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Starred review from February 21, 2025
Seven contestants, one for each mythic animal guardian of Orrun, stand ready to compete in a series of trials to become the next emperor. When the Raven contestant is murdered, Neema, a friendless and eccentric high scholar of the emperor, is selected as her replacement while also being tasked with solving her murder. If Neema survives grueling trials and palace politics, she could become the next empress, but if she fails, she might take the blame for the death. Luckily, she has help--if she believes in the Raven enough to listen. Hodgson (The Devil in the Marshalsea) skillfully blends epic fantasy, murder mystery, and a tournament arc into one compelling tale. While themed, personality-based factions could be stale in other hands, here the guardians are characters in their own right, and the Raven's self-important narrative interjections add welcome humor. Neema's curiosity and awkward attempts at connection with new friends and an old flame make her a protagonist to root for, and the dramatic finale promises an even more ambitious sequel with a new setting and stakes. VERDICT This is an epic as clever and magnificent as its mythic namesake. A must-buy for all fantasy collections.--Erin Niederberger
Copyright 2025 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
March 1, 2025
Neema Kraa is a Junior Archivist at the Raven palace, the first Commoner of Scartown to be admitted. Ostracized by her peers, all of whom are from Venerant or High Middling families, she rises to prominence when High Commander Hol Valbras selects her to write an Order of Exile for Yanara Valit, daughter of Andren Valit, the traitor who attempted to assassinate the emperor eight years prior. Accepting the task ends her relationship with Cain Ballari, who agrees with most of the empire in thinking that sixteen-year-old Yanara is innocent, a victim of her twin brother Ruko's sudden jealousy. Neema and Cain reconnect eight years later at the Festival of the Eight--the contest to select a new emperor from the seven competing palaces--representing the Guardians, with Cain competing for the Fox palace. The two are dragged together into the investigation when one of the contenders is murdered. The deceptions, intricate twists, and the occasional Raven as a point-of-view character make this a page-turner that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the Eternal Path Trilogy.
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