Date of Reading: 09/04/2020
Author: Jennifer Gruenke
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: May 26, 2020
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4.5/5
About the book:
Ren Kolins is a silver wielder—a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.
Behind the castle walls, a brutal group of warriors known as the King’s Children is engaged in a competition: the first to find the rebel leader will be made King’s Fang, the right hand of the King of Erdis. And Adley Farre is hunting down the rebels one by one, torturing her way to Ren and the rebel leader, and the coveted King’s Fang title.
But time is running out for all of them, including the youngest Prince of Erdis, who finds himself pulled into the rebellion. Political tensions have reached a boiling point, and Ren and the rebels must take the throne before war breaks out.
Review:
When almost everything in the fantasy genre tends to be a part of the series, I am really glad to find this rare gem where the story actually ends. Some of us have fragile hearts you know and cannot handle prolonged state of tension which may even last years. So thank you Jennifer Gruenke for keeping us in mind.
What are the things I loved then? First there is the plot. Kingdom of Erdis is governed by a cruel king (practically a devil incarnate) and the country is at the brink of war. A revolution brews in the midst; many had attempted to overthrow the king before but this time it could be different. They have got hold of a silver wielder, a magic outlawed and is restricted to the royal family.
I loved the way Gruenke gradually built up a story of epic proportions. First half of the book is dedicated to character development simultaneously introducing us to a slice of what we have signed up for. The tension builds up gradually culminating in a short but well planned battle scene. Yup, I loved it all.
Narrated through the perspective of four characters -- Ren, Darek, Adley and Prince Kellen -- we do get to see the action from all sides just like multiple cameras. My preference usually goes for dual POVs or first person narrative, but I enjoyed this too. Just like the narrators there are multiple couples (three in fact, and one of them is f/f), clearly the icing on the cake.
What I didn't quite buy is the revolution. Apart from the last part, it is clearly not well organised, and I doubt it would have survived if it is not for the authorial intervention. Considering the threat they are under, being a bit more secretive should have been necessary.
So will I recommend this book? Without a doubt. Definitely, something to watch out for in May.
Meet the author:
Jennifer Gruenke is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara, where she studied communication and writing. She grew up among the redwoods of Northern California, and now lives in Charlotte with her books and the houseplants she hasn't killed yet. If she's not writing or reading, you're most likely to find her in a cafe, music venue, or the aisles of Trader Joe's. Of Silver and Shadow is her debut novel.
anarchy rules!
ReplyDeleteI really like the sound of this book. Never heard of it until now. I will have to check out Netgalley. Great review.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing
ReplyDeleteWasn't familiar with this one yet. It looks really interesting!! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeletethis is a new author/book for me.. thanks for the intro
ReplyDeleteAmazing review, this is the first time I have heard or seen this book and it really looks and sounds absolutely amazing and fantastic. I am really glad you fully enjoyed reading this book. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
ReplyDelete