4/5
For fans of: Epic journeys, bands of misfits, high fantasy, conquests, saving the world, coming of age, lost innocence

Synopsis: Allward, a land home to mortal and immortal alike, is threatened with a great darkness after a band of legendary warriors failed to stop a madman from opening a door into another world and unleashing an undead army. The survivors of the failed quest quickly set out to warn their respective kingdoms, but are met with indifference. The immortals, not native to this world, believe that they are not invested in this world and might even be able to return home once the dust settles. The mortals have their own hidden agenda at play. To save Allward, an unlikely group of misfits must come together to do what needs be done when the heroes have died and those in power care only to keep it.

Review: I am a huge fan of Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series so I had great expectations for her foray into high fantasy and I was not disappointed. From the onset, the plot is action-packed, the pieces moving towards each other as chapters seesaw from different characters’ storylines and perspectives. Aveyard’s vision is massive as you are catapulted from seaside towns to hives of villainy and the seats of powerful kingdoms. There are assassins, pirates, powerful immortals, ambitious human royals, zombies, witches, honorable soldiers turned traitor for the greater good, madmen hellbent on destroying the world, doorways to other realms, a drop dead gorgeous colored map, and at the center of it all, the hope of Allward is a young woman who just wants a chance to prove her worth. The adventure tropes are aplenty here, but none feel overused or cheaply done. There is so much history and culture to explore in this realm along with political intrigue and a not-yet-there found family dynamic. This is the first installment of a series and boy is this book big. Some things I am looking forward to in the next installment, Blade Breaker, are a deeper dive into the history and perspective of the antagonists, hopefully some romance, and more banter between the hard on the outside/soft on the inside members of our unlikely heroes.