"In the Realm, every citizen knows their place."
Leora of Mae is a young woman orphaned at birth and raised on a remote farm. As a wielder of Xanthcraft, her abilities set her apart from her adoptive family and the other villagers.
Shortly before her twentieth birthday, she learns of her family’s plot to sell her into servitude. Fearing for her life, she flees from the only home she’s ever known—defying societal conventions and breaking the edicts of the Realm.
As she runs, Leora meets Roland Shallowbrook, a traveler on the Thieves’ Road; Lady Aurora Verte, daughter of a powerful member of the gentry; and the White Rider Leopold, a soldier with a secret.
Together, this found family will have to band together to survive.
Set in the distant future during the return of the Hale-Bopp comet, Gathering of the Four is the first book in The Serrulata Saga.
Book source ~ TWR Tour
2 April 2021
Sci-Fi | Dystopian
503 Pages
My Rating ~ 3 bites
Leora of Mae is a unique individual in her tiny village. When she was a baby, she was taken in by a family friend when her parents left and never returned. However, she’s a Xanthos and she wields Xanthcraft though her adoptive family and the villagers don’t know that. During the return of the Hale-Bopp comet, when she overhears her “family” talk about selling her into servitude right before her age of maturity, she runs away. And that’s when things really start to get intriguing.
This is an interesting world with great characters. Told from several POVs I get a good all around sense of the place, the people, and what’s what. The plot comes together from several directions and advances at an even pace. The story stops on a bit of a cliff hanger, but is well set up for the next book in the overall arc.
I do have some issues with it though. The writing in places is a bit choppy and at times the characters are stiff and this makes the scenes flow unevenly. I also got supremely sick of hearing about how the comet had two tails, one yellow and one blue. Every. Single. Time. Why? Are the readers being punked? Is there a specific reason for this? I mean, other than irritating me? Because I fail to see it. *shrugs*
Overall, this is a creative addition to the Sci-Fi Dystopian genre. If you like The Hunger Games then this should be right up your alley.
A.E Bennett (she/her) lives in Washington, D.C.
She is originally from North Carolina.
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