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The Scorched Earth #1
The Canopy Keepers
What happens when nature will no longer stand by and accept its destruction? A female fire chief discovers an ancient world rooted with secrets that can save—or destroy—in the newest fantasy by Veronica G. Henry, author of Bacchanal.
Beneath the forest floor, they watch…
Syrah Carthan doesn’t know why she accepted a job as the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, where, decades earlier, a forest fire killed her parents. That day, her brother, Romelo, disappeared, as if pulled into the scorched earth itself. Syrah has always had an uncanny affinity for the natural wonders of the park she protects, but after she sanctions a prescribed burn that goes terribly wrong, she quits her position in disgrace.
However, when another devastating wildfire breaks out, Syrah, reluctantly pulled back into action, discovers an unknown world that has existed underground since the beginning of time. This secret society, built around the forest’s complex root system, is now divided into two factions. One is ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker. The other by a mysterious undoer, who’s determined to wage war on humanity. Through him, nature can retaliate and wipe out the earth’s careless ravagers for good.
Torn between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice—one that will change both her destiny and that of the world above and below forever.
Beneath the forest floor, they watch…
Syrah Carthan doesn’t know why she accepted a job as the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, where, decades earlier, a forest fire killed her parents. That day, her brother, Romelo, disappeared, as if pulled into the scorched earth itself. Syrah has always had an uncanny affinity for the natural wonders of the park she protects, but after she sanctions a prescribed burn that goes terribly wrong, she quits her position in disgrace.
However, when another devastating wildfire breaks out, Syrah, reluctantly pulled back into action, discovers an unknown world that has existed underground since the beginning of time. This secret society, built around the forest’s complex root system, is now divided into two factions. One is ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker. The other by a mysterious undoer, who’s determined to wage war on humanity. Through him, nature can retaliate and wipe out the earth’s careless ravagers for good.
Torn between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice—one that will change both her destiny and that of the world above and below forever.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2024
4747 people are currently reading
8985 people want to read
About the author
Veronica G. Henry
13 books505 followersVeronica G. Henry is the author of Bacchanal, The Quarter Storm, and The Foreign Exchange in the Mambo Reina series.
Her work has debuted at #1 on multiple Amazon bestseller charts, was chosen as an editors’ pick for Best African American Fantasy, and shortlisted for the Manly Wade Wellman Award.
She is a Viable Paradise alum and a member of SFWA and MWA. Her stories have appeared, or are forthcoming, in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and FIYAH Literary Magazine.
Her work has debuted at #1 on multiple Amazon bestseller charts, was chosen as an editors’ pick for Best African American Fantasy, and shortlisted for the Manly Wade Wellman Award.
She is a Viable Paradise alum and a member of SFWA and MWA. Her stories have appeared, or are forthcoming, in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and FIYAH Literary Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 462 reviews
February 17, 2024
For reference 3 stars is a good rating for me. (See Below)
I loved the premise of this book. It was an interesting concept and well thought out. However, I’m not a big fan of our protagonist, Syrah. She spent the entire book bouncing between fear, pitting herself or bordering on rage. I never could find myself caring for her. The rest of the characters were much more engaging although we really never got to know much about any of them. Glad I read this and will probably give the next book a try to see if the characters evolve.
My ranking rules:
5-star (*****) EXCEPTIONAL: Faultless; awe-inspiring; humbling; a good ambassador for the genre, deserving broad readership; potentially a classic of the genre.
4-star (****) EXCELLENT: Highly recommended; difficult to fault; completely satisfying.
3-star (***) GOOD: A really good read and thoroughly enjoyable; time well spent; minor and few misgivings.
2-star (**) OK: Unlikely to inspire or to offend; ultimately doesn't measure up to the broader body of work in the genre, and therefore may disappoint.
1-star (*) POOR: Life-shortening, ineffective, rife with error and a waste of ink (whether on physical- or e-paper).
I loved the premise of this book. It was an interesting concept and well thought out. However, I’m not a big fan of our protagonist, Syrah. She spent the entire book bouncing between fear, pitting herself or bordering on rage. I never could find myself caring for her. The rest of the characters were much more engaging although we really never got to know much about any of them. Glad I read this and will probably give the next book a try to see if the characters evolve.
My ranking rules:
5-star (*****) EXCEPTIONAL: Faultless; awe-inspiring; humbling; a good ambassador for the genre, deserving broad readership; potentially a classic of the genre.
4-star (****) EXCELLENT: Highly recommended; difficult to fault; completely satisfying.
3-star (***) GOOD: A really good read and thoroughly enjoyable; time well spent; minor and few misgivings.
2-star (**) OK: Unlikely to inspire or to offend; ultimately doesn't measure up to the broader body of work in the genre, and therefore may disappoint.
1-star (*) POOR: Life-shortening, ineffective, rife with error and a waste of ink (whether on physical- or e-paper).
March 21, 2024
A thought-provoking story about the effects humans have on nature.
I do wish the characters were more substantial so I could connect to them more, and the writing style took a while to get used to. The ‘romance’ was a bit random. She fell in love on sight without having a conversation with a man, had minimal dialogue with him, and we never found out what happened to his character—he was kind of forgotten about?
The main part I didn’t like was when the MC discovered a potential war happening between the Keepers of the Forest and humans. Smack bang in the middle of this, for whatever reason, she spends five chapters on a journey of self-discovery? Basically faffing around with a very long internal monologue without actually doing anything about this so-called war.
I really did learn a lot about trees though, and it is a very introspective story with an important message about respecting nature and the effects humans can have on the environment. Something we all need to be reminded of. The story itself was pretty emotional in places. I just needed something….more?
I do wish the characters were more substantial so I could connect to them more, and the writing style took a while to get used to. The ‘romance’ was a bit random. She fell in love on sight without having a conversation with a man, had minimal dialogue with him, and we never found out what happened to his character—he was kind of forgotten about?
The main part I didn’t like was when the MC discovered a potential war happening between the Keepers of the Forest and humans. Smack bang in the middle of this, for whatever reason, she spends five chapters on a journey of self-discovery? Basically faffing around with a very long internal monologue without actually doing anything about this so-called war.
I really did learn a lot about trees though, and it is a very introspective story with an important message about respecting nature and the effects humans can have on the environment. Something we all need to be reminded of. The story itself was pretty emotional in places. I just needed something….more?
September 26, 2023
This was an interesting piece of work. I loved how the author introduced the concept of the protectors of the Giants and the forest. The tension between them and the 'topsiders' was felt throughout the story. Unfortunately, the slow pacing in the beginning made it hard to get into. It did have elements I loved, like nature and the main characters' drive to protect the forest. However, something was missing from the characters' interactions with each other. Even though their dialogue represented a real-world problem, it came off bland instead of sparking the needed outrage and passion that it was supposed to. The author had a good idea and potential in her book as she did a great job with the worldbuilding. The only thing that would have taken it to the next level would be her characters being more fleshed out and someone the reader could connect with.
Note: A big thank you to NetGalley for giving me a digital copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
Note: A big thank you to NetGalley for giving me a digital copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2024
I loved the concept of this book. The idea of a hidden tree society that is now fighting back against human carelessness is really cool, but unfortunately it wasn't executed as well as it could have been.
The start of the book was captivating. I liked seeing Syrah at her firefighter job, and we hopped between time and place in a way that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, as the book went on, the writing lost some of his charm. Syrah's narration became repetitive and circular, where she would go over the same points and realizations constantly without any real catalyst moving us forward. It almost felt like the author was forgetting the stuff that had been written previously, which made a lot of the plot unclear.
None of the characters were as dynamic as they should have been. Their motivations and desires weren't explored that deeply, despite having fascinating concepts. Particularly Syrah and the leaders of the Canopy Keepers. I wish the author would've played around with their different perspectives on more than just a surface level. Everything just was, which is a shame in a book that is so deeply entangled in a lot of engaging ethical questions.
My biggest issue with the book was the way the nature topics were debated amongst the characters. The villain was incredibly short-sided, and I believe that was intentional (we love an anti-hero), but Syrah never really brought forth a more logical stance. I don't want to spoil it, but in a book that forces us to reckon with humanity's crimes against the planet, pretty much the entire ethical debate boils down to "murder is bad." I kept wishing we'd dig more into the issue and acknowledge some of the nuances involved in each character's arguments, but we never did.
I suppose that was the book's biggest flaw. For as interested as I was in the story, we never explored anything beyond its most basic form. Nobody put forth an argument that was new or particularly compelling beyond its inherent stakes. I really just wanted more.
As far as the writing itself, I go back and forth. I praised the book a lot at the beginning for its unique metaphors and illustrative prose, but by the end it started to feel somewhat gimmicky. Individual passages were beautiful, but as a whole it was too flowery (pun intended).
This book was not bad. I wanted to keep reading, and the roots (hehe) of the story were good. I just wish the execution had matched up to my expectations. However, I still enjoyed my time reading.
The start of the book was captivating. I liked seeing Syrah at her firefighter job, and we hopped between time and place in a way that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, as the book went on, the writing lost some of his charm. Syrah's narration became repetitive and circular, where she would go over the same points and realizations constantly without any real catalyst moving us forward. It almost felt like the author was forgetting the stuff that had been written previously, which made a lot of the plot unclear.
None of the characters were as dynamic as they should have been. Their motivations and desires weren't explored that deeply, despite having fascinating concepts. Particularly Syrah and the leaders of the Canopy Keepers. I wish the author would've played around with their different perspectives on more than just a surface level. Everything just was, which is a shame in a book that is so deeply entangled in a lot of engaging ethical questions.
My biggest issue with the book was the way the nature topics were debated amongst the characters. The villain was incredibly short-sided, and I believe that was intentional (we love an anti-hero), but Syrah never really brought forth a more logical stance. I don't want to spoil it, but in a book that forces us to reckon with humanity's crimes against the planet, pretty much the entire ethical debate boils down to "murder is bad." I kept wishing we'd dig more into the issue and acknowledge some of the nuances involved in each character's arguments, but we never did.
I suppose that was the book's biggest flaw. For as interested as I was in the story, we never explored anything beyond its most basic form. Nobody put forth an argument that was new or particularly compelling beyond its inherent stakes. I really just wanted more.
As far as the writing itself, I go back and forth. I praised the book a lot at the beginning for its unique metaphors and illustrative prose, but by the end it started to feel somewhat gimmicky. Individual passages were beautiful, but as a whole it was too flowery (pun intended).
This book was not bad. I wanted to keep reading, and the roots (hehe) of the story were good. I just wish the execution had matched up to my expectations. However, I still enjoyed my time reading.
January 12, 2025
An intriguing story about Syrah, a firefighter who is connected in many ways to Sequoia National Park. The giant Sequoia's themselves, aka the Canopy Keepers house a parallel world of human-like people who live underground in Rhiza, who work to save trees and try to counteract all the destruction by humans, including fire. Coincidentally, the Palisades fires in California are destructively tearing their way through and a lot of this is addressed in the book. I liked the callouts of the connectivity of plants and trees as it reminded me of a lot of The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World. I think that this is what saved the book for me as I could not understand a lot of Syrah's decisions and had a hard time connecting emotionally to most of the characters. They seemed to be caricatures of what is expected by certain people instead of individualized personalities.
May 8, 2024
I didn't want to give this one 1 star, but it was such a torturous slog to get through that I just couldn't justify anything else. Lawd, this is just awful. It was one of those books that makes the act of reading feel like such a chore that you question whether or not you actually like books at all.
Sequoia National Park is my favorite of all the parks I have visited. The Giants are truly the most awe-inspiring life form I've ever encountered and being in their presence is a life changing experience. How could a book set in such a place about such trees possibly be bad?
A meandering, incoherent plot, paper thin characters - including a main character who I actually hated by the end, wince-inducing writing, plot points that are never resolved - biggest standout being Syrah's odd, instant forever love just being... forgotten? I don't know. What a mess. I think the IDEA here is excellent, but an editor and/or ghost writer were badly needed.
I'm glad I got this one for free from Amazon.
Sequoia National Park is my favorite of all the parks I have visited. The Giants are truly the most awe-inspiring life form I've ever encountered and being in their presence is a life changing experience. How could a book set in such a place about such trees possibly be bad?
A meandering, incoherent plot, paper thin characters - including a main character who I actually hated by the end, wince-inducing writing, plot points that are never resolved - biggest standout being Syrah's odd, instant forever love just being... forgotten? I don't know. What a mess. I think the IDEA here is excellent, but an editor and/or ghost writer were badly needed.
I'm glad I got this one for free from Amazon.
August 19, 2024
Nature fights back in this YA science-fiction fantasy.
The Canopy Keepers by Veronica G. Henry is a young adult / teen novel about the future: the future of our planet, people and it's trees.what will happen when all the great trees are gone?
Syrah and her brother were separated from their parents by a raging forest fire started by humans. Her brother, Romelo, is injured and taken below, disappearing.
Years later Syrah is still chasing the flames that took her family from her. Back in her old haunt, she weeds her way into an underground full of people protecting nature and much like humanity some of them want to fix their problems with violence and leading that war was Romelo, warped by his own need for vengeance.
A good story, easy to read and I had fun with it
Good one.
The Canopy Keepers by Veronica G. Henry is a young adult / teen novel about the future: the future of our planet, people and it's trees.what will happen when all the great trees are gone?
Syrah and her brother were separated from their parents by a raging forest fire started by humans. Her brother, Romelo, is injured and taken below, disappearing.
Years later Syrah is still chasing the flames that took her family from her. Back in her old haunt, she weeds her way into an underground full of people protecting nature and much like humanity some of them want to fix their problems with violence and leading that war was Romelo, warped by his own need for vengeance.
A good story, easy to read and I had fun with it
Good one.
February 25, 2024
Blew my mind…suspense with a storyline I’ve never entertained before! The creativity around a whole population of beings underground protecting the giant sequoias (other trees, root systems, etc)- was very impressive. Plus there are ‘humans’ topside with their perceptions to be explored too. Unexpected twists throughout!
July 10, 2024
Rating: 4 stars
I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed Bacchanal. I liked the concepts even if a few seemed a bit too fantastical. But the mixture of fantasy and nature conservation worked for me.
SUMMARY: Syrah Carthan doesn’t know why she accepted a job as the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, where decades earlier, a forest fire killed her parents. That day, her brother, Romelo, disappeared, as if pulled into the scorched earth itself. Syrah has always had an uncanny affinity for the natural wonders of the park she protects, but after she sanctions a prescribed burn that goes terribly wrong, she quits her position in disgrace.
However, when another devastating wildfire breaks out, Syrah, reluctantly pulled back into action, discovers an unknown world that has existed underground since the beginning of time. This secret society, built around the forest’s complex root system, is now divided into two factions. One is ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker. The other by a mysterious undoer, who’s determined to wage war on humanity. Through him, nature can retaliate and wipe out the earth’s careless ravagers for good. Torn between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice—one that will change both her destiny and that of the world above and below forever.
I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed Bacchanal. I liked the concepts even if a few seemed a bit too fantastical. But the mixture of fantasy and nature conservation worked for me.
SUMMARY: Syrah Carthan doesn’t know why she accepted a job as the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, where decades earlier, a forest fire killed her parents. That day, her brother, Romelo, disappeared, as if pulled into the scorched earth itself. Syrah has always had an uncanny affinity for the natural wonders of the park she protects, but after she sanctions a prescribed burn that goes terribly wrong, she quits her position in disgrace.
However, when another devastating wildfire breaks out, Syrah, reluctantly pulled back into action, discovers an unknown world that has existed underground since the beginning of time. This secret society, built around the forest’s complex root system, is now divided into two factions. One is ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker. The other by a mysterious undoer, who’s determined to wage war on humanity. Through him, nature can retaliate and wipe out the earth’s careless ravagers for good. Torn between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice—one that will change both her destiny and that of the world above and below forever.
July 7, 2024
Really not sure what to say about this book?
The premise was fascinating. The execution? …not so sure. Definitely times that felt like forced storytelling rather than a natural consequence. After about a third of the book/halfway or so, I began to feel disconnected from the story in that I couldn’t understand some of the plot points/characters’ actions. What really resolved? I guess it’s an ongoing battle, yes, but..
I just didn’t love the plot arcs I guess.
Love the sequoias and agree that humans just need to be BETTER. Will be curious to see how the planet will be faring in 18 years, when this story takes place.
The premise was fascinating. The execution? …not so sure. Definitely times that felt like forced storytelling rather than a natural consequence. After about a third of the book/halfway or so, I began to feel disconnected from the story in that I couldn’t understand some of the plot points/characters’ actions. What really resolved? I guess it’s an ongoing battle, yes, but..
I just didn’t love the plot arcs I guess.
Love the sequoias and agree that humans just need to be BETTER. Will be curious to see how the planet will be faring in 18 years, when this story takes place.
August 10, 2024
Found this book because the second instalment was available on NetGalley.
I really quite enjoyed this! The concept was interesting and close enough to reality to hook me but also imaginative and interesting.
The pacing was a little off and almost every character except for Dane is mostly unlikeable but overall it was an interesting book and quite well written.
Excited to read the second!
I really quite enjoyed this! The concept was interesting and close enough to reality to hook me but also imaginative and interesting.
The pacing was a little off and almost every character except for Dane is mostly unlikeable but overall it was an interesting book and quite well written.
Excited to read the second!
February 9, 2025
I think the concept was very good but the book came out mid. The story is jumbled and the main character isn’t likable at all, she’s impulsive and rage motivated with nothing resembles depth by the end of the book. The supporting characters are well thought out but overall I won’t continue the story.
April 1, 2024
From the synopsis on Amazon: What happens when nature will no longer stand by and accept its destruction? A female fire chief discovers an ancient world rooted with secrets that can save―or destroy―in the newest fantasy by Veronica G. Henry, author of Bacchanal.
Beneath the forest floor, they watch…
Syrah Carthan doesn’t know why she accepted a job as the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, where, decades earlier, a forest fire killed her parents. That day, her brother, Romelo, disappeared, as if pulled into the scorched earth itself. Syrah has always had an uncanny affinity for the natural wonders of the park she protects, but after she sanctions a prescribed burn that goes terribly wrong, she quits her position in disgrace.
However, when another devastating wildfire breaks out, Syrah, reluctantly pulled back into action, discovers an unknown world that has existed underground since the beginning of time. This secret society, built around the forest’s complex root system, is now divided into two factions. One is ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker. The other by a mysterious undoer, who’s determined to wage war on humanity. Through him, nature can retaliate and wipe out the earth’s careless ravagers for good.
Torn between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice―one that will change both her destiny and that of the world above and below forever.
There is nothing I like less than being preached at in a book I picked up for 'entertainment'. There's a lot of good stuff here, some of it really informative and exciting. But, and this is a really big 'but' for me, she devotes whole sections to a character slamming humans and basically deciding we ought to be wiped off the face of the earth.
I enjoyed the scenes with Syrah and Uncle Dane; I enjoyed the fire-fighting scenes. I didn't enjoy dwelling on the attitude of the firefighters toward having a black woman as Chief quite so much and she really seemed to stress the problems. Really don't know why the Forest Service would have dropped her into an all-male unit that already had a guy with the experience needed and make her Chief. They should have realized there'd be some resentment no matter how good she was or how much experience at other parks she had. Why couldn't they have assigned her as 2nd in command instead?
The scenes underground in Rizah and the society there are really good. Interesting the way even there they can't always agree on how to do anything. Supposedly, there'll be a second book out shortly. Not sure I'll bother reading it, though.
Beneath the forest floor, they watch…
Syrah Carthan doesn’t know why she accepted a job as the first female fire chief at Sequoia National Park, where, decades earlier, a forest fire killed her parents. That day, her brother, Romelo, disappeared, as if pulled into the scorched earth itself. Syrah has always had an uncanny affinity for the natural wonders of the park she protects, but after she sanctions a prescribed burn that goes terribly wrong, she quits her position in disgrace.
However, when another devastating wildfire breaks out, Syrah, reluctantly pulled back into action, discovers an unknown world that has existed underground since the beginning of time. This secret society, built around the forest’s complex root system, is now divided into two factions. One is ruled by the Keeper, the giant sequoias’ benevolent caretaker. The other by a mysterious undoer, who’s determined to wage war on humanity. Through him, nature can retaliate and wipe out the earth’s careless ravagers for good.
Torn between human loyalty and preserving the delicate balance of nature, Syrah must make a choice―one that will change both her destiny and that of the world above and below forever.
There is nothing I like less than being preached at in a book I picked up for 'entertainment'. There's a lot of good stuff here, some of it really informative and exciting. But, and this is a really big 'but' for me, she devotes whole sections to a character slamming humans and basically deciding we ought to be wiped off the face of the earth.
I enjoyed the scenes with Syrah and Uncle Dane; I enjoyed the fire-fighting scenes. I didn't enjoy dwelling on the attitude of the firefighters toward having a black woman as Chief quite so much and she really seemed to stress the problems. Really don't know why the Forest Service would have dropped her into an all-male unit that already had a guy with the experience needed and make her Chief. They should have realized there'd be some resentment no matter how good she was or how much experience at other parks she had. Why couldn't they have assigned her as 2nd in command instead?
The scenes underground in Rizah and the society there are really good. Interesting the way even there they can't always agree on how to do anything. Supposedly, there'll be a second book out shortly. Not sure I'll bother reading it, though.
March 8, 2024
Really slow pacing. Took too long to read because I kept getting bored of the story. Had an interesting set up and world system, but left too much unanswered.
January 16, 2025
3.5⭐️ pretty slow beginning I only got interested towards the middle… interesting fantasy but it was lacking something for me.
March 7, 2024
I loved this! The setting in Sequoia National Park and a character who is a park ranger and another who is a firefighter, both working to preserve the park and fighting wildfires, was interesting in itself. But then the backstory and the bits of fantasy were a perfect addition. I enjoyed the idea that trees communicate. I read the same thing in The Overstory and found it intriguing. The underworld felt like it could almost be real. The only thing I didn’t care for were parts of the ending, particularly in regard to Syrah’s family. But I look forward to Part 2. I wish it was available now!
(First Reads February ‘24)
(First Reads February ‘24)
March 24, 2024
An interesting and creative story—original and thought-provoking, but ultimately unsatisfying in multiple ways. Protagonist is unlikeable. Conclusion is vague. Dialogue is stilted. Explanation of dynamics/mechanics is incomplete.
August 13, 2024
I'm not quite sure why, but it took me months to finish this book. I kept setting it aside, reading other things, and then eventually picking it back up again.
I've read far worse books that I’ve managed to get through, but there was something about this one that just didn’t captivate me.
Let’s start with the positives. I love the premise of the book. I appreciated that it’s set in the future, but not so far ahead that it feels unrealistic. The concept of communication links between the trees was also fascinating—especially since it’s not just fiction. We know that trees use networks of fungi to communicate, so this was an intriguing aspect.
However, I struggled to connect with any of the characters. Syrah, the protagonist, was particularly frustrating. She came across as incredibly self-centred, and some of her decisions felt so irrational that I found it hard to root for her throughout the story.
The brother-sister relationship didn’t resonate with me either. I didn’t feel any strong emotions towards them, nor did I care enough to take sides.
On the upside, I did like the uncle—he was a redeeming feature in the book.
Overall, I’m glad I finally finished it because there were definitely good moments scattered throughout. I just wish I had felt more positively towards the main characters.
I've read far worse books that I’ve managed to get through, but there was something about this one that just didn’t captivate me.
Let’s start with the positives. I love the premise of the book. I appreciated that it’s set in the future, but not so far ahead that it feels unrealistic. The concept of communication links between the trees was also fascinating—especially since it’s not just fiction. We know that trees use networks of fungi to communicate, so this was an intriguing aspect.
However, I struggled to connect with any of the characters. Syrah, the protagonist, was particularly frustrating. She came across as incredibly self-centred, and some of her decisions felt so irrational that I found it hard to root for her throughout the story.
The brother-sister relationship didn’t resonate with me either. I didn’t feel any strong emotions towards them, nor did I care enough to take sides.
On the upside, I did like the uncle—he was a redeeming feature in the book.
Overall, I’m glad I finally finished it because there were definitely good moments scattered throughout. I just wish I had felt more positively towards the main characters.
January 10, 2025
I thought it was a little crazy that I read this book during the LA fires. I really wanted to love this book and the first chapters drew me in however I kept getting let down. I loved the idea of being mindful of things we do can hurt nature and our environment. My favorite part had to be when they were discussing how the trees could “talk” and let them know they were being hurt. I couldn’t connect to the FMC and found her to be quite annoying as well as her adopted parents. Some parts were just too long and it felt like the story took too long to progress of meeting the Canopy Keepers, randomly falling in love with someone she had 1 conversation with, and becoming the hero. Overall it was okay.
November 18, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the eArc copy of this book.
It was quite an emotional read. It took a bit to adjust to the style of writing. The changes were unique and pleasant. The themes are intense and quite moving.
I'm not entirely sure how to rate the book. Would I read it again? Probably not. But would I recommend it. Sure, if you like thought provoking reads.
It was quite an emotional read. It took a bit to adjust to the style of writing. The changes were unique and pleasant. The themes are intense and quite moving.
I'm not entirely sure how to rate the book. Would I read it again? Probably not. But would I recommend it. Sure, if you like thought provoking reads.
January 6, 2025
Yikes. I had to DNF this one, not sure how it had 4 overall stars. I gave it 2 because the concept itself was cool but the writing was soooo clunky. I couldn't.
April 19, 2025
I did enjoy some of the fantasy elements. It wasn’t very carefully thought out (none of this book was), but I would have happily read an encyclopedia entry with the information about Rhiza.
The characters were miserable and their motivations were incomprehensible. The plot was tedious and thankfully moved reasonably quickly.
There’s something that happens towards the beginning of the book that I want to pick apart some. The main character loses her mind when some firefighters tell a mildly sexual joke in her presence. I get it, I don’t quite fit in anywhere and have been othered in many ways, but her reaction here feels particularly classist.
I wouldn’t be remotely perturbed by being upset at some office drone middle manager telling the same joke. But firefighters? It’s a different culture. Rural firefighters? I can’t tell you how many coworkers have never heard of micro aggressions, coming from another high-education but still culturally blue-collar job.
It got me thinking about how easily environmentalism slips into being classist as well. There are plenty of signs of that later in the book, once I was keyed into it. It’s part of what I respect most about Muir’s outreach (who manages to never get name dropped here). He didn’t condescend, and wanted to make sure that everyone got to enjoy the National Parks. When he would make concessions, his purpose in doing so was to enhance park accessibility.
Anyways, if you’re looking for National Parks as keywords in your local library, and find this book, hoping it could be a fun Parks-related adventure to whet your appetite: don’t. It isn’t.
The characters were miserable and their motivations were incomprehensible. The plot was tedious and thankfully moved reasonably quickly.
There’s something that happens towards the beginning of the book that I want to pick apart some. The main character loses her mind when some firefighters tell a mildly sexual joke in her presence. I get it, I don’t quite fit in anywhere and have been othered in many ways, but her reaction here feels particularly classist.
I wouldn’t be remotely perturbed by being upset at some office drone middle manager telling the same joke. But firefighters? It’s a different culture. Rural firefighters? I can’t tell you how many coworkers have never heard of micro aggressions, coming from another high-education but still culturally blue-collar job.
It got me thinking about how easily environmentalism slips into being classist as well. There are plenty of signs of that later in the book, once I was keyed into it. It’s part of what I respect most about Muir’s outreach (who manages to never get name dropped here). He didn’t condescend, and wanted to make sure that everyone got to enjoy the National Parks. When he would make concessions, his purpose in doing so was to enhance park accessibility.
Anyways, if you’re looking for National Parks as keywords in your local library, and find this book, hoping it could be a fun Parks-related adventure to whet your appetite: don’t. It isn’t.
October 5, 2025
Táto kniha v sebe ukrýva originálny príbeh a dôležitú tému v spojení s fantasy prvkami.
Celou knihou sa tiahne téma životného prostredia a to ako veľmi sme to my ľudia pokašľali. Pre mňa to bolo vďaka tomu veľmi zaujímavé, je to poučné, ale zároveň pretkané dejom. Skvelý spôsob ako dostať tak dôležitú tému k čo najviac ľuďom.
Zápletka, okolo ktorej sa točil dej bola fakt zaujímavá, len mi to prišlo tak trochu nedotiahnuté, poriadne nevyvinuté, veľkú časť knihy sme sa točili na jednom mieste a kým sme prešli k akcii, tak dokonca nám ostávalo len niekoľko kapitol. To je veľkú škoda, keďže samotný príbeh má veľký potenciál. Aj postavy neboli také rozpracované aby ste si k nim dokázali vybudovať nejaký vzťah, aj keď ja som si niekoľko z nich obľúbila, ale miestami som nevedela, čo si mám o nich myslieť. Aj niektoré momenty, ktoré sa tam udiali boli zvláštne, nie veľmi rozpracované alebo akoby ich autorka tam chcela mať, ale zároveň ich nevedela dobre umiestniť do príbehu a rozpracovať ich.
Páčilo sa mi ku koncu knihy konflikt, ktorý nastal. Ako bojovali dve skupiny Strážcov korún, pretože mali rozdielny pohľad na to, ako vyriešiť situáciu s vyhynutim obrov (stromov). Tie akčné scény boli napínavé a dobrodružné a naozaj škoda, že sa niečo takéto nedialo väčšiu časť knihy.
Avšak je to kniha, ktorá bola dobrá, mala nedostatky, ale originálne spracovanie, fantasy prvky, dôležitú tému.
Celou knihou sa tiahne téma životného prostredia a to ako veľmi sme to my ľudia pokašľali. Pre mňa to bolo vďaka tomu veľmi zaujímavé, je to poučné, ale zároveň pretkané dejom. Skvelý spôsob ako dostať tak dôležitú tému k čo najviac ľuďom.
Zápletka, okolo ktorej sa točil dej bola fakt zaujímavá, len mi to prišlo tak trochu nedotiahnuté, poriadne nevyvinuté, veľkú časť knihy sme sa točili na jednom mieste a kým sme prešli k akcii, tak dokonca nám ostávalo len niekoľko kapitol. To je veľkú škoda, keďže samotný príbeh má veľký potenciál. Aj postavy neboli také rozpracované aby ste si k nim dokázali vybudovať nejaký vzťah, aj keď ja som si niekoľko z nich obľúbila, ale miestami som nevedela, čo si mám o nich myslieť. Aj niektoré momenty, ktoré sa tam udiali boli zvláštne, nie veľmi rozpracované alebo akoby ich autorka tam chcela mať, ale zároveň ich nevedela dobre umiestniť do príbehu a rozpracovať ich.
Páčilo sa mi ku koncu knihy konflikt, ktorý nastal. Ako bojovali dve skupiny Strážcov korún, pretože mali rozdielny pohľad na to, ako vyriešiť situáciu s vyhynutim obrov (stromov). Tie akčné scény boli napínavé a dobrodružné a naozaj škoda, že sa niečo takéto nedialo väčšiu časť knihy.
Avšak je to kniha, ktorá bola dobrá, mala nedostatky, ale originálne spracovanie, fantasy prvky, dôležitú tému.
July 25, 2024
3 for some craft issues, but overall a good book. I'm not sure all of the emotional pulls were as earned as they could have been (a bit more showing and less telling would have been helpful, a few more moments of genuine family connection with her brother and adoptive parents would have helped).
Veronica G. Henry’s The Canopy Keepers delivers a magical climate fiction series opener that spares no feelings. The verdant imagery and sympathetic protagonist draw you into a contemporary fantasy world set in the near-future in which the Rhiza, protectors of the forest, are battling one another and humankind. Syrah Williams navigates extreme loss and explores whether the ends justify the means when it comes to survival – that of both humanity and nature. The poetic interludes from The Mother are striking, and the sprinkling of fated mates interactions leave the reader excited for the next installment in The Scorched Earth series. Powerful themes of family and environmentalism twine around one another in this unique and alluring tale. I suggest you have tissues on hand for several heart wrenching moments.
Veronica G. Henry’s The Canopy Keepers delivers a magical climate fiction series opener that spares no feelings. The verdant imagery and sympathetic protagonist draw you into a contemporary fantasy world set in the near-future in which the Rhiza, protectors of the forest, are battling one another and humankind. Syrah Williams navigates extreme loss and explores whether the ends justify the means when it comes to survival – that of both humanity and nature. The poetic interludes from The Mother are striking, and the sprinkling of fated mates interactions leave the reader excited for the next installment in The Scorched Earth series. Powerful themes of family and environmentalism twine around one another in this unique and alluring tale. I suggest you have tissues on hand for several heart wrenching moments.
September 1, 2024
DNF pretty early on
“Forest fires were more frequent. Ten thousand acres razed last year alone..”
I realize it’s silly to get so hung up on that one line and I’ll go outside and touch grass in a minute but it really bothered me to be reading a story with elements about climate and worsening wild fire disaster and have this one thing be SO off.
This book came out early 2024. If she was writing it in 2023 she could have super easily googled “California total wildfires 2022” where she would have seen about 364,000 acres and then could have tacked on a ton more to climate change that, seriously she could have said millions of acres and it wouldn’t have been the craziest thing considering in August 2024 the total is over 830,000 acres burned. Ten thousand would be a miracle.
“Forest fires were more frequent. Ten thousand acres razed last year alone..”
I realize it’s silly to get so hung up on that one line and I’ll go outside and touch grass in a minute but it really bothered me to be reading a story with elements about climate and worsening wild fire disaster and have this one thing be SO off.
This book came out early 2024. If she was writing it in 2023 she could have super easily googled “California total wildfires 2022” where she would have seen about 364,000 acres and then could have tacked on a ton more to climate change that, seriously she could have said millions of acres and it wouldn’t have been the craziest thing considering in August 2024 the total is over 830,000 acres burned. Ten thousand would be a miracle.
January 19, 2025
4.5⭐️/5
This modern fantasy was incredibly timely with the fires raging through LA. At Sequoia National Park, there dwells an underground species that directs and cares for all natural things, with primary focus on the giant sequoia trees, called Rhiza. With man-made fires ravaging the forest land and driving species to extinction, Syrah has to make a choice about whether to continue living her human life or become involved with the looming war between Rhiza.
Thought provoking about the world around us, I thought the Canopy Keepers was a fantastic first novel in this series. I’m looking forward to starting the second one.
This modern fantasy was incredibly timely with the fires raging through LA. At Sequoia National Park, there dwells an underground species that directs and cares for all natural things, with primary focus on the giant sequoia trees, called Rhiza. With man-made fires ravaging the forest land and driving species to extinction, Syrah has to make a choice about whether to continue living her human life or become involved with the looming war between Rhiza.
Thought provoking about the world around us, I thought the Canopy Keepers was a fantastic first novel in this series. I’m looking forward to starting the second one.
September 27, 2025
3.5⭐️ I got this as an Amazon First Reads pick a while ago. This is the first book in The Scorched Earth series and I do believe I will continue the series. It made me nostalgic for home as it is based in the Redwoods not far from where I grew up. I've lived through wildfires in California and it's one of the reasons I moved from there to be honest. It's scary, fires are definitely unpredictable. Anyways I enjoyed this plot a lot and the characters were well developed. The plot has a fantastical but realistic air. It read a little slower for my reading style but all in all was enjoyable. Yeah I would recommend this if you enjoy a good futuristic sci-fi/fantasy.
November 7, 2024
beautiful writing. love the poem interludes. started to drag in the last part before the final action; just lots of back and forth when it felt like more than enough of that had happened already
also the double life thing can get annoying, cuz u rlly expect me to believe the ppl in ur life are not FORCING u to explain why ur just peacing out randomly for so long??? idek. still so good tho and a powerful and relevant read
also the double life thing can get annoying, cuz u rlly expect me to believe the ppl in ur life are not FORCING u to explain why ur just peacing out randomly for so long??? idek. still so good tho and a powerful and relevant read
April 17, 2024
I loved the premise of this book: A National Park is the gateway to a magic world and a park firefighter is caught between the real and fantastical. The first 20% or so of the book had clear direction, and intriguing narrative with the time jumps and changes in present and past tense speech/writing.
However, once Syrah discovered the Rhiza and started working with them, I felt that the narrative began to meander. Character motives were no longer clear to me as they had been in the beginning. The “evil plot” came together so quickly that there wasn’t any time for a build-up of tension. Where the beginning of the book had felt so strong, by the end I felt that I was being told what characters were thinking and feeling rather than being shown.
A+ concept and setup; absolutely loved that part. Motives just needed to be fleshed out more for the narrative to feel truly cohesive and complete for me.
However, once Syrah discovered the Rhiza and started working with them, I felt that the narrative began to meander. Character motives were no longer clear to me as they had been in the beginning. The “evil plot” came together so quickly that there wasn’t any time for a build-up of tension. Where the beginning of the book had felt so strong, by the end I felt that I was being told what characters were thinking and feeling rather than being shown.
A+ concept and setup; absolutely loved that part. Motives just needed to be fleshed out more for the narrative to feel truly cohesive and complete for me.
April 9, 2024
I loved the concept of this book, but the actual writing just didn't do it for me. I think it may have more impact for younger readers, but it just didn't cut it for me. I'm mainly writing this as a reminder for future me.
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