Review by Booklist Review
Power and pain often echo through the generations once a war is lost. Islington's debut fantasy tackles the question of how to integrate the children of magical rebels into a fractured society, where all magic is grounds for suspicion. Young Davian discovers he has unexpected powers, but he is forbidden to use them, even to battle the dark forces that are threatening to engulf his kingdom in chaos. Gradually he learns to accept the gift in order to grow into his identity as an Augur. The complexity of the characters is built over time to encompass an enriching and multifaceted novel. The plot twists are unexpected, the world building is fascinating, and the fledgling love story is a charmer. There are many different types of magic, and many quirky ways of wielding it. The multiple plotlines can be confusing at times, but the thread of Davian's quest for justice is strong and reminiscent of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. This sweeping and compelling epic is ripe for a sequel.--McCammond-Watts, Heather Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
An ancient evil's reawakening threatens a fantasy land where magic has been proscribed in Islington's epic fantasy debut. Fifteen-year-old Davian of Andarra is one of the Gifted, able to tap into magical essence. Unfortunately, Davian was born after the civil war that destroyed the powerful Augurs, and now the Gifted are bound by laws that prevent them from using their powers freely. As a mysterious figure threatens the protective boundary wall in the north, Davian learns he is the last of the Augurs, and it's up to him to help repair the wall before it's too late. Davian is joined in his quest by friends Wirr and Asha, who prove to be more than they seem. They'll need all the luck they can muster, as various political and magical forces are trying to use them for their own purposes. Islington has built a world with all the right genre elements: complex magic, terrifying threats out of legend, political intrigue, and a large cast of characters whose motivations are seldom clear. Fans of doorstop epic fantasy will not be disappointed. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This doorstopper epic fantasy and trilogy opener was originally self-published in 2014.The details that give this ingeniously plotted yarn its backbone emerge graduallyand are not always entirely clear. Twenty years ago, a war swept away and annihilated the tyrannical Augurs when their formidable magic inexplicably faltered. Their servants, the Gifted, whose lesser magic derives from Essence (Islington has an irritating habit of capitalizing things), were forcibly constrained to obey the Four Tenets, meaning they can no longer use their magic to cause harm even in self-defense. At a school-cum-sanctuary-cum-prison for the Gifted, three 16-year-old friends, Davian, Wirr, and Asha, face their final tests. Though an excellent student, Davian cannot use Essence and faces a cruel exile. He decides to abscond. Wirr believes Davians an Augur whose higher-order magic blocks his ability to channel Essence, and he insists on joining him. Ilseth Tenvar, a seemingly sympathetic Elder, gives Davian a mysterious magic box to guide his progress. The next morning Asha wakes to a nightmare of her own. On the road Davian encounters the strange, scarred Gifted Taeris Sarr, who three years ago saved his life (Davian doesnt remember the incident) and supposedly was executed for his pains. In the far north an ancient evil stirs, while in a related development, Caeden wakes in a forest to find himself covered in blood and with no memory of anything. So, in time-honored fashion, nobody is what they seem to be, everybody has a secret agenda, and the key players all lack pivotal memories. And while theres nothing much new here, Islingtons natural storytelling ability provides incessant plot twists and maintains a relentless pace. The characters have well-rounded personalities and dont make decisions or errors merely to advance the plot, even if they all sound and act the same youngish age. A promising page-turner from a poised newcomer whos well worth keeping tabs on. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
