Publication Date: February 10, 2009
Genre: YA Science Fiction (What library calls it)
Pages: 342
Summary
Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, fi fteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her
Inside an ancient temple in the mountains, fifteen-year-old Zira trains in the martial arts to become a warrior priestess who can defend the faith of the Ruan people. Bearing a scar on her face from the fire that killed her parents, the orphaned Zira is taught to distrust the occupying Sedornes. Terror strikes when the forces of the tyrannical Sedorne king destroy the only home she knows. To survive, Zira must unravel the secrets of her identity, decide her people’s fate — and accept her growing feelings for a man who should be her enemy.
In my opinion, the description is wrong. The one who they're saying is Zahira's enemy is never treated like such. And part of the time he was there it was hard to see the romantic feelings.
Does he really need to do this? I wondered in bewilderment. Are fear and obedience enough for him? Why must he break everone and everything?
Okay, let's start with the plot. The plot was okay. There was times I thought it was going to go a different way. There was also a few times I felt the author wasn't absolutlly sure where she was going. I did have some trouble telling some things apart. Like the country Ruan and the people Rua. I thought it was the other way around. And I wasn't sure what the point of adding Noirin in front of Surya's name was.
Spoilers coming up!
The ending. I didn't like it. I mean, Abheron was amde out to be this bad guy trying to make people believe he wasn't. He murder people to get what he wanted. Then he whouldn't fight Zahira. He had her beat, and he let her kill him. He was crazy, but thatwas just stupid. He wanted Zahira as a heir but when it was obvious that wouldn't happen, he should've just killed her.
The characters were okay. Zira was fine, not great but could become pretty good. Then she finds out about her past and pretty much becomes Zahira, the heir to the throne. That was fine, but then must of the main characters thoughts were Zira was this, Zahira is that, she likes this, I like that, and a few times she used we. I mean, I get the confusion of finding out you were born someone else and regaining the memories, but it was over the top. And in the second half of the book, it was pretty much forgotten, and all the work the author put into building up this identity crisis was forgotten.
And Sorin was a good male character. The whole love thing between him and Zahira wasn't there till after they got married. Yeah, married. It felt like the author was like oh, I got to have them in love otherwise it's just a guy marring a minor for power. Afterwards, the love was kinda sweet. But, they fell in love like within a day and it wasn't really there. And if it was,it was way in between the lines. And there was this part where Zahira says "it's hard to remember he's just eight years older then me." And it's not that he's that old (24) and age is just a number, I mean, my dad is six years older then my mom, but just the way the author wrote it and in the context it just reads funny.
The writing was fine. Was it out of the world good? No, but there isn't anything to complain about. Did I like the book? It was okay. Good enough to get three hearts. Will I recommend it? Depends. If you like kings and queens and medieval science fiction, then go head and read it. Otherwise, it might not be for you.
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