Firstborn of the Sun is an immersive and expansive fantasy. I loved the themes of power and the world building is impressive! This is a definite TBR add! Keep reading this book review of Firstborn of the Sun for my full thoughts.
Summary
In Oru L’ore has a secret. She is the only one without agbára – the ability to harness power from the sun. On pain of death she must conceal it from everyone. Including her best friend, Alawani.
But when the gods declare Alawani an Àlùfáà – a great honour where he will serve the gods and the Kingdom – he must be stripped of his power in a brutal trial likely to kill him. Unwilling to bear his death, L’ore vows to rescue him.
When she desperately attempts to channel agbára an icy shadow magic instead pours from her hands; a power she learns originated from a forbidden, secret land beyond the six rings of Oru.
One where she and Alawani must now seek sanctuary and discover a secret that could bring the Kingdom to its knees . . .
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Firstborn of the Sun is full of secrets. It navigates our versions of the world, the truth, and the past. Immediately, I loved the banter and friends to lovers vibe. This is a multi-layered fantasy which has an unhurried world building build. I loved how the foundation is slowly pieced together – and broken apart – and it felt incredibly organic. There’s also this core of friendship and love which defies religion, loyalty, and country. We have swoons, multiple insights into the characters, and a fabulous world. But I think my favorite element was the unlocking and power discovery. There’s something about that theme which always gets me.
I love a good character development where they have to figure out and embrace their powers. The lead up and pay off in Firstborn of the Sun is phenomenal. So often we have this image of who we are and in this book, L’ore continually needs to re-evalute who she is and what she is capable of. What will she do when she realizes the truth of her past, of Oru, and herself? Find Firstborn of the Sun on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon UK, & Blackwells.