The Ghost's Gambit by Stephanie Cotta

I'm excited to dive into today's review, since it's the last in one of the very rare series that I follow completely. So far, it's been a tightly woven tale with tons of action and character depth, too. I'm expecting that won't change in this lastest tale. 

So, off we go to this magical world and see where everything is headed!

THE GHOST'S GAMBIT

The Iron Kingdom Series, Book 3

by Stephanie Cotta

Monarch Educational Services, LLC

YA Fantasy

430 pages

After the raid on his garrison, the Enforcer is on the hunt-and he won't stop until the Wraiths hang from the gallows. Rowan, Tahira, and Akaran are caught in the Enforcer's merciless pursuit and forced to flee across the wilderness in their struggle to stay one step ahead of this cutthroat soldier.

As new leaders of an underground rebellion, Rowan and Tahira fight to keep the resistance alive. Yet the cost of staying hidden grows heavier as the Enforcer and his soldiers terrorize Arjun. The body count rises, and the guilt sharpens with each brutal execution. But when the Enforcer threatens the very home they've sworn to protect, Rowan and Tahira must confront a painful truth-they may not have the power to stop him.

Meanwhile, Akaran and Marah stake their lives on a dangerous mission to undermine the Enforcer's iron grip on their homeland. In their quest, they stumble upon a dark secret that could change everything, but only if they escape the enemy's snare alive.

As tensions among the Wraiths mount, and with the weight of an oppressed kingdom on their shoulders, Rowan, Tahira, and Akaran will have to decide what they're willing to sacrifice for their people-and for each other.

The Ghost's Gambit is a gripping, pulse-pounding tale of rebellion, loyalty, and the high cost of defying a brutal empire.

AMAZON    /    GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

The Wraiths are back, and nothing is going to stop them from holding to what they know is right.

This is the third installment in the series, and it packs a punch. While the plot has been mounting from one book to the next, this one not only steps up but seems to make the growth even richer. The very first page already dives straight into tension, action, and emotions pure as the Enforcer wraps up a bloody attack and lets his callous attitude hit with full force. The Wraiths slide right in with the atmosphere that always accompanies their constant struggle: a bit of win but not without a toll.  And this sets the stage wonderfully for the rest of the read.

The author has woven a very intricate world with tons of depth. While the Enforcer is easy to dislike and cruel, the reader gets a little insight, this time, into some of his reasoning...which simply makes the story that much better. We have Tahira shining more and more as she continues to refine her skills but manages to keep the same touching qualities which make her so enjoyable to root for. Her relationship with Rowan also isn't forgotten to add a touch of romance without overpowering the main theme as their connection deepens. But then, the battle against the Enforcer is never to be taken lightly, which keeps everyone on their toes. The side characters have also earned their places in the spotlight and continue to round off the group with grit, heart, and necessary edge. 

The pacing, as in the other books, remains high the entire way through as the Enforcer's actions grow more and more deadly and threatening. There are moments to cheer and painful ones to cut the heart. All along the world never looses richness and keeps the reader in the pages. It's definitely a series fantasy fans will want to take a peek at.

Review: The Conjurer's Curse by Stephanie Cotta

I can't remember the last time I hit a true, epic fantasy. So, today's read is exactly this type of adventure. The tag line on this one caught my attention: 'To know him is to love him. To love him is to die.'

Doesn't that sound ominous? While this read doesn't promise dragons, it does hold magic, journeys, and adventure, it appears.

So, grab those swords because off we go!

 

THE CONJURER'S CURSE

by Stephanie Cotta

Monarch Educational Services, LLC

Young Adult Epic Fantasy

418 pages

Seventeen-year-old Rowan is a walking, breathing curse. He just hasn’t realized it yet.

Since birth, Rowan has been the object of scorn in his village. The reason? He’s a dikyli—an outsider with albino skin and an ominous mark blazoned on his neck. So when his fourth guardian-mother is found dead, all blame falls on him, and he is banished before his life-draining curse can strike again. The only path left to Rowan is clear: He must discover who cursed him and alter his horrible fate—or forever lose everyone he loves.

From facing treacherous seas, soul-devouring Moonshades, and desert terrors, Rowan battles for his very survival to reach his homeland—the far-off kingdom of Shandria, a land rife with hostilities. Dark surprises and back-stabbing betrayals emerge as two devious Iron Barons—who know the scandalous origin of his curse—plot to imprison him in the Mountain of the Damned with the rest of the accursed.

To make matters worse, Rowan’s curse threatens to claim another life when he meets Tahira, a spunky, pertly persistent Shandrian who vows to aid him in his quest despite the overwhelming odds. Their alliance of trust and necessity develops into love—a love doomed to end in death if Rowan remains cursed. With the hope of a future hanging in the balance, he must overcome the greatest challenge of his life. For the only way to end his curse is to slay the Conjurer who cast the life-draining spell.

GOODREADS   /   AMAZON   /   B&N   /   INDIE BOUND

MY TIDBITS

Rich world buildings mixes with adventure and danger in an exciting epic fantasy, which flows in an easy read.

Rowan is an outside no matter how long he lives with the tribe, which took him in. Not only is he an albino, but his guardian mothers have died, one after the other. The village claims he's cursed, although he's not convinced. Still, when he's finally kicked out, he's forced to travel into a world he doesn't know to discover the truth behind his heritage and birth. But Shandria, the land of his race, is far away, which means overcoming a dangerous journey, and even then, there are rumors that the kingdom he seeks holds more evil than the rest of his travels combined.

This is a deliciously, rich world, which draws in and brings the scenes to life...and that without a dump on descriptions. Even from the first page, the author creates vivid landscapes, cultures, characters, and situations, and considering how diverse Rowan's travels are, it's a smorgasbord on quick world building. Yet, it reads easily and keeps a pretty even pace.

Rowan is a hero to sympathize with, shunned by his adoptive village, on a journey to discover himself, and watching all those he loves around him die. He's hardworking, kind, and ready to give everything he has when necessary. During the first chapters, his innocence shines through, and this makes him easy to root for as he's forced to discover the true world and grows as he's faced with one trial after the other. It's a slow progression, which builds in a way fitting to create a nice character.

The story holds many surprises, adventures, action, and even emotional moments as Rowan journeys to his land, and then, is faced with even more difficulties there. The characters he meets along the way surprise, their true intentions (good and bad) not instantly clear. Some of these run by quickly, while others gain more depth. Especially the first part of the book skimmed over some situations more quickly and easily, skipping past some needed depth, but then, this book covers quite a bit of ground and could have easily created a series. The adventure is quick paced, for the most part, and offers all sorts of possibilities.

Oh, and I can't forget the illustrations. This is a beautiful book, on that end, which was a nice surprise all on its own.

Epic fantasy can tend to weigh down with the world building and word choice, both of which this author avoids. While the text does take-on a bit of this older flair in the vocabulary and wording, the dialogue and thoughts steer away from that enough to make it much lighter than it might have been. It creates an easy read, which flies by and lets the adventure simply take control. In other words, it's a fantasy to enjoy.