A Yale dean who's a member of Lethe, one of the college’s famously mysterious secret societies, offers Alex a free ride if she will use her spook-spotting abilities to help Lethe with its mission: overseeing the other secret societies’ occult rituals. The protagonist of Bardugo’s ( King of Scars, 2019, etc.) first novel for adults, a high school dropout and low-level drug dealer, Alex got in because she can see dead people. Most Yale students get admitted through some combination of impressive academics, athletics, extracurriculars, family connections, and donations, or perhaps bribing the right coach. Yale’s secret societies hide a supernatural secret in this fantasy/murder mystery/school story. Well-dressed, sure, but underneath, it’s the same old, same old. The story is well-handled, the characters have personalities, and the plot moves briskly and plausibly, but nothing stands out or grabs the attention it's somewhat reminiscent of Dave Duncan but without the originality and swagger.

To fantasy regulars, this backdrop will sound familiar, with the few embellishments (some elf-ruins and artifacts, an ancient war of the gods) largely irrelevant. There will be, of course, surprises along the way. Somehow he must use his wits and knowledge to escape enslavement, avenge his father and regain the throne he never expected or wanted.

Again, he must endure cruelty, enormous hardship and tests of his mettle. He survives, only to be captured and sold as a galley slave. Rather than accept death meekly, he leaps into the Shattered Sea. So, donning unfamiliar armor and carrying weapons he can barely lift, he leads a raid against Grom-gil-Gorm-only to be betrayed by those around him. With no alternative, Yarvi must take the Black Chair and swear an oath to avenge his father’s death. While Yarvi’s uncle Odem offers sad encouragement, his mother, Laithlin, master of the treasury and expert business negotiator, remains her usual supercilious self. After years studying under Mother Gundring-luckily, he’s a more-than-capable apprentice-Yarvi is ready to take the ministry’s test when news arrives that his father and elder brother have been treacherously murdered by neighboring rival King Grom-gil-Gorm. So Prince Yarvi, born with a withered hand, had only one option: to train as a minister (counselor). A new fantasy series kicks off with a coming-of-age yarn, from the popular author of Red Country (2012, etc.).Īmong the royalty of Gettland, only strong, fearless, cold-eyed warriors have value.

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