Author: Michelle Sagara
Series: The Chronicles of Elantra
Publication: MIRA; Original edition (January 28, 2020)
Description: SOMETHING IS WAKING
The fiefs that exist at the heart of the city of Elantra are home to sentient Towers that guard the world against the incursion of Shadow. But between the fiefs exists the gray world of the border zone. In it, geography changes between one passage across a border and the next. The rules of magic are different there—and yet somehow familiar to Kaylin Neya.
When a Shadow escapes, Kaylin must find out how…and why. If Shadows can breach the barrier erected by the Towers, the whole of Elantra will be devoured. It’s happened on other worlds. Bellusdeo, Kaylin’s Dragon companion, absolutely believes it can happen on theirs.
The border zone holds secrets and ancient histories, and people are gathering there in search of its power. Without even understanding what that power is, or why it exists, Kaylin is in a desperate race against time to find those secrets first. She doesn’t know who her enemies are. She doesn’t know how many she’ll face. But she won’t face them alone.
My Thoughts: When one of the fief lords lets a Barrani carrying Shadow cross into Elantra from his fief, the Hawklord assigns Kaylin and Severn to do a survey of the fiefs to make sure their borders aren't letting other Shadows through.
Bellusdeo, the only female dragon and a survivor of a world Shadow overwhelmed, is Kaylin's friend and decides to go along. As they are exploring the borderlands they discover an ancient sentient building which was once the Academie which was a major center of learning before the towers were built and the war against Shadow began. But the same fief lord who let Shadow through is trying to take over the Academie and add to his store of power.
Kaylin and her companions including Bellusdeo, the Cohort, and the Arkon who was once a student at that Academie need to find a way to oust the evil fief lord and restore the Academie to health and utility.
This is an excellent entry into the Chronicles of Elantra series filled with complex situations, danger and adventure. Kaylin is a character to root for. The world building is extensive and intriguing.
Favorite Quote:
"Sedarias says the Emperor is a dragon. He's powerful enough that he gets to make the laws. We're weak enough - for the moment - that we have to follow them when he's looking in our direction. Hawks exist to be the eyes that are looking in all directions when the Emperor can't. They're meant to enforce the more powerful person's will."I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
"That's not the purpose of the law," Kaylin snapped.
"Then what is it?"
"We're there to enforce the laws so that people without the Emperor's power are safe from people with attitudes like yours."
This series has been on my TBR forever!
ReplyDelete