Outlaw Mage

The Dageian Puppetmaster #1

by K.S. Villoso

Despite Rosha's best efforts, she will never fit in. To her classmates, she is forever an outsider, a girl from the fringes of the empire just lucky enough to have well-off parents. To her teachers, she is either a charity case or an exception to the rule that Gorenten just aren't capable of performing complex magic. Worse, still, she is nothing but a status symbol to her father—a child gifted with magic to show his powerful friends that even people like them could belong in the empire. As if she doesn't have enough problems already. Haunted by the invisible rules that pull her dreams just out of grasp, she walks out on the eve of her final exams, throwing away her one chance at becoming an official mage of the empire. She practices magic outside the mage council's grasp, one of the worst crimes anyone could commit. A dropout. A failure. An outlaw. Years later, her father's shoddy business deals have finally landed him in trouble and he disappears without a trace. Rosha reluctantly enters the services of a rich sorcerer, his last known connection. The sorcerer’s sudden death leaves her stranded in a sea of enemies—and the knowledge that the man is the voice behind the ageless, faceless emperor. To protect herself and her family, Rosha must impersonate the most powerful man in the empire. As she becomes everything she has ever hated, she stumbles upon conspiracies that seek to break the empire from within...

Genres: Fantasy, Adult, High Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fiction, Unfinished, Audiobook

388 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2023

About the author

I write character-driven epic fantasy with huge doses of horror, angst, and frustratingly tangled character relationships. You can read more about my work at my website:

http://www.ksvilloso.com

__

K.S. Villoso was born in a dank hospital on an afternoon in Albay, Philippines, and things have generally been okay since then. After spending most of her childhood in a slum area in Taguig (where she dodged death-defying traffic, ate questionable food, and fell into open-pit sewers more often than one ought to), she and her family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where they spent the better part of two decades trying to chase the North American Dream. She is now living amidst the forest and mountains with her family, children, and dogs in Anmore, BC.

Reviews

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A complex narrative following a prickly female main character living as a minority in an oppressive colonial empire, Outlaw Mage is an impressive start to a political fantasy series.

Rosha is a powerful and talented mage living in an empire where she will never be given the same opportunities as her peers because she is Gorenten. She's prickly, often angry, and never nice. But she will also risk her life to save the people closest to her. This first novel follows her from childhood into adulthood as an outlaw mage, hiding from those who enforce the strict laws governing use of magic. But she's eventually drawn into a complex web of political maneuvers and lies that threaten her family and perhaps the stability of the empire.

I don't want to say too much about the plot, but this is a meaty and thoughtful novel with plenty of surprising twists and strong character work. I suspect there will be a lot of readers who won't like Rosha, but that's okay because odds are she wouldn't like them either. Personally, I really appreciate stories with complex female characters who are allowed to be angry and make some bad choices. Rosha feels very real and the social and political issues in the book offer no easy answers. The text is a bit on the dense side with a lot packed into a single book. I read it a few chapters at a time over two months, and as someone who typically breezes through books in a couple of days, that's unusual. But while it took awhile, I loved the entire journey. The story and main character really sunk their teeth into me and I cannot recommend this enough to people who would enjoy this sort of novel. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little confused about where the plot was going towards the beginning of the book, but it eventually picked up and held strong till the end. Honestly, the same can be said about Rosha too. She was incredibly negative in the beginning, and really needed some side characters to pop up in her journey to help mellow her out/ help her grow as a human. I really enjoyed the world the book was building, and the magic system, class systems and other factors that went into it. I'll probably check out the next book!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read, I can't wait for the sequel!

[The Nerd Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 years ago I read The Wolf of Oren-Yaro and enjoyed it quite a bit. My main takeaway from it was that KS Villoso has that “It” factor that some authors just have. I think I could read a shopping list from her if it had some prose thrown in and be entertained. Reading the Outlaw Mage just reinforced that opinion.

Outlaw Mage is a character driven novel that follows Rosha a young mage who was a prodigy until she had a test at the end of her magical schooling that went poorly and she just snapped and left, thus becoming an outlaw mage. While Rosha was a prodigy she also had the misfortune of being born from the wrong ethnic group so she had been teased and held back her entire life. If her father hadn’t been rich she most likely would have been a mage thrall and been forced into a life of servitude.

This book follows Rosha as she first deals with the consequences of leaving and being an outlaw and then has to come out of hiding to help find her father who she has some pretty conflicting feelings about.

There is plenty of magic and tons of world building out out in an entertaining way with plenty of action interspersed throughout the story. This book is a hard 5/5 for me and I will read book 2 as soon as it’s available.

[Books And Chocaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

(9.71 on CAWPILE)

*Disclaimer I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I can only hope to do it justice.

Having fallen deeply down the KS Villoso rabbit hole this year, being sent this book is the highlight of my entire time as a book reviewer! I was incredibly excited to get to this book and is one of the only times where I put everything else on my reading list on pause and just devoured the story. I was divided between not wanting to put the book down and wanting to savour each moment. This, as of right now, is the best book I’ve read this year, and I do not say this lightly.

This story follows Rosha, a young girl of incredible power and drive. It is told in two timelines, one where she is a student as a magic school ran by the elite who look down on her. We follow her as she strived to prove herself as a diasporic student amongst the most privileged natives. The other timeline is some years later after she left the school without undertaking the tests and is now a wanted fugitive. This story packs so much in in regards to action, plot and themes throughout. It is incredibly digestible and yet it discusses so much.

Rosha is an easy to root for character. She is an interesting and wholly believable protagonist that feels real and nuanced. The characters all around her, from villagers she helps, to friends and companions, to teachers and most importantly family create some wonderful interpersonal dynamics that are masterfully crafted and create more layers and depth to Rosha as well as feeling like realistic people in their own right.

With each book I read by Villoso the more in awe of her abilities I am. The fact that every novel is so well crafted and distinctively written in her style, while simultaneously being incredibly different in tone and atmosphere is absolutely astounding. The writing in this book was immersive, descriptive, compulsively readable and engaging, while still being nuanced and layered. The pacing is wonderful at carrying you along for the ride in a way that will have you up until three in the morning if you’re not careful.

The world felt immersive in both the wonder and curiosity it evoked and the level of danger and sociopolitical discussions layered over it to add gravitas and frustration. The magic, especially given the school setting, is well fleshed out and yet I still feel that as this series goes on here will be so much more for me to discover. This book is set in the same world as all of her other series and as such you will have nods and crossovers which I adore and I will surely have to return to this book once i have completed her back catalogue to see if I have missed any!

Overall this is an incredible book that I hope gains as much attention and praise as it deserves.

[Selina⚔️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: No one can push for daddy/mommy issues like Villoso haha

WHERE IS THE SEQUEL WTHHHHH

[Noor Al-Shanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outlaw Mage by K. S. Villoso follows the adventures of Rosha, a young woman with the ability to do magic living in an empire where she's an outsider. This book is full of what I love most about Villoso's work: those raw, deep observations about what it feels like to be an outsider trying to find or make a place for yourself in a society that doesn't have a place for you except on the sidelines. There's a fast-paced, action-packed story full of magic and secrets and even empire politics, but those few, scattered thoughts where Rosha is trying to come to terms with the way others see her, the way the empire treats her and her family, those are what raise this book above others of its kind and convince me that K. S. Villoso will one day be considered one of the greatest writers of this generation.

"The Empire of Dageis, mighty conqueror, the bastion of civilizations, envy of the world. And yet its people cannot grasp how a mere Gorenten child could make a pebble float in mid-air. I think they would have been just as surprised if I had told them I could read."

This is just the first of many such quotes that stood out to me. It's worth reading Villoso's books just for this perspective, which will resonate if you've ever been in such a situation.

Another thing I love about Villoso's world-building is that the books connect in some ways. You'll see characters you love - I almost did a little dance when I met Rosha's step-father and realized who her family was from other books I've read. I won't spoil it here, but I just want to say that I love all the little connections between the books. You can, of course, read this series all on its own, but if you've read her other series and books you'll start to make all kinds of little connections that make the experience so much more satisfying. One day, there will be timelines and fan-made wikis and analyses of all this stuff!

Going back to this specific book I'm supposed to be reviewing: Rosha's story as an outlaw mage begins when she leaves the magic school Eheldeth, with the imperative of surviving away from the prying eyes of the authorities and struggling to do magic but not overdo it as that might alert them to her whereabouts and activities, but it's also grounded in her past. We get all kinds of flashbacks and memories to her time at the school and before, showing us how she got to this point and showing us some of the formative - and traumatizing - events of her past. It all comes together wonderfully in a way that makes the book well-paced so you get action, but you also get some amazing backstory at the same time.

While all of Villoso's books have magic at the heart of them, I think this one might have more magic than the others just because of the setting at the heart of the empire of mages and main character being a mage. I really enjoyed seeing the different uses of magic, the different layers of power that get uncovered, and the exploration of forbidden magic vs. the established/accepted ways of doing magic in the empire. Great stuff. And in a way, told through Rosha's POV magic seemed to be less creepy and terrifying than it was in some of Villoso's other books. Until that ending. What an ending!! I can't wait until book 2 comes out!

[Eboni’s Tiny Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

While attending the best magic school in the country, Rosha was never given a real chance when she walked through the door. So she unfortunately dropped out and the rest was history.

There are Dageians and the Gorentens.
The Dageians acquired power through the oppression of the Gorenten people. Rosha is Gorenten and almost every door is shut in her face for that alone.

My favorite part about Villoso’s writing are the family dynamics. They’re complicated, twisted, and messy as hell. But still relatable and realistic. Her father was the definition of a scammer, his sketchy moves pushed them up the social/economic ladder but it always put Rosha in uncomfortable positions. This further complicated their relationship.

While Rosha is going through all the racism and elitism in school, her father is missing and may be part of a government conspiracy.

My second fav part of the plot were the Simulacrums, living breathing dolls to manipulate after they die. Meat puppets essentially. Remember this term because it’s very important towards the end 👀.

This is a Filipino inspired epic fantasy that is beautifully paced, with strong writing and great character development. I especially loved Rosha as a character. I can’t wait for the next installment!!

EDIT: the more I sit on it and think about it, this was a 5 star

[caro_cactus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! Villoso pulls her (justifiably grumpy) protagonist from one plot twist to the next, and I couldn't have predicted where the story would take us - although it's a lot clearer to me, subgenre-wise, when I think of it as urban fantasy. Despite the political machinations, the scope and cast are fairly intimate - and yes, "Gothic" fits very well too, family ties, secrets and traumas. I really like how clear-eyed the book is about the magic school trope - not oooo let's go dark academia and sexy, but instead bringing to like the colonial endoctrination purpose that schools have had, and arguably still do. This was very interesting and I would read more of the author, although so much happened that I don't feel compelled to read more of Rosha's story at the moment.

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL;DR Review – A wonderfully complex examination of cultural whitewashing and complicated families.

Full Review:
Outlaw Mage starts off simply: a talented young mage at a prestigious academy abandons everything because she knows she can’t possibly succeed. The world is set against her—due chiefly to her race and culture, belonging to one of the peoples conquered by the all-powerful Empire—so rather than dance to their tune any longer and be reminded of why she’d just not enough, she chooses to defy their laws and leave to become an “outlaw mage” practicing outside their regulations.
Her flight leaves her to a small town, where she builds for herself a small, safe life—a life where she has something of her own and no one to tell her what to do.
All that comes crashing down, unfortunately, when she discovers her father has gone missing, and only her magic can find him.
As the story progress, we’re drawn deeper and deeper into a complex mystery that involves old enemies, new friends, magic and monsters, and which reaches to the highest political spheres of the Empire. There is plenty to be uncovered and discovered, twists and turns that will intrigue and delight.
But where Outlaw Mage really shines is in two areas:
1) Complex family dynamics. Rosha, our MC, has two fathers—the man whose blood she carries, and his brother, who actually did the job of raising her. The differences between the two are so stark it’s almost painful when you see that the one who loves her most can never truly acknowledge her, while the one who stakes his claim to her will never love anyone as much as he loves himself. Her dynamic with her mother and her younger brothers, some of whom are nearly strangers to her, are equally messy. This is not a happy family, and seeing the tension in their every interaction is painful—yet a true testament to the author’s storytelling skills and ability to create incredibly deep characters.
2) The cultural themes. Our main character comes from a people that have been conquered by and absorbed into the Empire, but their blood makes them more attuned to magic, so they are either used as magic-wielding slaves or simply left ignored. All throughout, we see the countless ways they are whitewashed by the Empire, their culture, customs, beliefs, and practices erased—by the people themselves to “fit in” as much as by the Empire—for the sake of keeping the Imperial citizens happy and comfortable. It’s a sobering look at the dangers of Empire, how conquered peoples have no choice but to give in to this erasure in order to carve out some kind of place in a homogenous culture that repels the “outsider”.
This book is perfect for fans of Babel and Blood Over Bright Haven, who are looking for deeper themes and social commentary cleverly laid out through a well-crafted story.
Don’t go into this book expecting a fast-paced action-adventure, but prepare yourself for a truly compelling, gripping read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outlaw Mage is the start of a new series for Villoso, whose Annals of the Bitch Queen series was a delightful, bloody, character-driven read that dovetailed complex human relationships with a desire to explore the ideas and issues that make people, well, people. And, you know, also stab people a lot. On balance, I think this new book has similar strengths; the character work is top-notch, the world-building is at once intricate and organic, so it never feels like you're being infodumped, and the story certainly kept me turning pages long after I should've been in bed. There are, I think, fewer stabbings. On the other hand, there's quite a few messy magical demises in there, so it probably balances out. So that's the capsule review. Magic, cynical, smart protagonist who is slightly too jaded for her own good, an immigrant story, a family story, a story of expectations and reality, a story of fighting against a system from inside and outside it, a story with more than a few explosions. It's a great time, and you should read it.

Now, a little more in depth stuff. Full disclosure, I backed this one on Kickstarter, so I was primed to enjoy it, given Villoso's record. And, well, I did. So lets talk a bit about why.

First, I like Rosha. The protagonist of the book, she's a woman with talent. Magical talent to be precise. The sort of talent that lets you teleport around the place, or turn your enemies inside out. She's fiercely intelligent, and deeply uncompromising. She is also, at least in my view, someone who has a lot of wards up against a system that is designed to hurt her. She struggles, sometimes, to relate to people. In many ways, she wants to be left alone. But oh, is she proud. A woman who knows she's the best in her class, at the pre-eminent magical academy. Surrounded by sycophants, try-hards and political scions, all of whom will end up better positioned than she does, because of where she came from. Because Rosha is from a little-loved late-acquired portion of a fantasy Empire, a place nobody thinks about much, a place where the people are othered, not worth the time of those folks who go to, say, elite magic schools. But Rosha is definat and competent and knows what she's about. I love that for her, about her. And seeing her struggle, to try and make something of herself out of the expectations other s have set for her, and that she set for herself, that's a joy, too.; As is the life and energy and passion you can see in her when she's talking about her family, with her family. As an aside, it's lovely to just see a family like this. They're a sprawling net of squabbling, loving, hurtful, silly, murderous, wonderful people, and honestly I'd go to dinner with all of them. The dynamics there are perfect, the prodigal daughter with one foot out the door and one foot teetering over the edge of the frame, one way or the other, trying to find acceptance and herself in equal measure. Honestly, I'm doing Rosha a disservice, because there'#s so much going on beneath the surface of her story, as the book slowly unpacks he rmotivations, her past, and that of those around her. But I'm struggling to convey to you what a complex, thoughtful, fiercely angry, even more fiercely talented protagonist she is, how shaped by her past, and how huiman she is because of that, and the pain and love that those experiences encapsulate.

Also, she is, I must confess, sometimes a bit of an acid-tongued take-no-shit kind of person, and I do appreciate that.

Then there's the world. This is a world with, I'm not going to say problems, but problems. It's a world whose story is, at least currently, centred on an Empire with a capital E. An expansionist, hungry Empire. One that considers itself to be the centre of everything, that reaches out to the people and cultures around it on a self-imposed mission to civilise. Well, in between mining and logging and, you know, resource extraction from those Other places. Villoso builds up the splendor and decay of that empire wonderfully. From institutions riven through with factional infighting, to functionaries trying to get on top of things, but still trapped by their entrenched cultural biases, to a visceral, virulent, quietly hideous disdain for those who come in from the outside, couched in a language of grudging, back-handed acceptance. This is imperialism writ large, and small, a pervasive influence that you can feel coming off the page and seeping into your bones. Then there's the distant wilds, the places where an airship run by magic rolls by once a month or so, and everyone is out on the edges of what is called civilisation, trying to make a life for themselves and stay out of the way of everything that abides in liminal spaces, as well as the ever approaching boots of the local Authority. And as you're washing through the clear streams and rude log cabins and neighbours with a pie on the window sill and just a little casual racism in their heart of hearts, you're off to the towering ivory spires of an elite institution, which happens to train people to use magic, while also helping them learn how to run an empire. As long as they don't forget their place, their constraints, the system that put them there and could remove them if it felt the impersonal need to do so - or a personal one, come to that. The empire is a facade of institutions wrapped around power and wealth and a set of lies it tries to tell itself in the dark of night about who it is, and, wow does that all feel very familiar to me in terms of lived experience. This is how things used to be, not that long ago, out here off the page - and you can feel the same energy here, building a world that's rich and exploitative and violent in the abstract and the practical, even as it manages to be the biggest, nearly the only game in town. This is a world that feels real, and Villoso is unafraid to explore what that means.

The story...well, I don't want to spoil it, honestly. Because there's moment sin there that made me laugh out loud. And twists that made me blink, and mentally rearrange my idea of what was going on. And quiet moments of honesty and intimacy and pain that come off the page at you like knives and kisses in a roll of words. Suffice to say, it's a story that has a lot to say, and tells itself well. You should read it, because it's one of the best things I've read this year, and I want everyone else to get the chance to feel how this made me feel. Do it.

[RenegadeReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good! I meant to have it read by the release date since the author was kind enough to send me an ARC. I loved the magic system. It was interesting following a character that is apathetic and somewhat self destructive. She messes up in her exams and then walks out. She’s not a “good person” but she begrudgingly helps people. This book also delves into colonization and the effects of that as well as race.

I liked that it felt with those topics while also bringing you into this world of magic, danger, corruption, and politics. The empire is corrupt but there is a lot of mystery about what is going on and who is behind it.

There’s so much going on in the story as we follow Rosha. Sometimes it seems a little like whiplash with going one way and then BAM something else happens to thicken the plot, but not in a bad way. It seemed it was building the story but also giving more questions Al than answers a lot of the time.

It was also interesting to see how she continued to use relationships between characters that did not or do not get along and had them dealing with it. She brought characters into play that I really did not expect and was really fresh.

My only critique is that it seemed some of the final touches weren’t in this yet (because it’s an ARC) so that is totally expected and understandable. I think the final version will be more polished and it’s a great story nonetheless!

I can’t wait to continue to follow this story.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great one from Villoso. After reading the Legacy of the Lost Mage series, I knew Rosha deserved her own story, and what a story it is. I love the commentary on colonialism here, as well as what it feels like to be a POC and a child of immigrants whose family had sacrificed a lot to make a better life for her in a predominantly white institution like Eheldeth, as well as in the whole Dageian Empire. Main takeaway: colonizers may appear to accept you (albeit begrudgingly), as long as you don’t threaten them too much, and they’ll make sure they’ll keep you in your supposed place.

I really love Rosha as a character. I love her complicated feelings about everything she goes through, especially her complicated feelings about her family.

As always, Villoso creates a riveting ending, yet since it’s the first book, she’s not going to explain everything right now. Would definitely like more details with regards to what happened to her and Felan. 👀

And the whole thing with the simulacrums was creepy, though a goofy part of me thought it reminded me of Weekend at Bernie’s, especially when she was traveling with one and calling it “Grandfather.”

Looking forward to the next book.

[Eric Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosha had a hard time fitting in. Her uncontrolled magic led to a tragic accident. To harness her and her developing gifts, she was sent to the most prestigious academy for aspiring mages in the kingdom. Her classmates and teachers saw her as an outsider. Even though she was top of her class, she ran away from school during her final exams. Now seen as an outlaw, she lives outside the fringes of society, but her father’s disappearance brings her back home. Rosha takes on the persona of a powerful sorcerer to reunite her family.

Outlaw Mage: A Magical School Dropout’s Adventure: The Dageian Puppetmaster is the first book in a new series by K.S. Villoso. With a compelling main character, Villoso leads the reader on a magical adventure. This fantasy is filled with shadowy intrigue and hidden conspiracies around every turn. Even though the drama is not action-packed, Villoso’s tale is engaging and entertaining. This is a brilliant read. Fans looking for an epic magical fantasy with a strong female lead and a dark plot will be enthralled.

This review was originally published at https://portlandbookreview.com/produc...

[Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I backed this book on Kickstarter about a year ago. I'd read and moderately enjoyed KS Villoso's trad-pub Chronicles of the Bitch-Queen trilogy a few years ago, and wanted to give her another chance. Though overall I think this book is pretty solid, I've realized that some elements of Villoso's writing style just don't really work for me. The story is almost too fast-paced, and impactful moments and action scenes are consistently undermined by nonchalant, pedestrian delivery. Many elements of the plot strain credulity with their convenience or world-spanning import. On the other hand, the protagonist's complex relationships and family history are slowly revealed in an interesting way, and I appreciated the themes of identity and colonialism. For fans of her previous work, I can recommend this book - I think it's stronger overall than the Bitch-Queen trilogy.

[Charles Rosenau · Rating 5 out of 5]

It kept me up very late into the night 🌙...

This was like seeing the people who do not care about anyone but themselves and how easy it was to rationalize that no one else really didn't matter .

The characters, the good and bad people, were exalent and well portrayed.

Like living your own life in the realities of this book !

Well written and paced throughout !

Was a well thought story to read !

Recommend you give it a try because somehow it was like alive in its pathways of people's lives !

Never could see what was around the next bend throughout the entire book !

Only read book one -> but about to get into book numbers two -->>

Got to see this one through !

Recommend picking this one up !

Charles R.

[Bev Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really tried but it read like a fleshed out outline. Plot twists weren’t well-explained or telegraphed. Dialogue went from point a to point z without making any sense. Conversations didn’t flow. I got hooked for one bit there in the middle where Rosha was trying to figure out what was happening at Lord Cato’s house. I hoped the story would pick up from there and become more coherent. But instead, it fell back into the same confusing, roughly organized mess as the beginning. The concept was interesting and I felt like there was a story here. But the character didn’t read coherently or behave in understandable ways. And the whole book really felt like a string of plot points that the author couldn’t quite figure out how to connect.

[Trina Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosha is ready. She's one of the most dedicated and smart students in the school magic. She has not had it easy, shes always been an outsider. She's not like the others. Yet she does not care. In the beginning of the book, we set the scene in the end of the year - trials and finals. Only - things do not quite go right and we walk out. Literally, we walk out of the finals and don't look back. This leads to needing to find a place in the world where she can hide out and make a life for herself outside of the mages council. She successfully does this for a time, years pass and one might think this could be a cosy story of a life made outside of the norm.
Nope.
Her father had spent years making shady business deals, which lands him missing. Rosha is found by her family and brought back in hopes to help her family. This leads her into the employ of a rich sorcerer whom is her fathers last known connection - and the world and ALL of it's shady backdrop begins to unravel. Meanwhile, she is faced with some of her own past, not just her families and we are taken on a adventure of misleading, impersonations, empire changing and life threatening situations - all to save her family. This story is not complete and I will be finishing the next book to see what happens.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing beginning to a new series. Rosha tries very hard to fit in, but it doesn’t seem to work. Her magic is different, her Father’s in trouble, what more could go wrong. Intriguing, superb fantasy to keep you reading. Received a free copy and reviewed because I absolutely loved every bit of the book.

[Kris]

DNF. Early into the book I noticed myself wanting to skip whole paragraphs because it was a slow start and there was a lot of world building and background being thrown at the reader. I can see how other readers could find themselves engaged, but I struggled with caring enough to continue the journey; there are too many other books out there to try out. This was a pass for me.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was instantly drawn into this book and the world it inhabits. The characters were all fun to learn about and the fact that most lived in the murky world of the morally grey was a welcome change to those books where some protagonists and antagonists were overtly GOOD or BAD.

I am eagerly awaiting my chance to dive into the sequel!

[Donna Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story to start with

This was a good story with many twists and turns. But it did ramble on a bit and got very confusing and unsatisfying at the end. I won't be reading any further books in this series.

[Paul Guinnessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent piece of writing that pulls you along. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Zaravive]

Dnf at 35% for no particular reason other than it wasn't for me.
I hope other people enjoy it more :)

[Lisandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,7 estrelas
pra mim é livro único, só esse ta bom ksks

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this was so good, the sequel cant come out soon enough.