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The Pentagonal Dominion
Merchants of Light and Bone
Sorrow in paradise
A parent’s worst nightmare
When grief drives one to revenge
Living in a tropical paradise with his spouses and kids, Amiere is a merchant of light, a sculptor who carves glowing crystals into spectacular and powerful, demon-killing works of art. When the ground opens up near his idyllic village to reveal a massive supply of crystals, the whole nation of Aloutia celebrates. The merchants are guaranteed money for decades and officials predict Aloutia will be safe from demonkind for generations. But Amiere isn’t rejoicing—when the ground split apart, his seven-year-old daughter fell to her death.
Amiere’s grief turns to rage when an old enemy returns to the village with a young daughter displaying signs of starvation and abuse. Having witnessed his own daughter’s death, Amiere cannot bear the thought of watching another child die, especially when he can prevent it. Unable to ask police for help due to the village’s reputation of hostility toward authority figures, Amiere takes matters into his own hands, even at the risk of being exiled and separated from his family forever.
A parent’s worst nightmare
When grief drives one to revenge
Living in a tropical paradise with his spouses and kids, Amiere is a merchant of light, a sculptor who carves glowing crystals into spectacular and powerful, demon-killing works of art. When the ground opens up near his idyllic village to reveal a massive supply of crystals, the whole nation of Aloutia celebrates. The merchants are guaranteed money for decades and officials predict Aloutia will be safe from demonkind for generations. But Amiere isn’t rejoicing—when the ground split apart, his seven-year-old daughter fell to her death.
Amiere’s grief turns to rage when an old enemy returns to the village with a young daughter displaying signs of starvation and abuse. Having witnessed his own daughter’s death, Amiere cannot bear the thought of watching another child die, especially when he can prevent it. Unable to ask police for help due to the village’s reputation of hostility toward authority figures, Amiere takes matters into his own hands, even at the risk of being exiled and separated from his family forever.
540 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2023
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69 people want to read
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April 13, 2024
Merchants of Light and Bone (The Pentagonal Dominion) by Erika McCorkle
3/5 stars
I find it hard to rate Merchants of Light and Bone. Right from the first page onwards I struggled a lot with this novel.
The book starts with Amiere who is grieving the loss of his daughter Tawny. The ground split open and she fell into the crack and perished. Amiere is married to Su and Liesle. And all three grieve the death of their daughter differently.
Amiere also notices Asuna. The adopted daughter of Miltico. She looks starved and abused. And it breaks his heart seeing the girl suffer.
The book is very thick and a lot of time is spent on world building the novel. So much time went into that, that the book felt overly detailed. And quite a few things got explained again and again. Normally I don't mind books with a lot of details in them. But for some reason it didn't seem to work for me with this one.
The lore and surroundings were extensively explained. The characters are too. Who are they, what do they look like etc. But for some reasons the soul of the characters didn't get those details. The characters felt very flat emotion wise. I didn't feel the grief of Amiere at all. He seemed rather obsessed with having sex with Su. Especially in the beginning. The only thing he wanted was to have sex with Su and he kinda disliked that Liesle wasn't up for that at first. I know everyone grieves differently. But it was just hard to really feel the death of Tawny. Feel how that affected her parents, her siblings.
And as the book got on and evolved I still couldn't connect with the characters.
I wish the book was smaller. I wish it was more character driven and that the heart of the book was put first. Instead of the word building. The world building overshadowed everything else.
Though I do want to give the author a huge compliment for the world building. The world is huge and the author really worked everything out. I loved how different each character, creature, person was.
And I adore the queer storylines woven throughout the book. That really warmed my heart and I loved that a lot.
I feel awful for just giving this book just 3 stars. Because I know how much love and effort an author puts in their babies.
But my only advice would be to give the characters more life in the next book. More presence and more emotion.
I think I will also reread this book at some point. It was one huge struggle. And I am wondering if I wasn't in the right mood, or the right mindset for this one. So I'll definitely give it another shot in the future and adjust my review accordingly if it finally clicks. (Or stays the same.)
So overall it was still an enjoyable book and I did like it. I just missed that depth. So three stars overall from me!
3/5 stars
I find it hard to rate Merchants of Light and Bone. Right from the first page onwards I struggled a lot with this novel.
The book starts with Amiere who is grieving the loss of his daughter Tawny. The ground split open and she fell into the crack and perished. Amiere is married to Su and Liesle. And all three grieve the death of their daughter differently.
Amiere also notices Asuna. The adopted daughter of Miltico. She looks starved and abused. And it breaks his heart seeing the girl suffer.
The book is very thick and a lot of time is spent on world building the novel. So much time went into that, that the book felt overly detailed. And quite a few things got explained again and again. Normally I don't mind books with a lot of details in them. But for some reason it didn't seem to work for me with this one.
The lore and surroundings were extensively explained. The characters are too. Who are they, what do they look like etc. But for some reasons the soul of the characters didn't get those details. The characters felt very flat emotion wise. I didn't feel the grief of Amiere at all. He seemed rather obsessed with having sex with Su. Especially in the beginning. The only thing he wanted was to have sex with Su and he kinda disliked that Liesle wasn't up for that at first. I know everyone grieves differently. But it was just hard to really feel the death of Tawny. Feel how that affected her parents, her siblings.
And as the book got on and evolved I still couldn't connect with the characters.
I wish the book was smaller. I wish it was more character driven and that the heart of the book was put first. Instead of the word building. The world building overshadowed everything else.
Though I do want to give the author a huge compliment for the world building. The world is huge and the author really worked everything out. I loved how different each character, creature, person was.
And I adore the queer storylines woven throughout the book. That really warmed my heart and I loved that a lot.
I feel awful for just giving this book just 3 stars. Because I know how much love and effort an author puts in their babies.
But my only advice would be to give the characters more life in the next book. More presence and more emotion.
I think I will also reread this book at some point. It was one huge struggle. And I am wondering if I wasn't in the right mood, or the right mindset for this one. So I'll definitely give it another shot in the future and adjust my review accordingly if it finally clicks. (Or stays the same.)
So overall it was still an enjoyable book and I did like it. I just missed that depth. So three stars overall from me!
December 20, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
Merchants of Light and Bone is a dark fantasy novel, part of the Pentagonal Dominion universe, written by Erika McCorkle, and published by ShadowSpark Publishing. It's important to note that despite being part of the universe, it can be read as a total standalone, as this time our setting gets translated to a tropical paradise, an idyllic village where Amiere, a merchant of light, lives with his spouses and kids.
For a bit in the novel, we get to experience that paradise; a life that is great in all the senses. However, this happiness doesn't last long, as a rift opens near the village; what for most of the people is a euphoric discovery, for Amiere becomes the worst of the nightmares for a parent: his daughter fell to death. Consumed by grief, working becomes a chore for him; but this feeling evolves into pure rage when an old enemy returns to the village, with his own daughter showing signs of malnourishment and abuse.
Full of rage, Amiere takes a decision that involves the risk of being exiled for himself; but the sole vision of that child is the fuel this fire needs to burn. The consequences of this assassination will bring problems for everybody in the family.
McCorkle returns to the Pentagonal Dominion world, in a fresh setting, but sharing some points that made the previous book shine, such as the in-depth world-building, managing to create an alive place where the characters exist. Despite this book could be called cozier at the start, soon we are spectators of the darkness that characterize McCorkle's writing, this time tinted by the family bonds that move our characters; the use of this complicated situation is the perfect catalyst to see how Amiere and his family deal with the problems originated by Amiere's impulsive action.
As a consequence of how extensive the world-building is the pacing is rather slow, especially because how well portrayed most of the characters are; McCorkle takes a sweet time to make sure we have all the necessary elements to give the adequate weight to the story she's trying to tell.
If you like dark fantasy, family stories and a really complex world-building, I would recommend you to check the Pentagonal Dominion universe, and depending on the content warnings, choose either this one or the previous (personally I would say this one is slightly fitter to my taste).
Merchants of Light and Bone is a dark fantasy novel, part of the Pentagonal Dominion universe, written by Erika McCorkle, and published by ShadowSpark Publishing. It's important to note that despite being part of the universe, it can be read as a total standalone, as this time our setting gets translated to a tropical paradise, an idyllic village where Amiere, a merchant of light, lives with his spouses and kids.
For a bit in the novel, we get to experience that paradise; a life that is great in all the senses. However, this happiness doesn't last long, as a rift opens near the village; what for most of the people is a euphoric discovery, for Amiere becomes the worst of the nightmares for a parent: his daughter fell to death. Consumed by grief, working becomes a chore for him; but this feeling evolves into pure rage when an old enemy returns to the village, with his own daughter showing signs of malnourishment and abuse.
Full of rage, Amiere takes a decision that involves the risk of being exiled for himself; but the sole vision of that child is the fuel this fire needs to burn. The consequences of this assassination will bring problems for everybody in the family.
McCorkle returns to the Pentagonal Dominion world, in a fresh setting, but sharing some points that made the previous book shine, such as the in-depth world-building, managing to create an alive place where the characters exist. Despite this book could be called cozier at the start, soon we are spectators of the darkness that characterize McCorkle's writing, this time tinted by the family bonds that move our characters; the use of this complicated situation is the perfect catalyst to see how Amiere and his family deal with the problems originated by Amiere's impulsive action.
As a consequence of how extensive the world-building is the pacing is rather slow, especially because how well portrayed most of the characters are; McCorkle takes a sweet time to make sure we have all the necessary elements to give the adequate weight to the story she's trying to tell.
If you like dark fantasy, family stories and a really complex world-building, I would recommend you to check the Pentagonal Dominion universe, and depending on the content warnings, choose either this one or the previous (personally I would say this one is slightly fitter to my taste).
January 6, 2024
I became a fan of The Pentagonal Dominion after reading Merchants of Knowledge and Magic, Erika McCorkle's first novel. In many ways, Merchants of Light and Bone is a much better book. Ms McCorkle has fully matured into her voice and style as an author, which really shows in the incredible depth of plot and character development of this novel. Her worldbuilding skills are exceptional, and even though there is so much detail that remains hidden, the reader knows with certainty that the author knows, and because of that, nothing mentioned is a mere throwaway. It makes for incredibly rich storytelling.
The plot is well-thought out and gripping; most of the story is narrated by Amiere, a man who, from the book's opening pages, is mired in grief. His daughter has just died, and he has no idea how he's going to cope. Both of his co-spouses are also sunk in grief and each is handling(or not handling) it in their own way. And as if trying to carry on after the death of their child is not enough, the family soon finds itself caught up in the schemes of some very powerful players whose motives may or may not be entirely in the interest of the greater good. Amiere and his two spouses are forced to make some harrowing choices in order to protect their children, and they must pay a heavy price for those choices.
There's some sex and profanity, but not a lot, so only the most sensitive of readers will be disturbed. Overall, an excellent read.
The plot is well-thought out and gripping; most of the story is narrated by Amiere, a man who, from the book's opening pages, is mired in grief. His daughter has just died, and he has no idea how he's going to cope. Both of his co-spouses are also sunk in grief and each is handling(or not handling) it in their own way. And as if trying to carry on after the death of their child is not enough, the family soon finds itself caught up in the schemes of some very powerful players whose motives may or may not be entirely in the interest of the greater good. Amiere and his two spouses are forced to make some harrowing choices in order to protect their children, and they must pay a heavy price for those choices.
There's some sex and profanity, but not a lot, so only the most sensitive of readers will be disturbed. Overall, an excellent read.
September 11, 2023
“I’ve heard that depression is like a seagull,” Su said. “You can’t stop it from flying overhead, but you can take care not to let it make a nest in your hair.”
This is one of the most ambitious books I've ever read. To be honest, I wasn't quite enjoying myself at the beginning. There is an outrageous amount of names, places, gods, species, blessings, etc, etc, and the erotic sections are REALLY not my cup of tea. Everything—and I mean everything—is explained in incredible detail. I am not exaggerating when I say there are entire spreadsheets dedicated to how blessings work, who grants them, and how they are revoked. But wow, once everything starts to click, this is an utterly fascinating world. A lot of it is cleverly done, you'll get a grip on whos a lion-humanoid and whos a goat-humanoid by the nicknames and slurs.
The subject matter is very dark and uncomfortable. A father loses his son, and spends the story trying to overcome depression while wrestling with ideas like when is the proper amount of time to wait until intimacy? Can a parent move on without feeling guilt? Is it fair to have another child? As you have probably gathered, this book is definitely not for everyone. Its haunting, and the incredible writing only makes the melancholy vibes hit that much harder. This line is a great example:
"Every parent must contend with the sobering reality that there were two possibilities laid before them: either they would not stay on this mortal plane long enough to watch the end of their child’s journey, to protect them and love them as they grew older… Or they would. They would bear witness to that tragic ending and be left standing alone on the shore of the sea of despair."
I admire the plot, because its naturally done, and instead of the classical fantasy trope of overcoming a big bad, it really just focuses on a man and his family, and how some crucial decisions and dealings with dark lords continuously escalate conflicts.
I'm not even close to hitting everything in this review, its simply impossible to do so. Merchants and Light and Bone needs to be read to be understood. I am blown away by the amount of imagination required and recommend with a huge asterisk. If the subject manner of child loss and sexual assault is too triggering, it may be best to look elsewhere, because this book holds nothing back when it comes to writing difficult subjects.
This is one of the most ambitious books I've ever read. To be honest, I wasn't quite enjoying myself at the beginning. There is an outrageous amount of names, places, gods, species, blessings, etc, etc, and the erotic sections are REALLY not my cup of tea. Everything—and I mean everything—is explained in incredible detail. I am not exaggerating when I say there are entire spreadsheets dedicated to how blessings work, who grants them, and how they are revoked. But wow, once everything starts to click, this is an utterly fascinating world. A lot of it is cleverly done, you'll get a grip on whos a lion-humanoid and whos a goat-humanoid by the nicknames and slurs.
The subject matter is very dark and uncomfortable. A father loses his son, and spends the story trying to overcome depression while wrestling with ideas like when is the proper amount of time to wait until intimacy? Can a parent move on without feeling guilt? Is it fair to have another child? As you have probably gathered, this book is definitely not for everyone. Its haunting, and the incredible writing only makes the melancholy vibes hit that much harder. This line is a great example:
"Every parent must contend with the sobering reality that there were two possibilities laid before them: either they would not stay on this mortal plane long enough to watch the end of their child’s journey, to protect them and love them as they grew older… Or they would. They would bear witness to that tragic ending and be left standing alone on the shore of the sea of despair."
I admire the plot, because its naturally done, and instead of the classical fantasy trope of overcoming a big bad, it really just focuses on a man and his family, and how some crucial decisions and dealings with dark lords continuously escalate conflicts.
I'm not even close to hitting everything in this review, its simply impossible to do so. Merchants and Light and Bone needs to be read to be understood. I am blown away by the amount of imagination required and recommend with a huge asterisk. If the subject manner of child loss and sexual assault is too triggering, it may be best to look elsewhere, because this book holds nothing back when it comes to writing difficult subjects.
April 14, 2024
A fantasy of epic proportions with incredible characterisation and world building. Merchants of Light and Bone is the second in The Pentagonal Dominion series by Erika McCorkle, though my first read and it was easily picked up as a standalone. This is such a chunky read due to the incredible detail infused into creating this world. As well as maps and a character list at the beginning, it also comes with several QR codes with additional footnotes and worldbuilding detail for those who desire it. There is also a QR code that takes you to content warning as the book does contain some dark themes and references to sex, murder, drugs, rape, abuse, violent language, and swearing that are unsuitable for younger readers and may put off others.
At the core of a story is a grieving family - story opens the day following the death of the 7years old daughter Tawny. During a trip to the park, the ground opened up, and she fell in , shattering the peace and lives of her family. Their tragedy seems all the more sorrowful, as the event is being celebrated by the rest of the region. The fissure in the ground has revealed precious crystalights, which enrich the land. Normally outsourced, having their own means more money. The father Ami will also profit as he is the master Merchant of light with the skill to carve and dye the crytalight into any shape, form or colour to make them more profitable. Amidst their despair, an old friend and now frenemy has returned to town and is filled with so much hatred and menace towards the family. His own daughter is neglected, starved and abused and this creates great woe. The three parents at the core of the family: Su, Liesle and Amiere find themselves fighting for their own family, the children of others and the truth at the heart of the event that created all the despair- the fissure that killed their daughter. The consequences and fallout have huge repercussions. An incredible story of love, sorrow, grief, and revenge #merchantsoflightand bone #thepantagonaldominion #booktwo #erikamccorkle #shadowsparkpublishing #TheWriteReads
At the core of a story is a grieving family - story opens the day following the death of the 7years old daughter Tawny. During a trip to the park, the ground opened up, and she fell in , shattering the peace and lives of her family. Their tragedy seems all the more sorrowful, as the event is being celebrated by the rest of the region. The fissure in the ground has revealed precious crystalights, which enrich the land. Normally outsourced, having their own means more money. The father Ami will also profit as he is the master Merchant of light with the skill to carve and dye the crytalight into any shape, form or colour to make them more profitable. Amidst their despair, an old friend and now frenemy has returned to town and is filled with so much hatred and menace towards the family. His own daughter is neglected, starved and abused and this creates great woe. The three parents at the core of the family: Su, Liesle and Amiere find themselves fighting for their own family, the children of others and the truth at the heart of the event that created all the despair- the fissure that killed their daughter. The consequences and fallout have huge repercussions. An incredible story of love, sorrow, grief, and revenge #merchantsoflightand bone #thepantagonaldominion #booktwo #erikamccorkle #shadowsparkpublishing #TheWriteReads
April 14, 2024
The second book I have read by Erika McCorkle. The first being the Merchants of Light and Bone, the first book in The Pentagonal Dominion series. I thoroughly enjoyed book one and was eager to read this as soon as the book arrived.
Such amazing world building! That's the secret to great storytelling, and this author is so good at that! This is not a small book, but it's on that is worthy of taking over your life until you have finished it. With many characters and a tale that is set in such a lovely place, it soon turns darker.
Dealing with sensitive issues, it is a deep and multi-layered story. I, as a parent, felt for Amiere. The loss of a child, along with the overwhelming grief that ensues, is life changing. These things alone made me connect with Merchants Of Light and Bone.
The detail in the writing makes this a wondrous dark fantasy novel. Every character was carved out in their own unique way, and the setting was, as I have already said, so well done.
I was not happy to have to put this book down, but, of course, the real world beckons from time to time. I had to keep reading at every spare moment because it almost became my world as I read. It is that immersive! Another great read from the mind of Erika McCorkle. Thanks to The Write Reads and Erika McCorkle for my gifted book to write my honest review.
Such amazing world building! That's the secret to great storytelling, and this author is so good at that! This is not a small book, but it's on that is worthy of taking over your life until you have finished it. With many characters and a tale that is set in such a lovely place, it soon turns darker.
Dealing with sensitive issues, it is a deep and multi-layered story. I, as a parent, felt for Amiere. The loss of a child, along with the overwhelming grief that ensues, is life changing. These things alone made me connect with Merchants Of Light and Bone.
The detail in the writing makes this a wondrous dark fantasy novel. Every character was carved out in their own unique way, and the setting was, as I have already said, so well done.
I was not happy to have to put this book down, but, of course, the real world beckons from time to time. I had to keep reading at every spare moment because it almost became my world as I read. It is that immersive! Another great read from the mind of Erika McCorkle. Thanks to The Write Reads and Erika McCorkle for my gifted book to write my honest review.
February 8, 2025
Spoilers: So we come to the next weird book continuation, the next installment in Erika McCorkle’s Pentagonal Dominion series: one of the strangest Fantasy/Science Fiction worlds put into book form, a world where few humans or humanoid characters exist so McCorkle was free to let her imagination run wild and wild it ran.
The first book, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic, is about Calinthe Erytrichos, a reptilian Merchant of Knowledge, and Zakuro “Pom” Rathmusen, a Godblood, demi-god and Merchant of Magic. The duo encounter many patrons, assignments, estranged family members, and totalitarian governments as they affirm their love for each other. While the Epic Fantasy/Science Fiction setting and world building was important, at heart Merchants of Knowledge and Magic was a Road Trip Comedy-Drama/Queer Romance set in a world of living gods and anthropomorphic people.
That's what is at play with its successor, Merchants of Light and Bone. It's not a direct sequel so much as it takes place in the same universe as Merchants of Knowledge and Magic. Besides one reference to Zakuro’s family name, those characters are not featured or mentioned.
Instead this book focuses on The Last-Scrim-Den Family of Aloutia. They consist of Amiere Lasteran, his wife, Liesle Denwall and husband, Su Scrimshander (yes they are a throuple), and their seven children. They and their children are in mourning for their deceased daughter and sister, Tawny. They also have to deal with local bully Militico Svelt whose daughter, Usana Demiu, might be getting abused. Amiere, the eponymous Merchant of Light, notices that his crystal light business is expanding and going through some troublesome changes. Su, the Merchant of Bone and a Godblood, is keeping secrets about his history, gender identity, and divine ancestry. Meanwhile, Liesle, the Merchant of Faces, goes through extreme measures to protect those that she loves including her children and spouses.
The approach to this book is similar to Merchants of Knowledge and Magic which is a Queer Romance set in a Fantasy/Science Fiction World. It is also similar to another previous favorite book of mine, To End Every War by Raymond W. Wilkinson which was a Feminist Women's Fiction Novel set in an Epic Fantasy Occult Academia world of Dwarves, Elves, Selkies, Fairies, Giants and others. Both novels put the prosaic and ordinary plots of regular people and dropped them into fantastic settings that turned the ordinary events into extraordinary circumstances.
Whereas the focus in most Epic Fantasy or Science Fiction novels is on quests or revolution, the majority of plots in this book like the death of a child, abuse, employment concerns, and spouse's hidden lives would not be out of place in a Family Drama. It's sort of like what would happen if The Waltons, or The Dunphys from Modern Family suddenly grew fur, sprouted wings, and gained electrolyte tails. After all, it happens.
This book is comparable to other Fantasy novels when heroes go on epic journeys, spend a night in an inn, and the innkeeper rants about his marital problems or the dictatorial government is cutting into his business. Well Merchants of Light and Bone would be about that innkeeper and how he tries to live an everyday life in a world where magic exists and characters aren't human.
In fact the one journey narrative where characters go from one place to another has the more personal goal of saving a couple of children from slavery rather than a quest to save the entire world.
There are some magical moments to remind Readers of the fantastic world that they are in. Su goes through a mesmerizing ritual where he communicates in person with a Water God. Liesle has conversations with a dark demon. Amiere is inflicted with a curse that when angered opens his more leonine side. But those are brief moments in a novel that captures the human, or human in personality though not in appearance, spirit.
The family goes through intense grief after Tawny’s death. They respond in different ways. One child, Kohaku, withdraws into her own private world. Others become more belligerent and quarrelsome. Liesle becomes physically ill and bedridden. Amiere tries to retain a brave front but can barely suppress his darker feelings. Su is the solid rock for the rest of the family but his vulnerabilities are present. The familial reaction to grief and how realistically McCorkle writes it would not be out of place in a traditional Earthling series. That the family has animalistic characteristics is almost immaterial.
Besides the grief, abuse is an ongoing theme within the book particularly in the story of Militico and Usana. Liesle and Amiere have to contend with the fact that Militico, a former childhood friend, has taken a darker, more violent turn as an adult. They have their suspicions that the caprine Militico is abusing his adorable leporine daughter. They recognize that the signs are there but as in the world of the Readers, it's not an easy thing to prove or stop. In many heart tugging moments Usana bonds with Su, himself a child trafficking and abuse survivor. The resolution leans to the fantastic elements but when removed from that angle, the real subtext brings up questions about self-defense, justice, and protecting the innocents at all costs.
The personal conflicts and struggles intermingle with the fantasy world in unique ways. Amiere’s occupation getting overtaken by bureaucrats who care more about the bottom line and getting rich than they do about the people working there is highly relevant even if the crystals are remnants of the gods. Liesle’s desire for vengeance and spell to protect her loved ones might be a magical solution, but it could also be seen as a metaphor for trauma survivors and how the trauma comes on them like a demonic figure. The trauma can be ignored, faced, or the survivor could attack the person who caused the trauma.
Even the questions about Su’s origins carry a lot of resonance. Liesle and Amiere love their husband as he is and formally respect his privacy but still they are curious. They observe him and pick up clues about his powers to learn who his divine parentage actually are. Even though Su identifies as male and currently uses “he/him” pronouns, there are suggestions that this wasn't always the case so even his gender identity is a question. As much as he is a sweet, even tempered nurturing third parent to the children and loving spouse to his husband and wife, Su’s identity is a mystery that neither Amiere nor Liesle can entirely avoid. In a world where people’s identities are precious and are currently being held under scrutiny because of recent executive orders, the questions and acceptance of Su’s identity is very relatable to some Readers.
Merchants of Light and Bone tells Readers that even in a Fantasy or Science Fiction novel populated with non-humans, human Readers can still recognize the relatable struggles that are similar to their own.
The first book, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic, is about Calinthe Erytrichos, a reptilian Merchant of Knowledge, and Zakuro “Pom” Rathmusen, a Godblood, demi-god and Merchant of Magic. The duo encounter many patrons, assignments, estranged family members, and totalitarian governments as they affirm their love for each other. While the Epic Fantasy/Science Fiction setting and world building was important, at heart Merchants of Knowledge and Magic was a Road Trip Comedy-Drama/Queer Romance set in a world of living gods and anthropomorphic people.
That's what is at play with its successor, Merchants of Light and Bone. It's not a direct sequel so much as it takes place in the same universe as Merchants of Knowledge and Magic. Besides one reference to Zakuro’s family name, those characters are not featured or mentioned.
Instead this book focuses on The Last-Scrim-Den Family of Aloutia. They consist of Amiere Lasteran, his wife, Liesle Denwall and husband, Su Scrimshander (yes they are a throuple), and their seven children. They and their children are in mourning for their deceased daughter and sister, Tawny. They also have to deal with local bully Militico Svelt whose daughter, Usana Demiu, might be getting abused. Amiere, the eponymous Merchant of Light, notices that his crystal light business is expanding and going through some troublesome changes. Su, the Merchant of Bone and a Godblood, is keeping secrets about his history, gender identity, and divine ancestry. Meanwhile, Liesle, the Merchant of Faces, goes through extreme measures to protect those that she loves including her children and spouses.
The approach to this book is similar to Merchants of Knowledge and Magic which is a Queer Romance set in a Fantasy/Science Fiction World. It is also similar to another previous favorite book of mine, To End Every War by Raymond W. Wilkinson which was a Feminist Women's Fiction Novel set in an Epic Fantasy Occult Academia world of Dwarves, Elves, Selkies, Fairies, Giants and others. Both novels put the prosaic and ordinary plots of regular people and dropped them into fantastic settings that turned the ordinary events into extraordinary circumstances.
Whereas the focus in most Epic Fantasy or Science Fiction novels is on quests or revolution, the majority of plots in this book like the death of a child, abuse, employment concerns, and spouse's hidden lives would not be out of place in a Family Drama. It's sort of like what would happen if The Waltons, or The Dunphys from Modern Family suddenly grew fur, sprouted wings, and gained electrolyte tails. After all, it happens.
This book is comparable to other Fantasy novels when heroes go on epic journeys, spend a night in an inn, and the innkeeper rants about his marital problems or the dictatorial government is cutting into his business. Well Merchants of Light and Bone would be about that innkeeper and how he tries to live an everyday life in a world where magic exists and characters aren't human.
In fact the one journey narrative where characters go from one place to another has the more personal goal of saving a couple of children from slavery rather than a quest to save the entire world.
There are some magical moments to remind Readers of the fantastic world that they are in. Su goes through a mesmerizing ritual where he communicates in person with a Water God. Liesle has conversations with a dark demon. Amiere is inflicted with a curse that when angered opens his more leonine side. But those are brief moments in a novel that captures the human, or human in personality though not in appearance, spirit.
The family goes through intense grief after Tawny’s death. They respond in different ways. One child, Kohaku, withdraws into her own private world. Others become more belligerent and quarrelsome. Liesle becomes physically ill and bedridden. Amiere tries to retain a brave front but can barely suppress his darker feelings. Su is the solid rock for the rest of the family but his vulnerabilities are present. The familial reaction to grief and how realistically McCorkle writes it would not be out of place in a traditional Earthling series. That the family has animalistic characteristics is almost immaterial.
Besides the grief, abuse is an ongoing theme within the book particularly in the story of Militico and Usana. Liesle and Amiere have to contend with the fact that Militico, a former childhood friend, has taken a darker, more violent turn as an adult. They have their suspicions that the caprine Militico is abusing his adorable leporine daughter. They recognize that the signs are there but as in the world of the Readers, it's not an easy thing to prove or stop. In many heart tugging moments Usana bonds with Su, himself a child trafficking and abuse survivor. The resolution leans to the fantastic elements but when removed from that angle, the real subtext brings up questions about self-defense, justice, and protecting the innocents at all costs.
The personal conflicts and struggles intermingle with the fantasy world in unique ways. Amiere’s occupation getting overtaken by bureaucrats who care more about the bottom line and getting rich than they do about the people working there is highly relevant even if the crystals are remnants of the gods. Liesle’s desire for vengeance and spell to protect her loved ones might be a magical solution, but it could also be seen as a metaphor for trauma survivors and how the trauma comes on them like a demonic figure. The trauma can be ignored, faced, or the survivor could attack the person who caused the trauma.
Even the questions about Su’s origins carry a lot of resonance. Liesle and Amiere love their husband as he is and formally respect his privacy but still they are curious. They observe him and pick up clues about his powers to learn who his divine parentage actually are. Even though Su identifies as male and currently uses “he/him” pronouns, there are suggestions that this wasn't always the case so even his gender identity is a question. As much as he is a sweet, even tempered nurturing third parent to the children and loving spouse to his husband and wife, Su’s identity is a mystery that neither Amiere nor Liesle can entirely avoid. In a world where people’s identities are precious and are currently being held under scrutiny because of recent executive orders, the questions and acceptance of Su’s identity is very relatable to some Readers.
Merchants of Light and Bone tells Readers that even in a Fantasy or Science Fiction novel populated with non-humans, human Readers can still recognize the relatable struggles that are similar to their own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
This is not a normal story, and I will not evaluate it as such. Merchants of Light and Bone is the fruit of a gargantuan worldbuilding project, and in McCorkle’s fiction worldbuilding is the prime directive. Characters are second – indeed, the world itself should probably be regarded as the primary character – and plot is tertiary.
Short version: Tolkien built his world around the languages, but sprinkled that information in the narrative to enhance understanding of other subjects and keep a plot alive; Herbert claimed to have read 200 books as research for Dune, but he didn’t let that bury everything like sand. Looking at these examples, I feel that there’s a way to present some critical 10-30% of this worldbuilding info for future books without making such huge sacrifices of character and plot.
Details:
On character: The primary character of this story is Amiere, the gamma member of an interspecies thruple (McCorkle’s Dominion is a multiplanetary multispecies otherkin/furry fantasia with many, many identity boxes to check off). He has recently lost his daughter, and grief and recovery is the dominant struggle of the book. There is little ‘plot’ in this story – Amiere’s biggest problem is permanent, and though there are mysteries and suspicions to be had about his daughter’s death he is not investigating anything. He is a ‘normal’ person, for all the identity checkboxes of lion-man, lightning tail, etc. He cooks, he works, he loves two at a time with a clear favorite, he hates his neighbor – all mostly normal.
Amiere is passive and unfocused in a way that would damage a normal story that relied on his actions, full of self-doubts and indecision, constantly asking himself rhetorical questions while standing still. His second-guessing and ineffectualness mean he can only react when others move the plot. At heart, his first-person narration tries to deliver information like a third-person narrator; this becomes most awkward when his narration hints at things that he doesn’t know or suspect. Burdened with third-person omniscient duties, he is constantly side-tracking scenes with assessment or speculation on many topics that he, as a character, should not care about, and he is too busy doing this to do other things. Because of this presentation structure he is incredibly well-informed despite being totally unconfident, sacrificing character to be a conduit for worldbuilding data.
‘Presentation of world’ seems to be the best grounds for assessing this work. In that, this is an advancement from the first novel. In MoKaM I felt that presentation of worldbuilding details suffered significantly from unnatural conversations, which were literally ritualized ‘legalese’. This second book improves the delivery with more informal, organic conversations.
My main criticism of the second book is still of these conversations, which are still vehicles for presenting worldbuilding detail first and foremost. As such, they make characters more curious, forthright, explicit, verbose, or ignorant than quite makes sense, discussing things at length that are ‘common knowledge’ in the setting to expose more detail to the reader. This affects virtually every speaking character.
In a way, McCorkle is stuck: she’s exploring a world, and a normal story with a normal plot is not her focus; but a plot is what makes some information more important and interesting to know. Without a clear plot we’re guessing about what will become important later on, and from a normal story perspective almost nothing is. Eventually the reader learns that ~99% of what they are reading is ‘just there’. We are meant to appreciate these details in and of themselves, not in service to how they will affect future events. And for so much to go ‘unused’ is (as I said reviewing the first book) like keeping a muscle car in a garage forever, constantly talking about its power and features but never taking it out.
What was very noticeable in this second book with its more diverse cast was a benign but constant ‘tone-deafness’ about what subjects might be uncomfortable/inappropriate in mixed company: talking to the ex-slave about slavery in front of everyone, talking about sexual subjects in front of minors, talking about BDSM in front of the ex-slave (who is also a minor) in a conversation meant to be humorous, etc. Short of cannibalism, almost nothing is ‘too far’ for anyone to talk about, no matter who is in the room. For all the heavy subjects there is rarely a strong disagreement – everyone is on the same page, but still talking about this stuff at great length, for our benefit. If different characters inquired or expounded in different ways, or found some subjects unpleasant or just uninteresting - rather than collective willing to go into any detail on any topic - this would be more natural and would improve their characterization.
I feel that worldbuilding details could be presented primarily through the narrator’s perspective OR through these conversations. Doing both makes it harder to track who is speaking, as the ‘explanation mode’ voice is coming from multiple mouths and the narrator – and the sheer volume of facts is too much, by an order of magnitude.
As a further criticism of presentation: this is a setting with practically unlimited combat, technological, mystical, exploratory, genetic, artistic, athletic and culinary possibilities … and yet the number one worldbuilding subject is ‘etiquette’. This is perhaps deliberate and ironic, given the constant explicit and sensual subject matter. But ‘etiquette’ is a very hard choice, just above the dismal science of ‘economics’. Above all other matters is the trivial topic of names and related topics as the core of multiple chapters: family titles, employer/employee titles, pronouns, prefixes, proper paperwork, citizenship, naming conventions for locations, accurate translations, commands vs. requests based on status, etc. Unless a reader is a hardcore onomastic this will probably become amused and then exasperated, because no matter how much we learn there’s always more.
(And all this comes from some of the horniest characters put to page! There’s a joke in here, somewhere: constant lessons on socially acceptable conduct from furries who have dildos in their churches!)
In this novel, ‘characters’ exist as information conduits and, beyond that, almost entirely as their identities, obsessing over their names and racial/sexual configurations with truly personal details kept simple. The plot, like the first novel, is initiated by external disaster late in the novel with contrivances to make it necessary for the MC to do the dangerous work. Many critical things are introduced too late to be digested/accepted/understood because the info-dumping didn’t prioritize them. Worldbuilding itself is pure creativity; teaching is a skill that requires a suitable ramp up, and a pile is not a ramp. If some key facts can be strung together in service to a narrative, for plot and character, I believe this series could improve even further.
Short version: Tolkien built his world around the languages, but sprinkled that information in the narrative to enhance understanding of other subjects and keep a plot alive; Herbert claimed to have read 200 books as research for Dune, but he didn’t let that bury everything like sand. Looking at these examples, I feel that there’s a way to present some critical 10-30% of this worldbuilding info for future books without making such huge sacrifices of character and plot.
Details:
On character: The primary character of this story is Amiere, the gamma member of an interspecies thruple (McCorkle’s Dominion is a multiplanetary multispecies otherkin/furry fantasia with many, many identity boxes to check off). He has recently lost his daughter, and grief and recovery is the dominant struggle of the book. There is little ‘plot’ in this story – Amiere’s biggest problem is permanent, and though there are mysteries and suspicions to be had about his daughter’s death he is not investigating anything. He is a ‘normal’ person, for all the identity checkboxes of lion-man, lightning tail, etc. He cooks, he works, he loves two at a time with a clear favorite, he hates his neighbor – all mostly normal.
Amiere is passive and unfocused in a way that would damage a normal story that relied on his actions, full of self-doubts and indecision, constantly asking himself rhetorical questions while standing still. His second-guessing and ineffectualness mean he can only react when others move the plot. At heart, his first-person narration tries to deliver information like a third-person narrator; this becomes most awkward when his narration hints at things that he doesn’t know or suspect. Burdened with third-person omniscient duties, he is constantly side-tracking scenes with assessment or speculation on many topics that he, as a character, should not care about, and he is too busy doing this to do other things. Because of this presentation structure he is incredibly well-informed despite being totally unconfident, sacrificing character to be a conduit for worldbuilding data.
‘Presentation of world’ seems to be the best grounds for assessing this work. In that, this is an advancement from the first novel. In MoKaM I felt that presentation of worldbuilding details suffered significantly from unnatural conversations, which were literally ritualized ‘legalese’. This second book improves the delivery with more informal, organic conversations.
My main criticism of the second book is still of these conversations, which are still vehicles for presenting worldbuilding detail first and foremost. As such, they make characters more curious, forthright, explicit, verbose, or ignorant than quite makes sense, discussing things at length that are ‘common knowledge’ in the setting to expose more detail to the reader. This affects virtually every speaking character.
In a way, McCorkle is stuck: she’s exploring a world, and a normal story with a normal plot is not her focus; but a plot is what makes some information more important and interesting to know. Without a clear plot we’re guessing about what will become important later on, and from a normal story perspective almost nothing is. Eventually the reader learns that ~99% of what they are reading is ‘just there’. We are meant to appreciate these details in and of themselves, not in service to how they will affect future events. And for so much to go ‘unused’ is (as I said reviewing the first book) like keeping a muscle car in a garage forever, constantly talking about its power and features but never taking it out.
What was very noticeable in this second book with its more diverse cast was a benign but constant ‘tone-deafness’ about what subjects might be uncomfortable/inappropriate in mixed company: talking to the ex-slave about slavery in front of everyone, talking about sexual subjects in front of minors, talking about BDSM in front of the ex-slave (who is also a minor) in a conversation meant to be humorous, etc. Short of cannibalism, almost nothing is ‘too far’ for anyone to talk about, no matter who is in the room. For all the heavy subjects there is rarely a strong disagreement – everyone is on the same page, but still talking about this stuff at great length, for our benefit. If different characters inquired or expounded in different ways, or found some subjects unpleasant or just uninteresting - rather than collective willing to go into any detail on any topic - this would be more natural and would improve their characterization.
I feel that worldbuilding details could be presented primarily through the narrator’s perspective OR through these conversations. Doing both makes it harder to track who is speaking, as the ‘explanation mode’ voice is coming from multiple mouths and the narrator – and the sheer volume of facts is too much, by an order of magnitude.
As a further criticism of presentation: this is a setting with practically unlimited combat, technological, mystical, exploratory, genetic, artistic, athletic and culinary possibilities … and yet the number one worldbuilding subject is ‘etiquette’. This is perhaps deliberate and ironic, given the constant explicit and sensual subject matter. But ‘etiquette’ is a very hard choice, just above the dismal science of ‘economics’. Above all other matters is the trivial topic of names and related topics as the core of multiple chapters: family titles, employer/employee titles, pronouns, prefixes, proper paperwork, citizenship, naming conventions for locations, accurate translations, commands vs. requests based on status, etc. Unless a reader is a hardcore onomastic this will probably become amused and then exasperated, because no matter how much we learn there’s always more.
(And all this comes from some of the horniest characters put to page! There’s a joke in here, somewhere: constant lessons on socially acceptable conduct from furries who have dildos in their churches!)
In this novel, ‘characters’ exist as information conduits and, beyond that, almost entirely as their identities, obsessing over their names and racial/sexual configurations with truly personal details kept simple. The plot, like the first novel, is initiated by external disaster late in the novel with contrivances to make it necessary for the MC to do the dangerous work. Many critical things are introduced too late to be digested/accepted/understood because the info-dumping didn’t prioritize them. Worldbuilding itself is pure creativity; teaching is a skill that requires a suitable ramp up, and a pile is not a ramp. If some key facts can be strung together in service to a narrative, for plot and character, I believe this series could improve even further.
April 24, 2024
The narrative delves into the tragic tale of Amiere, a grieving father whose world shatters when his daughter tragically plummets to her demise. His initial sorrow gradually morphs into a seething rage upon the return of an old adversary to the village, accompanied by his own daughter, who bears visible signs of mistreatment and neglect. Driven by a primal need for justice, Amiere chooses to defy societal norms and take matters into his own hands, fully aware of the potential consequences, including the risk of being cast out from the community. Little does he realize that his quest for vengeance will not only impact his immediate family but also send ripples of turmoil throughout the entire village.
This enthralling dark fantasy narrative immerses the reader in a world teeming with a diverse array of fantastical creatures, each possessing unique traits and idiosyncrasies that add depth and intrigue to the story. From mystical beings with ethereal beauty to grotesque monsters lurking in the shadows, the vivid descriptions and intricate world-building keep the audience captivated as they navigate the intricate web of relationships and conflicts that drive the plot forward. With every twist and turn, the emotional rollercoaster intensifies, pulling the reader deeper into a realm where morality is tested, and the boundaries between right and wrong blur in the face of raw, unbridled emotion. The impeccable blend of dark themes and fantastical elements creates a gripping narrative that lingers long after the final page is turned.
#merchnatsoflignhtandbone #bookreview #thewritereads #5starread
About the Author
Erika McCorkle, she/her, lives in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. She is a creator of fantasy worlds and a voyager to the worlds created by others. She spends much of her free time writing, reading, watching anime, and playing video games, all usually of the fantasy genre. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and currently works the night shift at a blood bank, meaning she is most definitely a vampire.
Website: https://www.authormccorkle.com/
Twitter: @Kiraofthewind1
This enthralling dark fantasy narrative immerses the reader in a world teeming with a diverse array of fantastical creatures, each possessing unique traits and idiosyncrasies that add depth and intrigue to the story. From mystical beings with ethereal beauty to grotesque monsters lurking in the shadows, the vivid descriptions and intricate world-building keep the audience captivated as they navigate the intricate web of relationships and conflicts that drive the plot forward. With every twist and turn, the emotional rollercoaster intensifies, pulling the reader deeper into a realm where morality is tested, and the boundaries between right and wrong blur in the face of raw, unbridled emotion. The impeccable blend of dark themes and fantastical elements creates a gripping narrative that lingers long after the final page is turned.
#merchnatsoflignhtandbone #bookreview #thewritereads #5starread
About the Author
Erika McCorkle, she/her, lives in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. She is a creator of fantasy worlds and a voyager to the worlds created by others. She spends much of her free time writing, reading, watching anime, and playing video games, all usually of the fantasy genre. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and currently works the night shift at a blood bank, meaning she is most definitely a vampire.
Website: https://www.authormccorkle.com/
Twitter: @Kiraofthewind1
March 22, 2024
I want to start by recognizing that so much time, love, and attention to detail went into making this book happen. The world is vastly different from our own in creative and sometimes shocking ways. From the roots of language to the inheritance of magic, no detail is spared.
I went into this book understanding it would be an undertaking. Initially, I was patient with the very detailed worldbuilding, figuring it would all pay off later. I don't mind long books if the extra pages do the plot justice.
Unfortunately, Merchants has a TON of worldbuilding for the sake of worldbuilding. Great if that's your thing, but I really prefer learning about the world as it becomes relevant to the plot. For example, I don't need to know, in detail, the math behind currency conversion or what specific fantasy fruits make up a city's landscaping if it has no significance to the plot. To me, this amounts to information overload and makes the story drag. I was ultimately surprised at how little happened by the end of the book given the page count.
I also tried to be patient with the characters. Fantasy cultures can have wildly different mores than my own, and that's okay! But I really, really struggle with some of these characters' choices. Murder, kidnapping, and brainwashing are perfectly fine if the ends justify the means...?
I also did not love how preoccupied the adult main characters are with sex. I love the sex-positive themes and emphasis on consent. I do not love hearing every sexual fantasy that pops into the characters' heads, especially in wildly inappropriate circumstances.
Merchants of Light and Bone has a lot of good going for it, but I struggled to stay engaged. I wonder if shorter stories set within the same world would be a better balance between worldbuilding and plot.
Thank you to the author and to BookSirens for the chance to check this book out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
I went into this book understanding it would be an undertaking. Initially, I was patient with the very detailed worldbuilding, figuring it would all pay off later. I don't mind long books if the extra pages do the plot justice.
Unfortunately, Merchants has a TON of worldbuilding for the sake of worldbuilding. Great if that's your thing, but I really prefer learning about the world as it becomes relevant to the plot. For example, I don't need to know, in detail, the math behind currency conversion or what specific fantasy fruits make up a city's landscaping if it has no significance to the plot. To me, this amounts to information overload and makes the story drag. I was ultimately surprised at how little happened by the end of the book given the page count.
I also tried to be patient with the characters. Fantasy cultures can have wildly different mores than my own, and that's okay! But I really, really struggle with some of these characters' choices. Murder, kidnapping, and brainwashing are perfectly fine if the ends justify the means...?
I also did not love how preoccupied the adult main characters are with sex. I love the sex-positive themes and emphasis on consent. I do not love hearing every sexual fantasy that pops into the characters' heads, especially in wildly inappropriate circumstances.
Merchants of Light and Bone has a lot of good going for it, but I struggled to stay engaged. I wonder if shorter stories set within the same world would be a better balance between worldbuilding and plot.
Thank you to the author and to BookSirens for the chance to check this book out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
September 2, 2023
🌺My Opinion🌺
'Erika McCorkle's 'Merchants of Light and Bone' (The Pentagonal Dominion Book 2) is an enthralling continuation of the series. This installment takes us deeper into the captivating realm of Aloutia, where the art of carving magical crystals takes center stage. Amiere's character undergoes a profound transformation as he grapples with unimaginable grief, seeking redemption and justice. McCorkle's writing skillfully combines elements of fantasy, tragedy, and revenge, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The emotional depth and complexity of the story are truly remarkable, making it a page-turner from start to finish. ⚔️✨
🌸About Book🌸
In 'Merchants of Light and Bone,' the world of Aloutia becomes even more vivid and mesmerizing. The discovery of an abundance of crystals promises wealth and safety for the nation, but tragedy strikes when Amiere's daughter falls to her death. This heart-wrenching event drives Amiere to the brink of revenge when he encounters another child suffering from abuse. Amiere's struggle with his grief and determination to protect the innocent form the core of this story. As he navigates the challenges of his village, readers are drawn into a world where light battles darkness, and where one man's quest for justice becomes a beacon of hope. 🌟🔮
✨Final Verdict✨
'Erika McCorkle's 'Merchants of Light and Bone' is a captivating addition to 'The Pentagonal Dominion' series. With its emotionally charged storyline, intricate world-building, and well-drawn characters, this book offers a compelling narrative. Amiere's journey is one of resilience, redemption, and the enduring power of family bonds. McCorkle expertly explores themes of grief and the lengths to which one will go to protect the innocent. Readers who appreciate fantasy with a strong emotional core will find this installment to be a rewarding and immersive experience. 📚🌌
'Erika McCorkle's 'Merchants of Light and Bone' (The Pentagonal Dominion Book 2) is an enthralling continuation of the series. This installment takes us deeper into the captivating realm of Aloutia, where the art of carving magical crystals takes center stage. Amiere's character undergoes a profound transformation as he grapples with unimaginable grief, seeking redemption and justice. McCorkle's writing skillfully combines elements of fantasy, tragedy, and revenge, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The emotional depth and complexity of the story are truly remarkable, making it a page-turner from start to finish. ⚔️✨
🌸About Book🌸
In 'Merchants of Light and Bone,' the world of Aloutia becomes even more vivid and mesmerizing. The discovery of an abundance of crystals promises wealth and safety for the nation, but tragedy strikes when Amiere's daughter falls to her death. This heart-wrenching event drives Amiere to the brink of revenge when he encounters another child suffering from abuse. Amiere's struggle with his grief and determination to protect the innocent form the core of this story. As he navigates the challenges of his village, readers are drawn into a world where light battles darkness, and where one man's quest for justice becomes a beacon of hope. 🌟🔮
✨Final Verdict✨
'Erika McCorkle's 'Merchants of Light and Bone' is a captivating addition to 'The Pentagonal Dominion' series. With its emotionally charged storyline, intricate world-building, and well-drawn characters, this book offers a compelling narrative. Amiere's journey is one of resilience, redemption, and the enduring power of family bonds. McCorkle expertly explores themes of grief and the lengths to which one will go to protect the innocent. Readers who appreciate fantasy with a strong emotional core will find this installment to be a rewarding and immersive experience. 📚🌌
April 15, 2024
Merchants of Light and Bone is an ambitious book which is well worth tackling if you are looking for epic world building, diverse characters in polyamorous relationships and most of all if you want to walk a dark road tracking a man’s struggle to overcome heart ache and grief and all that entails.
The book begins slowly as we are introduced to Amiere, a merchant of light, and his family and the author spends a long, unusually long, amount of time and effort world-building and describing the nation of Aloutia. Its a bit complicated and results in the book being a very slow burner, but it is worth sticking with it.
But things take a very dark turn when he loses his seven year old daughter. Yes you read that right. His child is killed. Very unusual for most fantasy that I have read to have the MC’s child die. And as far as the book goes it is both a good and a bad thing. It makes it a very heavy, almost depressing read at times, for extended times, but equally it makes it a powerful one which evokes strong emotions in the reader.
I’m not sure if I liked Amiere. I think there was a bit too much focus on sex from him and it was to the detriment of the character and his grief a bit, though I get that everybody handles grief differently. But that is a pretty minor grumble, as a general thing I think the characters are handled well and sensitively and if you are a fan of multiple queer storylines you are in for a treat here.
I found it a hard one to rate as I did feel it was longer than it needed to be and could have had better pacing, but it did hold my interest at the same time. 3.5 to 4 stars I think is fair. I feel others will really like it and rate it higher and some lower depending on taste (well not that this is a particularly groundbreaking statement, I just feel it is a book that some people will love while others may struggle a bit with the pace)
The book begins slowly as we are introduced to Amiere, a merchant of light, and his family and the author spends a long, unusually long, amount of time and effort world-building and describing the nation of Aloutia. Its a bit complicated and results in the book being a very slow burner, but it is worth sticking with it.
But things take a very dark turn when he loses his seven year old daughter. Yes you read that right. His child is killed. Very unusual for most fantasy that I have read to have the MC’s child die. And as far as the book goes it is both a good and a bad thing. It makes it a very heavy, almost depressing read at times, for extended times, but equally it makes it a powerful one which evokes strong emotions in the reader.
I’m not sure if I liked Amiere. I think there was a bit too much focus on sex from him and it was to the detriment of the character and his grief a bit, though I get that everybody handles grief differently. But that is a pretty minor grumble, as a general thing I think the characters are handled well and sensitively and if you are a fan of multiple queer storylines you are in for a treat here.
I found it a hard one to rate as I did feel it was longer than it needed to be and could have had better pacing, but it did hold my interest at the same time. 3.5 to 4 stars I think is fair. I feel others will really like it and rate it higher and some lower depending on taste (well not that this is a particularly groundbreaking statement, I just feel it is a book that some people will love while others may struggle a bit with the pace)
September 15, 2023
First, I want to point out that this book is intended for an adult audience, and I would recommend checking the TWs before continuing, as it is a story that handles a wide range of difficult topics.
With that out of the way… OH MY GOD. This book had me in a chokehold! I’m not exactly a fast reader, and it is quite a big boy, but I just couldn’t put this book down until I was done. I devoured every single chapter. The setting! The characters! The drama!
I would say that the first half of the book is mostly character driven; we get to meet the polyamorous thruple family consisting in Amiere (a sapient lion-hybrid), Liesle (a sapient winged-lion hybrid), and Su (a 4 arm Godblood). I call them hybrids for the purpose of the review, but there’s much more to each character than the animal they resemble. The thruple has six kids, with one more on the way. Sadly, in the opening we meet the family right when they lost one of their children.
The first part is like a telenovela, were we see our main characters (through the eyes of Amiere), trying to cope with the loss of their daughter, Tawny, mixed in with the bitter return of unwanted old friends, and the pressure Amiere feels to not disappoint his boss.
But the second part of the book, everything explodes. I don’t want to share anything for the sake of spoilers, but the pages just went flying by as I reached the end. Something the author does right, is that they don’t force the ending, and we don’t get the ending that some readers may want, but the one the story deserves, and it was simply amazing. Even after a whole day from finishing, I still find it hard to put my excitement into words, it was just that good.
Quote: “You’ll never swim alone in the sea of despair.”
With that out of the way… OH MY GOD. This book had me in a chokehold! I’m not exactly a fast reader, and it is quite a big boy, but I just couldn’t put this book down until I was done. I devoured every single chapter. The setting! The characters! The drama!
I would say that the first half of the book is mostly character driven; we get to meet the polyamorous thruple family consisting in Amiere (a sapient lion-hybrid), Liesle (a sapient winged-lion hybrid), and Su (a 4 arm Godblood). I call them hybrids for the purpose of the review, but there’s much more to each character than the animal they resemble. The thruple has six kids, with one more on the way. Sadly, in the opening we meet the family right when they lost one of their children.
The first part is like a telenovela, were we see our main characters (through the eyes of Amiere), trying to cope with the loss of their daughter, Tawny, mixed in with the bitter return of unwanted old friends, and the pressure Amiere feels to not disappoint his boss.
But the second part of the book, everything explodes. I don’t want to share anything for the sake of spoilers, but the pages just went flying by as I reached the end. Something the author does right, is that they don’t force the ending, and we don’t get the ending that some readers may want, but the one the story deserves, and it was simply amazing. Even after a whole day from finishing, I still find it hard to put my excitement into words, it was just that good.
Quote: “You’ll never swim alone in the sea of despair.”
January 4, 2024
Merchants of Light and Bone is a standalone novel set in the universe created by Erika McCorkle, the Pentagonal Dominion. It is part of a series, but it is completely disjointed from the first instalment. The story explores Amiere’s grief for his daughter loss, while darker schemes are in motion.
The first aspect that drew me in was the complexity of the world-building, which is huge, vibrant and fascinating. Despite having not read yet the first instalment of this series, the author made it easy to navigate and understand certain aspects of it. Mostly, this book is set in a tropical setting, which creates a stark contrast with the hurt and grief the main character and his family are going through. These contrasting elements make those feelings more impactful.
The characters are well-rounded and quite enjoyable to read. I particularly liked Cohaku’s chapters and the interactions between her and Amiere. Those parts were so heart-warming and I wish we could have seen more of her. Character-wise, it was also interesting to see how Amiere, Liesle and Su made their relationship work, living together in a polycule.
My only grip is the pace in the first part, where I believe some parts could be cut off or made shorter, but mostly it didn’t bother me that much. First and second part are very different in tone and pace, which makes sense considering certain aspects of this novel but also can make it difficult to finish it. The first part is quite slow and not very eventful, but it is fitting considering the theme and content and for this reason I wasn’t really bothered much by its pace. It picks up in the second part, where it builds up momentum and becomes more engaging.
It is not an easy read for the reasons mentioned above and it is not for everyone, but I enjoyed how the author weaved everything together and I look forward to read the first novel of this series, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic.
Thanks to the author for providing me with this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The first aspect that drew me in was the complexity of the world-building, which is huge, vibrant and fascinating. Despite having not read yet the first instalment of this series, the author made it easy to navigate and understand certain aspects of it. Mostly, this book is set in a tropical setting, which creates a stark contrast with the hurt and grief the main character and his family are going through. These contrasting elements make those feelings more impactful.
The characters are well-rounded and quite enjoyable to read. I particularly liked Cohaku’s chapters and the interactions between her and Amiere. Those parts were so heart-warming and I wish we could have seen more of her. Character-wise, it was also interesting to see how Amiere, Liesle and Su made their relationship work, living together in a polycule.
My only grip is the pace in the first part, where I believe some parts could be cut off or made shorter, but mostly it didn’t bother me that much. First and second part are very different in tone and pace, which makes sense considering certain aspects of this novel but also can make it difficult to finish it. The first part is quite slow and not very eventful, but it is fitting considering the theme and content and for this reason I wasn’t really bothered much by its pace. It picks up in the second part, where it builds up momentum and becomes more engaging.
It is not an easy read for the reasons mentioned above and it is not for everyone, but I enjoyed how the author weaved everything together and I look forward to read the first novel of this series, Merchants of Knowledge and Magic.
Thanks to the author for providing me with this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
April 11, 2024
Merchants of Light and Bone by Erika Mckorkle is a chonky beast of a book. (I actually wonder if the author would have been better off splitting it into two books). It’s a fantasy, but despite the rather idyllic setting we get at the start it quickly descends into darkness. If you are looking for fairy dust and unicorns this might not be the book for you.
I found the book a little hard to get into at first, lots of names, a bit overly ‘spicy’ with multiple spouses and what not which wasn’t really my thing and I was finding myself a little lost, in truth I did wonder about setting it aside, but something kept me going and honestly I’m glad I did. (I’d like to note that we do get a map and an EXTENSIVE character list at the start which helps with the above issues a lot, and I found myself checking both a couple of times). I ended up dedicating several days to it as my main read.
Don’t read this book if you want an easy light read.The topics addressed are hardcore - I’m talking about the death of a child, depression and a general sense of bleakness for extended tracts of the book. However the writing itself is very strong and if you like good prose it will slowly drag you in. I like the first person past tense style. It flows very well, even with the fairly slow pace. This isn’t going to be a book for everybody, but for those willing to commit the time to it it makes for a very satisfying and rich read. The author has a lot of talent.
Thank you to the author, publisher and the write reads for making me aware of it.
I found the book a little hard to get into at first, lots of names, a bit overly ‘spicy’ with multiple spouses and what not which wasn’t really my thing and I was finding myself a little lost, in truth I did wonder about setting it aside, but something kept me going and honestly I’m glad I did. (I’d like to note that we do get a map and an EXTENSIVE character list at the start which helps with the above issues a lot, and I found myself checking both a couple of times). I ended up dedicating several days to it as my main read.
Don’t read this book if you want an easy light read.The topics addressed are hardcore - I’m talking about the death of a child, depression and a general sense of bleakness for extended tracts of the book. However the writing itself is very strong and if you like good prose it will slowly drag you in. I like the first person past tense style. It flows very well, even with the fairly slow pace. This isn’t going to be a book for everybody, but for those willing to commit the time to it it makes for a very satisfying and rich read. The author has a lot of talent.
Thank you to the author, publisher and the write reads for making me aware of it.
April 16, 2024
Merchants of Light and Bone is part of the Pentagonal Dominion universe, but can be read as a standalone, which having not read the previous novel ( Merchants of Knowledge and Magic ), is how I read it.
Being a fantasy novel ( my favourite genre ), this looked right up my street, and let me tell you it certainly did not disappoint.
First of all, some trigger warnings to mention. Erika certainly isn't afraid to explore themes of Sex, profanity, torture, suffering and pain, but these themes are not overly used, just enough to balance the story.
My first impression was that there is an incredible amount of detail which the author has put into this work. There are a huge amount of character names, places, species and blessings. For me, being a big fan of Tolkien ( who always put great detail into his writing ), this was great. I love lots of detail, the more the better.
The world building on display here is just phenomenal. Erika is a real master in the art. The Universe consists of various portals to different parts, all with their own cultures and histories. Again, the detail the author has put in is mind-blowing.
For me, the pace of the story is good, the plot is gripping with great character development and I read this in three sittings. It's LGBTQIA+ friendly which is always great to see and I found it to be a real page turner, in ever sense of the phrase.
It's quite a hefty tome, at 538 pages, but despite the length, I never felt any part of this impressive novel dragged at all.
I must now read the first novel.
A massive 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Being a fantasy novel ( my favourite genre ), this looked right up my street, and let me tell you it certainly did not disappoint.
First of all, some trigger warnings to mention. Erika certainly isn't afraid to explore themes of Sex, profanity, torture, suffering and pain, but these themes are not overly used, just enough to balance the story.
My first impression was that there is an incredible amount of detail which the author has put into this work. There are a huge amount of character names, places, species and blessings. For me, being a big fan of Tolkien ( who always put great detail into his writing ), this was great. I love lots of detail, the more the better.
The world building on display here is just phenomenal. Erika is a real master in the art. The Universe consists of various portals to different parts, all with their own cultures and histories. Again, the detail the author has put in is mind-blowing.
For me, the pace of the story is good, the plot is gripping with great character development and I read this in three sittings. It's LGBTQIA+ friendly which is always great to see and I found it to be a real page turner, in ever sense of the phrase.
It's quite a hefty tome, at 538 pages, but despite the length, I never felt any part of this impressive novel dragged at all.
I must now read the first novel.
A massive 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
June 2, 2024
"Sorrow in paradise
A parent’s worst nightmare
When grief drives one to revenge"
Erika's back at it with her awesome worldbuilding in the next venture into the Pentagonal Dominion with a story that starts off tragic and grows into a story of hope. This was mostly a deep, dark exploration of family dynamics and how each member of the family handle tragedy in different ways, especially the kids. How does a parent free himself of the blame and guilt he placed upon himself for the loss of a child? The chapter interludes were a great way to explain some backstory, background characters, deities, and events in this universe.
"Gods, what the fuck was wrong with these women?" I was glad to see Ophidians making an appearance, since they're my favorite part of the universe.
And what about the cool goat people?
Throughout the dark, sometimes depressing content and the lengths the parents would go through for their children, the duality of doing bad things for the greater good, there is love, found family, some shared tender moments between characters. The author shows that fantasy can be "different," without the usual tropey stuff and constant action fighting the big, bad guys. It can be emotional and intellectual.
Erika never fails to deliver the most unique and detailed worldbuilding and characters I've ever read, and if this piqued your interest, check out the links below:
https://www.authormccorkle.com/
https://www.authormccorkle.com/mercha...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C...
A parent’s worst nightmare
When grief drives one to revenge"
Erika's back at it with her awesome worldbuilding in the next venture into the Pentagonal Dominion with a story that starts off tragic and grows into a story of hope. This was mostly a deep, dark exploration of family dynamics and how each member of the family handle tragedy in different ways, especially the kids. How does a parent free himself of the blame and guilt he placed upon himself for the loss of a child? The chapter interludes were a great way to explain some backstory, background characters, deities, and events in this universe.
"Gods, what the fuck was wrong with these women?" I was glad to see Ophidians making an appearance, since they're my favorite part of the universe.
And what about the cool goat people?
Throughout the dark, sometimes depressing content and the lengths the parents would go through for their children, the duality of doing bad things for the greater good, there is love, found family, some shared tender moments between characters. The author shows that fantasy can be "different," without the usual tropey stuff and constant action fighting the big, bad guys. It can be emotional and intellectual.
Erika never fails to deliver the most unique and detailed worldbuilding and characters I've ever read, and if this piqued your interest, check out the links below:
https://www.authormccorkle.com/
https://www.authormccorkle.com/mercha...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C...
April 13, 2024
The thing I love about being part of a blog tour group is the different range of authors and books you come across. I am enjoying the various genres I am able to read. And I love all the new author’s I am having the pleasure of reading. I am now able to add Erika McCorkle to this list
Before I start a new author I like to research them and their previous books and after this I really couldn’t wait to drive into this book.
The first thing I noticed and really like is a character list, there are family groups listed all with descriptions of what the characters look like and how they are related to each other. And at times it was really helpful.
I really like this as before I started the book I already knew in my mind what the characters look like.
This is a really long book (another thing I like) so this was read over a week. I really like longer books because there is more happening and you are invested a lot in the characters.
As soon as you start reading you realise that something awful has already happened and the characters are dealing with the aftermath.
Although this carries on from a previous book this can definitely be read as a stand alone, which is what I have done.
As there is a lot of word building and that this is completely a new place the pace is slower than normal but this is definitely needed.
There is alot of plot/character development in this book.
The plot has also been thought out well.
Told from the point of view of the character Amiere this follows him as his partners and himself cope with the loss of their daughter. As you go through the book we follow Amiere and his partners as they struggle to make harrowing decisions that will affect them and their children and we watch them as they cope with the consequences of these decisions.
This is one of these books that needs to be read.
Before I start a new author I like to research them and their previous books and after this I really couldn’t wait to drive into this book.
The first thing I noticed and really like is a character list, there are family groups listed all with descriptions of what the characters look like and how they are related to each other. And at times it was really helpful.
I really like this as before I started the book I already knew in my mind what the characters look like.
This is a really long book (another thing I like) so this was read over a week. I really like longer books because there is more happening and you are invested a lot in the characters.
As soon as you start reading you realise that something awful has already happened and the characters are dealing with the aftermath.
Although this carries on from a previous book this can definitely be read as a stand alone, which is what I have done.
As there is a lot of word building and that this is completely a new place the pace is slower than normal but this is definitely needed.
There is alot of plot/character development in this book.
The plot has also been thought out well.
Told from the point of view of the character Amiere this follows him as his partners and himself cope with the loss of their daughter. As you go through the book we follow Amiere and his partners as they struggle to make harrowing decisions that will affect them and their children and we watch them as they cope with the consequences of these decisions.
This is one of these books that needs to be read.
April 12, 2024
This book is clearly the result of a gargantuan quantity of effort and time and it really is a mammoth tome. If I could be a little critical I feel that the author could benefit from some beta readers or something purely focused on talking to them about pacing and if certain details are entirely necessary, just because there is just so much world building and depth of detail early on that I feel for many it may give the feeling of being rather slow paced with a bit too much world-building detail. Now, I obviously don’t speak for everyone there, I know that many, particularly epic fantasy readers love being literally drowned in world building detail, but for me it was a little much. The other aspect that I wasn’t overly keen on was the sex stuff which I felt was a bit too much for my tastes.
I don’t mean for my review to sound harsh, you can see from my rating that I do actually feel it is a good book. It is very well written and for all my moaning above the world is really rich and feels alive and as the story goes on you become more and more invested. The main focus of the story is Amiere’s grief after the tragedy of his daughter’s death and how that effects him and those around him as they face the trials to come. It’s very powerful in places. My main issue really that knocks it down a bit is the pacing especially in the early stages.
I don’t mean for my review to sound harsh, you can see from my rating that I do actually feel it is a good book. It is very well written and for all my moaning above the world is really rich and feels alive and as the story goes on you become more and more invested. The main focus of the story is Amiere’s grief after the tragedy of his daughter’s death and how that effects him and those around him as they face the trials to come. It’s very powerful in places. My main issue really that knocks it down a bit is the pacing especially in the early stages.
April 13, 2024
What to say about this one? There is so much good (and only a little 'meh') The first thing to note is I LOVE the world building. The author is on a mission to be like a modern JRR Tolkien or something with the amount of effort she clearly puts into her world. I have no doubt that she could probably put out an entire Silmarillion companion novel just talking about the history of Aloutia, the cultures, religions towns, villages magics etc. Found it quite captivating though I do see that a few reviewers think it is a bit too much. Teach their own I suppose!
Mckorkle is clearly not afraid of unconventional relationships and what not and I thought it was neat to see a polygamous marriage being presented as I can't actually remember seeing one before, at least not in a positive light. the story is pretty grim for large parts and deals with tough subjects, not least of which being the death of the MC's child. I found it a little heavy at times but think the author handled such issues as well as many others well.
All in all its a solid 4 stars from me. Well written, unusual, a bit windy at times, but worth the effort if you want to try something a bit different.
Mckorkle is clearly not afraid of unconventional relationships and what not and I thought it was neat to see a polygamous marriage being presented as I can't actually remember seeing one before, at least not in a positive light. the story is pretty grim for large parts and deals with tough subjects, not least of which being the death of the MC's child. I found it a little heavy at times but think the author handled such issues as well as many others well.
All in all its a solid 4 stars from me. Well written, unusual, a bit windy at times, but worth the effort if you want to try something a bit different.
August 10, 2023
If you're looking for a queer normative fantasy world (with top notch world building) and don't mind a bit of darkness, look no further! The juxtaposition of themes that would on the surface seem contradictory (ie: grief and tragedy in a tropical paradise, a villain with a "for the greater good" motivation that is arguably FOR THE BEST OF HIS SOCIETY, etc.) doesn't miss a beat and hits home in a way that'll leave you begging for more. Also, if you're looking for a book with a close-knit family where the parents just happen to be polyamorous and ultimately embody the phrase of "it takes a village to raise a child" you'll adore Amiere, Liesel, and Su. Yes, the book may be long, but it doesn't feel overinflated with material that could've been cut and left the story the same. In fact, the quieter moments do wonders for playing on the tension of certain events that you'll be wondering whether or not they'll be found out about.
*I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 27, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a free eARC of this story. I voluntarily left a review of the novel.
This book was really good! The story is about a family grieving the loss of Tawny, daughter of Amiere "Ami" Lasteran, Liesle Denwall, and Su Scrimshander. The tale is a long one, as there are many different plots present. Readers also get to learn about the world that Erika McCorkle has created, as a lot of worldbuilding has gone into creating the setting, The Pentagonal Dominion. Even though the story is long, I felt like the length of the story is exactly what's needed to tell the tale.
This novel is part of The Pentagonal Dominion series. However, reader's don't need to read the first book to understand the world. There are a lot of plot twists that I didn't anticipate, and I believe that Ami is a very interesting protagonist! Overall, I highly recommend reading this if you enjoy fantastical worlds, plot twists, and character-driven stories!
Please check the content warnings: https://www.authormccorkle.com/molab-...
This book was really good! The story is about a family grieving the loss of Tawny, daughter of Amiere "Ami" Lasteran, Liesle Denwall, and Su Scrimshander. The tale is a long one, as there are many different plots present. Readers also get to learn about the world that Erika McCorkle has created, as a lot of worldbuilding has gone into creating the setting, The Pentagonal Dominion. Even though the story is long, I felt like the length of the story is exactly what's needed to tell the tale.
This novel is part of The Pentagonal Dominion series. However, reader's don't need to read the first book to understand the world. There are a lot of plot twists that I didn't anticipate, and I believe that Ami is a very interesting protagonist! Overall, I highly recommend reading this if you enjoy fantastical worlds, plot twists, and character-driven stories!
Please check the content warnings: https://www.authormccorkle.com/molab-...
April 11, 2024
I received a copy of this for free, to review as part of a tour with The Write Reads.
This dark fantasy novel is the second in the Pentagonal Dominion series. I remembered that I had enjoyed the first book previously, so I was excited to review this one.
The author created this world and brought it vividly to life. As I got to know the characters, I found that the theme of sex and sexuality was more explicit than I had first anticipated, but that gave the characters a sense of freedom and liberation. I did find the characters a little bit wild and bizarre at times, but in some cases that made them appear endearing.
This was quite a bit longer than the first book, so I would recommend reading it a little at a time, but it's a good book to lose yourself in, if you feel like escaping to a unique world.
Thank you to The Write Reads, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
This dark fantasy novel is the second in the Pentagonal Dominion series. I remembered that I had enjoyed the first book previously, so I was excited to review this one.
The author created this world and brought it vividly to life. As I got to know the characters, I found that the theme of sex and sexuality was more explicit than I had first anticipated, but that gave the characters a sense of freedom and liberation. I did find the characters a little bit wild and bizarre at times, but in some cases that made them appear endearing.
This was quite a bit longer than the first book, so I would recommend reading it a little at a time, but it's a good book to lose yourself in, if you feel like escaping to a unique world.
Thank you to The Write Reads, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.
October 8, 2023
This is my second encounter with Erika McCorkle's Pentagonal Dominium universe, and once again the level of detail that goes into her fantasy world building continues to impress me. I enjoyed learning more about the various sapienti species, and the plane of Aloutia with its unique culture and religion.
Unlike Calinthe, the protagonist of McCorkle's first book 'Merchants of Knowledge and Magic' who came across as rather arrogant at first, I found Amiere, the hero of this book to be instantly likeable and someone I could easily identify with as a parent. The lengths he and his spouses Su and Liesle go through to protect their children is heart-warming. I really liked the fact that it's not a simple case of good vs evil. Even the main villains are parents who believe their actions are for the greater good.
Unlike Calinthe, the protagonist of McCorkle's first book 'Merchants of Knowledge and Magic' who came across as rather arrogant at first, I found Amiere, the hero of this book to be instantly likeable and someone I could easily identify with as a parent. The lengths he and his spouses Su and Liesle go through to protect their children is heart-warming. I really liked the fact that it's not a simple case of good vs evil. Even the main villains are parents who believe their actions are for the greater good.
October 25, 2023
This is a unique adult fantasy novel with Erica McCorcle's trademark in-depth world-building and some dark and violent themes, including child abuse and torture (see the complete list of content warningst). The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional, and the plot is compelling. The book becomes more fast-paced in the second half. It has some neurodivergent characters, an anti-capitalist society, and an interesting discussion of gender. It is for fantasy fans who appreciate unique and detailed world-building and don't mind violence.
See full review on my blog about SFF by women, trans and enby authors.
See full review on my blog about SFF by women, trans and enby authors.
August 6, 2023
I got this book as an ARC copy for a review, and I’m glad I did it. This book is captivating and put together well. The story itself deals with real grief in a fantasy setting, and it doesn’t hold back. My only issue was that I didn’t read the first of the series before delving into this one, and I wish I had. I may go back and read it now!
This book also contains a polycule and is full of mixed family elements, which I also loved. It’s full of feeling and the kind of stuff that makes my queer heart flutter. That’s not saying this book is lovey-dovey. Expect your soul to be squeezed and then torn apart, but you’ll enjoy every second of it.
This book also contains a polycule and is full of mixed family elements, which I also loved. It’s full of feeling and the kind of stuff that makes my queer heart flutter. That’s not saying this book is lovey-dovey. Expect your soul to be squeezed and then torn apart, but you’ll enjoy every second of it.
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September 1, 2023Merchants of Light and Bone is a tropical island fantasy with a focus on the lives of one family, and how some other people's attempts to be heroes who save the world has horrible effects on them. Full review here: https://enthralledbylove.com/2023/09/...
July 16, 2023
This book is SO GOOD! It's dark and sad and so powerful. Erika does a masterful job of writing a trio of grieving parents alongside a huge overarching plot. There are twists, some gruesome, some heart wrenching, but Merchants of Light and Bone is worth the heartache.
December 6, 2023
I just finished this work of art and I WANT A SPINOFF ON Tynan NOW!! 🥹
There's a lot going on in this book, it's got just about everything (this can come over as overwhelming at times)
Highs, lows, tragedy, drama and most importantly some serious next level world building. Recommend.
There's a lot going on in this book, it's got just about everything (this can come over as overwhelming at times)
Highs, lows, tragedy, drama and most importantly some serious next level world building. Recommend.
August 13, 2023
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I didn’t think Erika could top book 1. Just thought it couldn’t be done. How do you top that level of world building, that beautiful companion relationship and that deplorable villain?
Merchants of Light and Bone is your answer.
As per usual, the worldbuilding is top notch. Rather than dig more into what we saw before, we get to see an entirely different setting with such a fun and unique theme—ever seen tropical island fantasy? Yeah, me neither and now I want more of it! The scenery alone just had me entranced and I am so glad Erika is heavy on the description because I could not get enough.
But the heart of this story lies with our main family. Amiere with his two spouses and bundle of kiddos (plus one on the way) have experienced the worst type of tragedy—the loss of a child. And we see them mourn, bargain, scream and overall try to put together the pieces of a life that no longer makes sense.
There is no holding back. There is grief here, of the deep and haunting kind. But there is also a love, of the deepest and most caring sort, that helps pull our characters back to their feet. We see them struggle, and cry alongside them, but still cling for the light in the distance.
Plus there’s a dog that has mushrooms growing on it! That kind of creativity never stops in this book. Be prepared to have your heart ripped out but also relish when it starts to heal.
I’d give this six stars if I could and I can’t wait to for the next adventure!
I didn’t think Erika could top book 1. Just thought it couldn’t be done. How do you top that level of world building, that beautiful companion relationship and that deplorable villain?
Merchants of Light and Bone is your answer.
As per usual, the worldbuilding is top notch. Rather than dig more into what we saw before, we get to see an entirely different setting with such a fun and unique theme—ever seen tropical island fantasy? Yeah, me neither and now I want more of it! The scenery alone just had me entranced and I am so glad Erika is heavy on the description because I could not get enough.
But the heart of this story lies with our main family. Amiere with his two spouses and bundle of kiddos (plus one on the way) have experienced the worst type of tragedy—the loss of a child. And we see them mourn, bargain, scream and overall try to put together the pieces of a life that no longer makes sense.
There is no holding back. There is grief here, of the deep and haunting kind. But there is also a love, of the deepest and most caring sort, that helps pull our characters back to their feet. We see them struggle, and cry alongside them, but still cling for the light in the distance.
Plus there’s a dog that has mushrooms growing on it! That kind of creativity never stops in this book. Be prepared to have your heart ripped out but also relish when it starts to heal.
I’d give this six stars if I could and I can’t wait to for the next adventure!
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