She Who Rides the Storm

August 15, 2021
The newly discovered tomb of a long-dead shape-shifter that may contain a powerful and dangerous treasure draws the interest of four young people, each with their own motives for finding it. Herbal healer Anwei has not given up on hunting for her twin brother's killer, and now she finally has a lead on his murderer. Knox, her friend and partner in crime--they are thieves for hire--is a runaway from the Devoted, living in fear of discovery. The Devoted hunt Basists like Anwei, regarding them as wicked and inhuman. Meanwhile, Knox's former best friend, Lia, struggles with the weight of her oaths to the Devoted and the heavy sacrifices they have required. Archaeology student Mateo searches for a cure for his fatal wasting sickness, unsure whether to believe legends of curses that follow from interfering with a shape-shifter's burial place. Their paths lead them together, to long-forgotten secrets that may hold the key to what they seek. The worldbuilding, which includes a detailed cosmology, is strong without overreliance on exposition, and the setting's magic system is well described without getting bogged down in minutiae. The characters are richly detailed, and the prose invites rereading of earlier passages after each flashback or revelatory conversation. The dramatic tension builds to a final plot twist that will delight fans of intricate, complex fantasies. Characters in this world have varied physical appearances; some naming conventions and other story elements seem to draw inspiration from diverse real-world cultures. Will leave readers clamoring for more. (Fantasy. 14-18)

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October 22, 2021
Grades 9-12 Anwei and Knox, a team of thieves, spend their lives "finding" things for other people, and using a false goddess to score more jobs. Lia, a veiled spiriter in the Warlord's Devoted private army, is on the search for Knox, to bring him home to justice. Meanwhile, Mateo is an archaeologist searching for a cure to his wasting sickness. They all cross paths on the hunt for an ancient shapeshifter's tomb, one with a magical sword waiting at the bottom. But the tomb reveals much more than any of them expected to find, and the possible priceless treasure at the very end could change any of their lives--or all of them. While the story begins midheist and kicks off with a lot of action, this does struggle with pacing, due in part to a world-specific lexicon that lacks clear explanation. Still, Sangster (Last Star Burning, 2017) is known for her varied casts of characters, and this heist novel will certainly capture the attention of fans of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows (2015).

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