Spoiler, I was pretty sure I would love this book before I even opened the front cover. I am a megca Carey fan. The Kushiel’s Dart series was one of the first adult fantasy books I read and I continued onwards – devouring all her books I could find. (stay tuned to the bottom for the giveaway)
Summary
Let your mind be like the eye of the hawk…Destined from birth to serve as protector of the princess Zariya, Khai is trained in the arts of killing and stealth by a warrior sect in the deep desert; yet there is one profound truth that has been withheld from him.
In the court of the Sun-Blessed, Khai must learn to navigate deadly intrigue and his own conflicted identity…but in the far reaches of the western seas, the dark god Miasmus is rising, intent on nothing less than wholesale destruction.
If Khai is to keep his soul’s twin Zariya alive, their only hope lies with an unlikely crew of prophecy-seekers on a journey that will take them farther beneath the starless skies than anyone can imagine.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this free book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I adored Starless. It was everything I was craving from Carey and more. You know how you have those nostalgia reads that you know you can’t re-visit because they wouldn’t hold up to the light of day? Jacqueline Carey is not one of those. She is still the epic fantasy giant I remember and her books enthrall me even more so.
The main character Khai is resourceful and dedicate. Khai has a complex backstory that only increases in depth as the story goes on. Khai has to figure out how to dismantle the expectations he has that men are the only ones who can be powerful. I especially enjoyed the way Khai has to probe deeper into what he thinks about the world. At the same time, the world building was fantastic. It was lush and detailed. There were stories within stories. I couldn’t get enough and it brought me back to what I adored about Carey.
Equally strong is Carey’s skill in writing compelling characters. The build up, unhurried story telling, and tension are exquisite. We are drawn not only into the world, but into the characters as well. One of my favorite themes that Carey explores is the idea of honor and duty. Where does the line fall between our duty and our desires?
I actually cannot describe to you how much I adored this epic novel on so many levels. If you’ve never read a novel by Carey before or you’re a seasoned fan, you have to read this. Check out Starless on Goodreads.
Giveaway
Tor Books was so kind to offer to send one winner (US/Canada only)
- one hardcover copy of Starless
- a swag bag containing a Starless quote postcard, hawk feather, #FearlessWomen sticker, #FearlessWomen pen, and star confetti
All you have to do is enter via the Rafflecopter below! The giveaway ends June 19th at 11:59EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
See the rest of the tour stops below:
Monday, June 11 Fantasy Cafe
Tuesday, June 12 Utopia State of Mind
Tuesday, June 12 If the book will be too difficult
Wednesday, June 13 Bibliophibian
Thursday, June 14 Between Dreams and Reality
Friday, June 15 Her Graces Library
About the Author
New York Times bestseller Jacqueline Carey is the author of the critically acclaimed Kushiel’s Legacy series of historical fantasy novels, The Sundering epic fantasy duology, postmodern fables Santa Olivia and Saints Astray, and the Agent of Hel contemporary fantasy series. Jacqueline enjoys doing research on a wide variety of arcane topics, and an affinity for travel has taken her from Finland to China to date. She currently lives in west Michigan. Although often asked by inquiring fans, she does not, in fact, have any tattoos.
I am so excited for this book! So glad to see such a positive review for it. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Thanks for entering!