Author: Gabrielle Gagne-Cyr
Publication date: 2021
Length: 509 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+
“The king is dead, long live his murderer.”
Let me start with a simple request to the author, Gabrielle Gagne-Cyr. Please let me know when book two is available. The ending left me tapping my tablet screen, begging for more pages to appear. I knew this was book one of the series, but gosh I need to know what happens!
Now, let’s get on with the review. From the very beginning, we’re told of this new world, run by a madman with the power to summon a God. No one stood a chance against him then or now. Farrah, the leader of the renegades, has a plan to take him down. Things don’t go quite the way she’d hope and the merry band of misfits ends up on the run. Along the way, we’re introduced to Captain Feras Sadahl, a pirate captain of a FLYING SHIP! What follows is an enthralling roller coaster of a story.
The book does brilliantly with the character development. Gagne-Cyr weaves each unique story with a depth that reaches into your chest and takes hold. Their fear is your fear. Their trauma and loss is your trauma and loss. To be honest, sometimes I wanted to know more about Feras and Farrah right away. But the way Cagne-Cyr weaves all the characters’ stories together, it is worth the wait.
The LGBTQ+ aspect of the book does not come up right away. I loved that. As I mentioned earlier, Gagne-Cyr slowly develops each character. Watching the two individuals dance around one another as they fight the feelings hiding within themselves, it’s beautifully done and has a natural cadence within the story.
I’ve read reviews with concerns about the length of the book. While I agree, it could have been shorter and addressed some things differently, it is the first book of a series. I felt it needed time to set up this vast world and all its inhabitants. For me, it was less about the length and more about the slight repetitiveness when they were on individual quests.
Overall, this was truly a wonderful read. It was fun, engaging and yes, maybe a bit too long. It might take you more time to read this book than another one, but that’s okay. This story was worth the read.
