Once upon a time, inhabitants of another world tore a hole through the universe and came to Earth. They called themselves Suriias, and rivalled humans in knowledge and skill with one great exception: they had magic.
War followed. Humanity lost. And three hundred years later, humans are on the brink of extinction.
Orphans Thorn and Thistle live in hiding. They are the last of their families, the last of their friends. They scrape by, stealing to survive and living on the streets or hiding in sheds. But even under the brutal regime of the Suriias, there are places where humans can mingle in secret with magical sympathisers, and one night Thistle gets an unexpected offer of marriage from a Suriia with high standing and friends in all the right places. For Thistle, it’s a chance at safety and comfort; for Thorn, it’s a chance to find the ones who killed her parents.
And so the pair move into the capital city of Courtenz. An urban monstrosity of magic and might, false friends and flying cars, drones and death tolls, the new city promises a fresh start – and new love – for both.
But if there’s one thing Thorn knows for certain, it’s that dreams can swiftly turn into nightmares.
I received this book to read and review as part of the 2022 BBNYA competition and the BBNYA finalists tours organised by the TWR Tour team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest.
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Book source ~ BBNYA
10 November 2020
Sci-Fi | Dystopian
620 Pages
My Rating ~ 4 bites
When a hole is torn between worlds, Earth is invaded by the Suriia, beings who have magic. War ensues and after 300 years humans are near extinction. Thorn and Thistle are living the life of the pursued until Thistle meets a Suriia who is sympathetic to the plight of humans. Thorn is highly sceptical, but she has a hard time denying the more delicate Thistle a chance at a healthier lifestyle. So, they move to Courtenz and that’s when the fun begins. And I use that word a bit loosely. At least, for Thorn.
Be prepared to settle in because this is a chonker of a book. The beginning is a bit slow as the world is built and the backstory is filled in. Then it really takes off. I have to be honest, I was a bit bored at first. Thorn and Thistle’s life with the Suriia is a bit of a slog and Thorn isn’t a very sympathetic character. She’s definitely thorny. I didn’t hate her, but I didn’t much like her either. But that changes a bit as the story goes on and then things really heat up. Plotwise, that is. Whoa. Talk about a fascinating plot that races to the finish line. Sa-weet! This is a nice blend of sci-fi and fantasy with excellent characters and great writing. If you like a book that is like a leisurely stroll that picks up steam until it’s a gallop then definitely pick this up.
Rebecca Crunden is an author of fantasy and science fiction.
BBNYA is a yearly competition where Book Bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie or small press authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the 2023 BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website, Twitter BBNYA, or follow this link to enter! Please make sure to carefully read our terms and conditions before entering.If you are Book Blogger or reviewer you can apply to be part of the awesome 2023 BBNYA panel via this form. Please remember to read the terms and conditions before signing up.
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