up the mess from cooking and ran out of time for wrapping this up!)

The first of these books is technically from the week before since I ran out of time to post it that weekend as well, but the other two came in last week. This includes the first of a few October releases I preordered—this is a great month for new speculative fiction books!

In case you missed them, here are the reviews that went up since the last one of these features:

  • Queen of the Conquered (Islands of Blood and Storm #1) by Kacen Callender — This US Virgin Islands–inspired novel is a fascinating character study that also explores the history of Black slaveowners in a fantasy setting. I felt its over-reliance on the main protagonist’s mind reading ability bogged it down too much, but I also appreciated the concept and the thoughtfulness that went into creating a deliberately unlikeable main character and her perspective.
  • The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire #1) by Andrea Stewart — This Asian-inspired fantasy novel is set in an empire ruled by a mad-scientist-like emperor who creates constructs sewn from assorted animal parts and animated by bone shards taken from his subjects. It follows five different characters from throughout the empire—the emperor’s daughter, a smuggler, a future governor, a bookseller, and a woman on a mysterious island—with a range of perspectives and roles. I really enjoyed this story, especially the two narratives that make up the bulk of the novel and the adorable animal companion.

On to the latest books!

The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick - Cover Image

The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose #1) by M. A. Carrick

The Mask of Mirrors, the first book in an epic fantasy trilogy by Memoirs of Lady Trent author Marie Brennan and Adventures of Mr. Mystic author Alyc Helms, will be released on January 19, 2021 (trade paperback, ebook, audiobook).

It may not be out until next year, but you can read a sample from it now: io9 has an excerpt from The Mask of Mirrors.

This sounds like fun and I’ve had my eye on this one since I first heard about it, so I was thrilled when a copy showed up at my door!

 

The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a darkly magical fantasy adventure in which a con artist returns to the city that betrayed her, determined to have her revenge–only to find that her fate might be to save it.

This is your past, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither…
Arenza Lenskaya is a liar and a thief, a pattern-reader and a daughter of no clan. Raised in the slums of Nadezra, she fled that world to save her sister.

This is your present, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither…
Renata Viraudax is a con artist recently arrived in Nadezra. She has one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune.

This is your future, the good and the ill of it, and that which is neither…
As corrupt nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the city of dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled — with Ren at their heart. And if she cannot sort the truth from the lies, it will mean the destruction of all her worlds.

Machine by Elizabeth Bear - Cover Image

Machine (A White Space Novel) by Elizabeth Bear

Machine, a space opera set in the same universe as Ancestral Night, will be released on October 20 (hardcover, ebook, audiobook).

The Book Smugglers has an excerpt from Machine along with the cover reveal.

I love Elizabeth Bear’s writing, and I’m looking forward to reading this (and was glad to learn it’s a standalone since I’ve not yet read Ancestral Night!).

 

In this compelling and addictive novel set in the same universe as the critically acclaimed White Space series and perfect for fans of Karen Traviss and Ada Hoffman, a space station begins to unravel when a routine search and rescue mission returns after going dangerously awry.

Meet Doctor Jens.

She hasn’t had a decent cup of coffee in fifteen years. Her workday begins when she jumps out of perfectly good space ships and continues with developing treatments for sick alien species she’s never seen before. She loves her life. Even without the coffee.

But Dr. Jens is about to discover an astonishing mystery: two ships, one ancient and one new, locked in a deadly embrace. The crew is suffering from an unknown ailment and the shipmind is trapped in an inadequate body, much of her memory pared away.

Unfortunately, Dr. Jens can’t resist a mystery and she begins doing some digging. She has no idea that she’s about to discover horrifying and life-changing truths.

Written in Elizabeth Bear’s signature “rollicking, suspenseful, and sentimental” (Publishers Weekly) style, Machine is a fresh and electrifying space opera that you won’t be able to put down.

Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner - Book Cover

Return of the Thief (Queen’s Thief #6) by Megan Whalen Turner

Return of the Thief, the sixth and final book in Megan Whalen Turner’s beloved Queen’s Thief series, was released last week (hardcover, ebook, audiobook).

The Harper Collins website has a text excerpt and audio sample from Return of the Thief.

The previous books in the Queen’s Thief series are as follows:

  1. The Thief
  2. The Queen of Attolia
  3. The King of Attolia
  4. A Conspiracy of Kings
  5. Thick as Thieves

Although I’m a bit behind on this series, I had to preorder this because I LOVE the first half of the series—especially The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia, the latter of which I enjoyed even more when I reread it a couple of years ago. These books are clever with wonderful characters, and I’m glad I have more books in the series to look forward to reading for the first time as well as a complete set for rereads.

 

The thrilling, twenty-years-in-the-making conclusion to the New York Times–bestselling Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.

The epic novels set in the world of the Queen’s Thief can be read in any order.

This beloved and award-winning series began with the acclaimed novel The Thief. It and four more stand-alone volumes bring to life a world of epics, myths, and legends, and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Now more powerful and cunning than ever before, Eugenides must navigate a perilous future in this sweeping conclusion. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and Sarah J. Maas.

Neither accepted nor beloved, Eugenides is the uneasy linchpin of a truce on the Lesser Peninsula, where he has risen to be high king of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis. As the treacherous Baron Erondites schemes anew and a prophecy appears to foretell the death of the king, the ruthless Mede empire prepares to strike.

The New York Times–bestselling Queen’s Thief novels are rich with political machinations, divine intervention, dangerous journeys, battles lost and won, power, passion, and deception. Features a cast list of the characters in the Queen’s Thief novels, as well as two maps—a map of the world of the Queen’s Thief, and a map exclusive to this edition.

The Bone Shard Daughter
by Andrea Stewart
448pp (Hardcover)
My Rating: 8/10
Amazon Rating: 4.6/5
LibraryThing Rating: 4.29/5
Goodreads Rating: 4.37/5
 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Bone Shard Daughter is the first book in Andrea Stewart’s Asian-inspired debut epic fantasy trilogy, The Drowning Empire, set in an archipelago ruled by a mad-scientist-like Emperor. He creates beings known as constructs, which are sewn together from an assortment of animal parts and animated by bone shard magic powered by his subjects. These vary in complexity ranging from those ordered to follow straightforward commands to complicated structures that regulate different aspects of the Empire and report to the Emperor, allowing him to spend more time mastering the bone shard magic, working on mysterious projects, and monitoring the contest between his two potential heirs.

The Emperor’s network of constructs is made possible by Tithing Festivals, during which each eight-year-old child is required to “donate” a bone shard to the Empire. Even if they are one of the 96% who survive this procedure, they may still die prematurely: once a bone shard with commands engraved on it is inserted into a construct, it feeds off the life force of the one it was taken from.

There was a time when this bone shard magic protected the Empire and its residents from a powerful people, and it’s said that they may return one day. But with their threat long confined to the annals of history, many people do not see why they are still beholden to the risk and sacrifice required for the creation of constructs. Some have banded together with the intention of overthrowing the Emperor and his governors, who are—in not-so-shocking news—neither kind nor fair to the common people of the Empire, even aside from the bone shard tithe and its consequences.

The Bone Shard Daughter explores this world from five different perspectives, two of which are closely intertwined and only some of which come together by the end—but all of which work together to show a lot about the Empire. It hooked me immediately from its opening lines, and I appreciated that the characters started in the midst of interesting stories that rapidly became even more compelling. This is a novel that keeps moving; in fact, one of my little quibbles with it is that I actually would have liked for it to slow down a bit to deepen the character relationships and worldbuilding. However, I do think that’s more a personal preference than a major issue with the book, which succeeds at being an immensely fun, well-paced novel with a wonderful world, cast of characters, and story.

My favorite part of The Bone Shard Daughter is the characters (especially the adorable animal companion) and getting to see the Empire from a variety of viewpoints, although I did find some perspectives more engaging than others.

Lin, The Emperor’s Daughter: A Story of Memories Lost and Knowledge Found in a Palace of Creepy Secrets

Father told me I’m broken.

He didn’t speak this disappointment when I answered his question. But he said it with narrowed eyes, the way he sucked on his already hollow cheeks, the way the left side of his lips twitched a little bit down, the movement almost hidden by his beard.

He taught me how to read a person’s thoughts on their face. And he knew that I knew how to read these signs. So between us, it was as though he had spoken out loud.

The question: “Who was your closest childhood friend?”

My answer: “I don’t know.”

I could run as quickly as the sparrow flies, I was as skilled with an abacus as the Empire’s best accountants, and I could name all the known islands in the time it took for tea to finish steeping. But I could not remember my past before the sickness. Sometimes I thought I never would – that the girl from before was lost to me.
— Page 1

Lin, the titular bone shard daughter, is the first character introduced and the one with the most chapters. It’s through her that we learn the most about the Emperor and the workings of constructs.

At the beginning of her story, Lin has spent five years trying to regain her memories in order to please her father and secure her place as his heir. Both she and her father’s foster son, Bayan, had an illness that left them unable to remember their lives prior to that, but while Bayan has since recovered some of his memories, Lin cannot remember anything about her life before she was 18 years old. This leaves her at a disadvantage when her father tests her to determine whether or not he wants to give her a new key to a room in the palace, which would allow her to learn more of the secrets of his magic that the next Emperor will need to know.

And now, Lin is trailing behind Bayan in her father’s competition: her foster brother has more keys than she does and has even begun putting together constructs of his own, while she’s not even allowed into the library containing books about bone shard magic. Fearing that her father favors Bayan and will name him heir, Lin decides to take matters into her own hands by stealing keys and sneaking around the palace to learn more about constructs and how to write their instructions.

Lin’s story, one of two narrated in first person, was a bit rushed but was also my second favorite to follow. It’s engaging because of her situation and determination, her insight into the functionality of constructs, and the thrill of exploring the palace to uncover her father’s secrets—which become increasingly disturbing the more she learns. Her quest for knowledge also takes her outside the palace, which is a new experience for her. Her interactions with the blacksmith she pays to make copies of the keys she gradually steals help her learn more about the concerns of the people she may rule one day and think more about the type of ruler she wants to be herself.

Although Lin doesn’t seem to give as much thought to what it means to rule as one may expect, especially earlier in the novel, I think it makes sense that she’s more focused on the here and now of winning the competition to become her father’s heir. That she would become the next Emperor was decided for her (at least, until Bayan was put forth as a potential candidate given Lin’s continued memory loss), and I don’t think she desired power. She did have a competitive streak that made her want to win, but mostly, she seemed to want her father’s love and approval. She wanted him to stop seeing her as a daughter who couldn’t remember her past and instead see her as a daughter who could be the Empire’s future.

Lin’s view of the competition as being more about winning her father’s favor than anything else made her dynamic with Bayan particularly compelling; in fact, this was one of my favorite parts of her tale, along with her creepy palace adventures. I loved the progression of their relationship from a cold impersonal rivalry to a potential allyship/friendship after Lin made a potentially unwise but compassionate stand that led to a deeper understanding of the situation Bayan faced.

Lin’s journey is ultimately about someone doing the best she can and becoming a kinder, braver, more thoughtful person in the process—someone who may be exactly what’s needed after her father’s rule.

Jovis, A Wanted Smuggler: A Story of Law Evasion and Heroics, Mysterious Powers, and Animal Companionship

I was a good liar – the best. It was the only reason I still had a head on my shoulders.
— Page 17

Jovis is the only character with a first-person perspective other than Lin, and he’s also the only one who has nearly as many chapters as she does. It’s from his viewpoint that we get the biggest overall picture of the Empire since he travels to different islands searching for his wife, who disappeared seven years before his tale begins.

Jovis has been chasing stories of disappearances just like hers: people who went missing with a few coins left in their place, often accompanied by descriptions matching the boat he saw on the day his own wife vanished. When seeking news of a recent missing person, a woman provides him with information in exchange for rescuing her visiting nephew from the Tithing Festival and bringing him back to his parents. Jovis not only rescues him from the Emperor’s tithe but also rescues him from drowning when the island unexpectedly starts sinking. As he rows away from the land rapidly being submerged, Jovis sees a kitten that seems to desperately want to get into his boat and picks him up.

When Jovis returns the child to his grateful parents, he tells them his name and shows them his recognizable navigator tattoo on a whim, knowing they won’t turn in the man who rescued their son despite the large bounty on his head. What he didn’t expect is that word would spread that he’s a heroic savior of children and people would start pleading with him to rescue their own from Tithing Festivals—or that he’d start developing magical powers seemingly tied to the animal he rescued, which just add to the legends of Jovis taking root throughout the Empire.

Jovis’ story is easily my favorite, not just because I enjoyed his viewpoint the most but also because I loved everything about his animal companion, Mephi, and their dynamic. Once Jovis is no longer fleeing for his life (at least, for a little while since this is not a condition that tends to last long for him), he realizes that Mephi is not like any kind of creature he’s seen before: he’s similar to an otter with an angular, cat-like face, which is why he mistook the baby animal for a kitten when he saw him struggling in the sea. At first, Jovis tries to get Mephi to leave since he doesn’t have time to care for a pet while searching for his wife, but Mephi always returns to him. Jovis eventually finds he’s grown rather fond of the little animal in spite of himself—and Mephi ends up bringing out the best in him, also in spite of himself, as Jovis is actually a cinnamon roll underneath the heartless shield he keeps trying to cling to.

As more people come to Jovis wanting his help, he keeps resisting since he’s just trying to find his wife and doesn’t want to get involved, but Mephi changes all that. It seems to please Mephi whenever Jovis gives in and agrees to aid someone, and it soon becomes clear that he’s more of a companion than a pet. Mephi seems to understand language (at least, when he wants to), and he starts learning to speak for himself as he grows.

Jovis’ friendship with Mephi is the heart of his story, and they both won my whole heart, especially together.

Phalue and Ranami: The Story of a Future Governor and Her Commoner Girlfriend

Phalue wants Ranami to marry her. Ranami wants to start a revolution.
From “Happily Ever Aftermath” by Andrea Stewart

Phalue and Ranami each have three chapters narrated in third person, and their stories are closely intertwined. Their perspectives show the everyday struggles of one island’s people under an uncaring governor and give some insight into the revolutionary group that wants to overthrow the government.

Phalue, the governor’s daughter and a warrior, keeps asking Ranami, a bookseller who grew up on the streets with other orphans, to marry her—and Ranami keeps turning down her proposals because she does not want to be a governor’s wife. Though Phalue has good intentions and the makings of a more thoughtful governor than her father, Ranami says she doesn’t truly understand the plights of the people she will one day govern. Ranami then gets both of them involved with the revolutionary group gaining traction in the Empire when she has them help her fake her kidnapping, bringing Phalue rushing to her aid prepared to run her sword through anyone standing between her and her girlfriend.

Although I felt that Phalue and Ranami’s shorter story would have benefited from delving more into their relationship and the islanders’ problems, I enjoyed that it explored whether or not true love is enough when two people have clashing worldviews. It also eventually ties into one of the other main characters’ chapters, and their interactions and observations of one another are fun to read.

Their part was especially rushed, but Phalue and Ranami’s story has a lot of interesting aspects between the focus on their relationship, complicity, and the necessity of working to expand one’s empathy and understanding.

Sand, A Mango Harvester: A Story of Awakening

A thought struck her, and it knocked out her breath as surely as the fall had.

Why was she on Malia at all? Why didn’t any of them leave?
— Page 54

Sand’s short chapters, which are also in third person, are interspersed throughout the novel. They’re puzzling at first, but as you read more of the other viewpoints and learn more about the world, they become clearer.

Sand lives on an island with several other people, where she spends much of her time picking mangoes. While doing so one day, she remembers something new: a time before her life on the island. She then begins wondering about where she came from, why they’re all here, and why they never leave and tries to find out if the others have any memories of a life before the island.

Although Sand’s story is separate from the others so far, its connections are more apparent by its end.

In Conclusion

The Bone Shard Daughter is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year with its sinister magic and engaging characters. Although some viewpoints were more compelling than others and the pacing moved a little too quickly for my taste, it’s an extraordinarily fun novel set in a fascinating world with main characters who are doing their best and trying to do the right thing (or who end up doing the right thing in spite of themselves, in Jovis’ case).

My Rating: 8/10

Where I got my reading copy: ARC from the publisher.

Read an Excerpt from The Bone Shard Daughter

Queen of the Conquered
by Kacen Callender
400pp (Trade Paperback)
My Rating: 6/10
Amazon Rating: 4.4/5
LibraryThing Rating: 3.25/5
Goodreads Rating: 3.57/5
 

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Book Description:

An engrossing tale of colonialism, conquest and revenge, Queen of the Conquered starts a fantasy series perfect for readers of S. A. Chakraborty, Ken Liu, and Tasha Suri.

On the islands of Hans Lollik, Sigourney Rose was the only survivor when her family was massacred by the colonizers. When the childless king of the islands declares he will choose his successor from amongst eligible noble families, Sigourney is ready to exact her revenge.

But someone is killing off the ruling families to clear a path to the throne. And as the bodies pile up and all eyes regard her with suspicion, Sigourney must find allies among her prey and the murderer among her peers… lest she become the next victim.

Queen of the Conquered, Kacen Callender’s World Fantasy Award–nominated first novel for adults, is a US Virgin Islands–inspired fantasy book told from the first-person perspective of Sigourney Rose, the daughter of a freed slave and a man from the only family to rule one of the islands of Hans Lollik—and the last member of her family after the rest were murdered.

Like many from ruling families, Sigourney has kraft, a special ability that the colonizers view as a divine gift bestowed upon the worthy (although they apparently believe themselves to be better judges of worthiness than their gods, given that they also execute slaves who possess kraft). Since she was born free, Sigourney does not meet the same fate as other islanders, despite having an exceptionally strong and dangerous power: she can feel other people’s thoughts and emotions so keenly she can practically become them, and she can even erase someone’s memories or compel them to walk into danger.

Between her ability and position, Sigourney has rare privilege for an islander, but she’s not treated as an equal by the other rulers because of her race. The other islanders have no love for her, either, as she’s also cruel to her slaves, having them beaten for disobedience, ordering them executed for having kraft, and taking one to her bed knowing he can’t refuse her. She can feel their disgust and hatred toward her, but neither their loathing nor her own is enough for her to break the cycle of abuse, even as she dreams of eventually becoming the next queen and freeing her people.

Sigourney’s character was inspired by the history of Black slaveowners and imagining what one might be like, according to the excellent interview with Kacen Callender at the end of the book. They discussed the novel originating from “the idea of someone who could know the pain of their own people, but then cause that same pain when given the chance to gain power by oppressing others.” I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and courage that went into developing Sigourney as a deliberately unlikable character, especially after reading about how the author examined some uncomfortable truths in the process. The overall story arc and the way it relies on Sigourney’s perspective—or lack thereof—and the lies she tells herself is well done and makes for a fascinating character study.

But aside from those aspects, I didn’t find Queen of the Conquered particularly compelling as a novel. At first, I was intrigued by Sigourney with her rage over the massacre of her family and plot to become queen, which involved using her power to maneuver herself into a better political position. However, I went from being curious about where it was headed to finding it a struggle to turn the pages as it seemed that Sigourney’s story got more and more weighed down by both her own thoughts and others.

With her power, she sinks into others’ thoughts a lot, and this leads to reading a bunch of neatly organized, relevant infodumps on what made many of the other characters who they were rather than showing who they were through their actions and dialogue—which could have worked, of course, but these sections all seemed rather dry, dull, and similar, despite Sigourney’s ability to sink so deeply into others’ thoughts that she basically becomes them. One character whose mind Sigourney did not read was also the one she had the best interactions with, and although that’s probably largely due to the complicated relationship and history between them, it probably also helped that this was not divulged through mind reading.

Much of the big revelation about the mysteries of what had been happening on the royal island was also unveiled through a big mind-reading infodump toward the end. The revelation itself was great (predictable, but fitting nevertheless), but revealing it this way made it boring and removed all the tension from it.

Although Queen of the Conquered didn’t entirely work for me, I do appreciate the overall concept and that it had enough unique elements to stand out in my memory despite my problems with it.

My Rating: 6/10

Where I got my reading copy: Finished copy from the publisher.

Read an Excerpt from Queen of the Conquered

 

The Leaning Pile of Books is a feature in which I highlight books I got over the last week that sound like they may be interesting—old or new, bought or received in the mail for review consideration (the latter of which are mainly unsolicited books from publishers). Since I hope you will find new books you’re interested in reading in these posts, I try to be as informative as possible. If I can find them, links to excerpts, author’s websites, and places where you can find more information on the book are included, along with series information and the publisher’s book description. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

One ARC that I’m VERY excited to read showed up last week, but first, here’s the latest review in case you missed it:

  • The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson — Terror is twofold in this dark fantasy/Gothic horror debut novel combining mysterious witches with the everyday horrors of a patriarchal puritanical society. Immanuelle and her journey kept me turning the pages, and despite having some issues with the ending, I thought it was a strong first novel and look forward to reading more by Alexis Henderson (including the upcoming sequel!).

And now, the latest book in the mail!

The Ikessar Falcon by K. S. Villoso - Cover Image

The Ikessar Falcon (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen #2) by K. S. Villoso

The traditionally published edition of the second book in the Chronicles of the Bitch Queen trilogy, an epic fantasy series whose “worldbuilding is a love letter to the Philippines” (which K. S. Villoso discusses in more detail on her blog), will be released on September 22 (trade paperback, ebook, audiobook).

The Fantasy Hive has a short excerpt from The Ikessar Falcon, and the Orbit website has a longer excerpt from The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, the first book in the series.

I absolutely loved The Wolf of Oren-Yaro and found Queen Talyien to be a fascinating, complex character. You can read more about her in K. S. Villoso’s Women in SF&F Month essay from earlier this year, which opens as follows:

“Queen Talyien is a badass.

At least, this was the seed from which the entire concept of this series sprouted. She is the first woman I’ve written this way. Before Talyien, many of my women characters were not warrior types. Most were non-assuming, brimming with strength that bubbled beneath the surface as they faced their challenges with quiet resolution. Years later, when I started in the field of engineering, I learned the textbook definition of strength: a material’s ability to withstand load, to carry a burden.”

And Queen Talyien is made all the more compelling by the strength of her voice, as I discussed in my 9/10 review of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro:

“It’s difficult to put into words just what precisely makes a voice work, but The Wolf of Oren-Yaro has one that works—one of the best I’ve ever encountered. Tali’s expressive, often poetic, flowing narrative carried me into the story and her psyche, made the world and surroundings real, and were a big part of what made this novel so engaging. It contains quite a bit of telling and flashbacks, but I actually enjoyed those parts most of all: they made the story richer by showing glimpses into the culture and events that shaped Tali, and they never seemed overlong or dull because of her compelling voice and the way they tied into her characterization.”

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is my favorite book I’ve read this year, and I’m eager to continue Queen Talyien’s story!

 

The stunning sequel to The Wolf of Oren-yaro where the queen of a divided land struggles to unite her people. Even if they despise her. K. S. Villoso is a “powerful new voice in fantasy.” (Kameron Hurley)

The spiral to madness begins with a single push.

Abandoned by her people, Queen Talyien’s quest takes a turn for the worst as she stumbles upon a plot deeper and more sinister than she could have ever imagined, one that will displace her king and see her son dead. The road home beckons, strewn with a tangled web of deceit and impossible horrors that unearth the nation’s true troubles – creatures from the dark, mad dragons, and men with hearts hungry for power.

To save her land, Talyien must confront the myth others have built around her: Warlord Yeshin’s daughter, symbol of peace, warrior and queen, and everything she could never be.

The price of failure is steep. Her friends are few. And a nation carved by a murderer can only be destined for war.

The Chronicles of the Bitch Queen
The Wolf of Oren-yaro
The Ikessar Falcon