Booklife Review
Pettway crafts an amiable protagonist in Masika who, despite facing animosity at every turn, stays true to her quest and desire to do right by Rainn and Heron. The adventuring trio’s next move is a gamble—climb Mount P’takkin to petition the Darrish gods, ancient enemies of the Alir, for help returning Rainn and Heron. But Meritities partners with the kingdom of Kos to thwart their endeavor. Ravenous and perpetually miserable Rainn provides humor, while Masika draws on her experience as a noble to engage in diplomacy and obstruct the political machinations against her.
Fans of Pettway’s Misplaced Mercenaries books will relish the reappearance of cities and some characters from those books, while fantasy fans in general will enjoy the sorcerers, politics, errant gods, and monsters that populate this playful adventure, as Masika journeys through cave-towns, riverboats, taverns, and other classic settings given new twists. This story’s beating heart is a heroine who maintains her good nature no matter what the world throws at her, learning from past mistakes and getting caught up in crisp, exciting scenes of danger.
Takeaway: A courageous heroine leads eccentric gods back home in this winning series starter.
Comparable Titles: Robert Jackson Bennett’s Foundryside series, Naomi Novik’s Uprooted.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A