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Broken Wynn #1
The Curse of Starfall
An ancient city built by missing gods. Monsters that kill or trap citizens in the echo state. Can a survivor uncover the mystery of the Shadowed Ones before anyone else is killed?
Nyrnn Ashall is resigned to her life. Thirteen years after the Shadowed Ones nearly killed her, she has adapted to the lingering pain, fatigue and weakness. In Nubrai, the gods teach that each person must contribute to the whole. Nyrnn has a smaller try not to be a burden. She is shocked when a strange scholar offers her a treatment for her condition. In exchange, she must help him stop the Shadowed Ones.
Arriving in Starfall, Nyrnn enjoys improved health even as she battles her fears that the treatment might stop working. But when the scholar remains elusive about his plans, and the Shadowed Ones continue to haunt the streets of Starfall, Nyrnn is left with a choice. Does she push to learn the truth even if the truth might change everything?
With Nyrnn and Starfall’s fate on the line, can a young woman discover the secret behind the Shadowed Ones and stop them once and for all?
The Curse of Starfall is the first book in the Broken Wynn epic fantasy series.
Nyrnn Ashall is resigned to her life. Thirteen years after the Shadowed Ones nearly killed her, she has adapted to the lingering pain, fatigue and weakness. In Nubrai, the gods teach that each person must contribute to the whole. Nyrnn has a smaller try not to be a burden. She is shocked when a strange scholar offers her a treatment for her condition. In exchange, she must help him stop the Shadowed Ones.
Arriving in Starfall, Nyrnn enjoys improved health even as she battles her fears that the treatment might stop working. But when the scholar remains elusive about his plans, and the Shadowed Ones continue to haunt the streets of Starfall, Nyrnn is left with a choice. Does she push to learn the truth even if the truth might change everything?
With Nyrnn and Starfall’s fate on the line, can a young woman discover the secret behind the Shadowed Ones and stop them once and for all?
The Curse of Starfall is the first book in the Broken Wynn epic fantasy series.
- GenresFantasy
672 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2023
148 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 13, 2024
A great read with engaging characters. Fans of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books will find lots to enjoy in The Curse of Starfall.
October 18, 2024
In the magical island kingdom of Nubai, life is supported by the use of magical stonetych and the powers of gifted individuals known as Wynn. However, strange and menacing figures called the Shadowed Ones, prey on the citizens of Starfall, leaving any survivors in a catatonic state, Except for young Nyrnn Ashall. The encounter left her suffering from strange episodes of pain and fatigue, plaguing her for years afterwards. As the sole survivor of a Shadowed One attack, Nyrnn attracts the attention of Robern Haedern, a man with a singular interest in stopping the Shadowed Ones. From here the story begins to take off.
M. L. Banks has created a detailed and believable fantasy world with an uniques magic system. The story starts a trifle slow with a lot of world building as time is taken establishing the life Nyrnn lives with the after effects of her attack. As the story shifts from Nyrnn’s home town of Shimmerview to the capitol city of Starfall, the pacing begins to pick up. There is a solid mystery at the center of the story and as the clues are followed and the stakes are raised, things come to a satisfying and open conclusion. Nyrnn and the friends she makes in Starfall as they face attacks from roaming Shadowed Ones, are relatable and likeable. Each character adds their personality and challenges to the story that helps propel things along to the the conclusion in a court hearing with all the right amount of tension. Highly recommend and will be getting the second book.
M. L. Banks has created a detailed and believable fantasy world with an uniques magic system. The story starts a trifle slow with a lot of world building as time is taken establishing the life Nyrnn lives with the after effects of her attack. As the story shifts from Nyrnn’s home town of Shimmerview to the capitol city of Starfall, the pacing begins to pick up. There is a solid mystery at the center of the story and as the clues are followed and the stakes are raised, things come to a satisfying and open conclusion. Nyrnn and the friends she makes in Starfall as they face attacks from roaming Shadowed Ones, are relatable and likeable. Each character adds their personality and challenges to the story that helps propel things along to the the conclusion in a court hearing with all the right amount of tension. Highly recommend and will be getting the second book.
January 24, 2024
It took me a few chapters to get into, but once Banks lays the foundation, you're hooked.
I liked the author style - I found that that the prose flowed easily and really grabbed you at just the right time in the story (forcing you to stay up past your bedtime!) The characters and development are fantastic: some of them are just waiting for their time in spotlight but I'm sure the author is saving it for the sequel(s). (I can't wait for more of Nord <3) I confess, I initially struggled a bit with Nyrnn's characterisation in places but I think it's because I was looking for an easy hero: I understand now how her fight against her own limitations is integral to the plot!
My favourite thing about this book is that Banks manages to build a fresh world with new fantastical ideas--even more so that I can envision it without needing to slog through descriptions akin to an technical document. The world of Starfall and Nubrai - the people, its wynn, the magic and stonetych - are so well-crafted and engaging. The author's really on to something and I'm looking forward to more!
I liked the author style - I found that that the prose flowed easily and really grabbed you at just the right time in the story (forcing you to stay up past your bedtime!) The characters and development are fantastic: some of them are just waiting for their time in spotlight but I'm sure the author is saving it for the sequel(s). (I can't wait for more of Nord <3) I confess, I initially struggled a bit with Nyrnn's characterisation in places but I think it's because I was looking for an easy hero: I understand now how her fight against her own limitations is integral to the plot!
My favourite thing about this book is that Banks manages to build a fresh world with new fantastical ideas--even more so that I can envision it without needing to slog through descriptions akin to an technical document. The world of Starfall and Nubrai - the people, its wynn, the magic and stonetych - are so well-crafted and engaging. The author's really on to something and I'm looking forward to more!
April 5, 2024
This was a fascinating book with a new plot that I haven't seen before. I found the book suspenseful and a page turner once I got into it. The book is about the adventures and character development of a Nyrm a twenty something female. She has a few friends that also evolve their characters as each chapter progresses. I think this is a must read. I am looking forward to this author's next book to be released sometime this spring.
July 1, 2024
Loved the story line and the characters. Can't wait for book 2.
September 14, 2024
This was epic in every sense of the word! Starting with a prologue that made me hunger for more and that "more" filtered out the world around me, so captivating did I find this consummate read! As with all epic reads, it starts with a steady building of the world and characters, laying the points meticulously, so when the dots connect, the image, the masterpiece is revealed in all it's splendour. A new to me author, and indeed a debut author, this read was impressive on so many levels. Talk characters? They're full, they're fleshed out to perfection, they're relatable. Talk plot! Intricate, complex, interestingly unique. Talk storytelling? Bewitching, compelling, riveting.
Nyrnn is insecure, almost shy, who thinks outside the box, who has debilitating pain and weakness, who, despite all these challenges is one of the nicest, sweetest characters I've come across. Ok, yes, she did pull hard on my heartstrings but she awakened in me an exigency to discover more about her, root for her. And my journey along the way with her, exceeded any expectations I might have had. She honestly is a character I fell in love with from the git go. The realisations that pound her, as she delves deeper into the Shadow Ones, make her question everything she thought she knew. But I digress....Nyrrn is given an opportunity to make her whole, and her musings on whether to accept or not are incredibly realistic. To leave a place of security is scary for the best of us, yet she grabs the bull by the horns and lets it toss her around. But she hangs on for dear life, slowly getting a handle, slowly getting a grasp of the lies and manipulations. Oy, when she came to the realisation that the very fate, the safety l, the defence of her people rested on her shoulders, I felt her to my core. The answers she seeks aren't necessarily ones that are easy to swallow, but she perseveres. Her ability to pick herself up, dust herself off and step forward against the battering winds threatening to push her aside, shows her inner strength and resolve. The growth, oh goodness is her growth exceptionally laid out!
This isn't a read solely a coming of age one, it's a read which has a depth of mystery, betrayal, friendship, gods and dangers that, put together, translated into a magical read of note!
As I was reading and more characters were introduced, I was pretty gobsmacked at how clearly defined they were, how seamlessly they just fit. The author truly did a magnificent job of letting each character shine in their own light. The attention to detail can only be another feather in this author's cap, heck, by the time I had finished this book, this cap was resplendent in it's full feathered glory! With the author's very unique writing style, it only enhanced my pleasure. Do I recommend this book? Well hells bells, with a very loudly proclaimed YES!
Nyrnn is insecure, almost shy, who thinks outside the box, who has debilitating pain and weakness, who, despite all these challenges is one of the nicest, sweetest characters I've come across. Ok, yes, she did pull hard on my heartstrings but she awakened in me an exigency to discover more about her, root for her. And my journey along the way with her, exceeded any expectations I might have had. She honestly is a character I fell in love with from the git go. The realisations that pound her, as she delves deeper into the Shadow Ones, make her question everything she thought she knew. But I digress....Nyrrn is given an opportunity to make her whole, and her musings on whether to accept or not are incredibly realistic. To leave a place of security is scary for the best of us, yet she grabs the bull by the horns and lets it toss her around. But she hangs on for dear life, slowly getting a handle, slowly getting a grasp of the lies and manipulations. Oy, when she came to the realisation that the very fate, the safety l, the defence of her people rested on her shoulders, I felt her to my core. The answers she seeks aren't necessarily ones that are easy to swallow, but she perseveres. Her ability to pick herself up, dust herself off and step forward against the battering winds threatening to push her aside, shows her inner strength and resolve. The growth, oh goodness is her growth exceptionally laid out!
This isn't a read solely a coming of age one, it's a read which has a depth of mystery, betrayal, friendship, gods and dangers that, put together, translated into a magical read of note!
As I was reading and more characters were introduced, I was pretty gobsmacked at how clearly defined they were, how seamlessly they just fit. The author truly did a magnificent job of letting each character shine in their own light. The attention to detail can only be another feather in this author's cap, heck, by the time I had finished this book, this cap was resplendent in it's full feathered glory! With the author's very unique writing style, it only enhanced my pleasure. Do I recommend this book? Well hells bells, with a very loudly proclaimed YES!
January 5, 2024
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
For me, it had a bit of a slow start but then I was captivated. I see myself in the main character as I share a similar affliction where I often feel tired and weak!
I liked many of the characters which I think helps invest you in a book.
I also liked the whole concept, I thought it was different when it’s hard to be original nowadays.
Finally, I thought it was well written and I will look to read other books that the author has written. I would recommend this book to any lover of fantasy books.
For me, it had a bit of a slow start but then I was captivated. I see myself in the main character as I share a similar affliction where I often feel tired and weak!
I liked many of the characters which I think helps invest you in a book.
I also liked the whole concept, I thought it was different when it’s hard to be original nowadays.
Finally, I thought it was well written and I will look to read other books that the author has written. I would recommend this book to any lover of fantasy books.
May 12, 2024
Sometimes I can be a bit slow. I took me no fewer than thirty-nine chapters (out of fifty-two) to realize that Banks unusual writing style was not unnecessarily prolix; she had invented an entirely new approach. Where other writers tell you what is happening and what the hero does about it, Miss Banks goes in depth about how the hero relates to what is happening. This unusual approach is dictated by the very person Nyrnn is ... someone who cannot fail to understand the feelings of those around her.
Most original and well worth five stars.
Most original and well worth five stars.
January 4, 2024
I struggled getting into this book until over halfway in. It wasn’t the storyline, as the premise was very interesting. It was more the writing style. I felt like it was written by a 12 year old. Once the story got going, I couldn’t put it down and now I will patiently wait for the next book to see what happens. I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
September 11, 2025
The Curse of Starfall is an unforgettable start to the Broken Wynn series a tale of missing gods, haunting monsters, and a heroine who refuses to be broken. Nyrnn’s fight for survival and truth will grip your heart and keep you turning the pages. A must-read for fans of epic, character-driven fantasy!
September 2, 2025
The author finds their stride after about chapter 3 or 4, and then I couldn’t put it down. Looking forward to a (rumoured) fairly quick release of book two. The arc in book 1 is satisfying on its own, but I like the author’s voice and would like to spend some more time in this world.
I like the main character, Nyrnn (“Nye-rhin”...nope, editting from later and apparently it's more like "nRin"), a lot, but she is not your average lets-go-on-an-adventure-and-do-it-my-way SF protagonist. She is more quiet, less self-assured, and brings both her own wisdom/compassion and her own baggage from old injuries. Nonetheless, the story does not feel slow. Really nice place to visit, I anticipate re-reading it a fair bit.
I like the main character, Nyrnn (“Nye-rhin”...nope, editting from later and apparently it's more like "nRin"), a lot, but she is not your average lets-go-on-an-adventure-and-do-it-my-way SF protagonist. She is more quiet, less self-assured, and brings both her own wisdom/compassion and her own baggage from old injuries. Nonetheless, the story does not feel slow. Really nice place to visit, I anticipate re-reading it a fair bit.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews