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The Black Crescent
The draft caught everyone by surprise.
After an explosion that rocks the desert megacity where they live, both Delkan and Ziara are tasked with the protection of their home from the Varul, a virus which can hijack control of the mind.
The only problem? Ziara was infected during the first intrusion. Rather than turn herself in to the Quarantine from which no one returns, Ziara searches for a cure and tries to keep the Varul under control. But now she’s blacking out, unable to stop herself from spreading the disease further.
Unaware of the internal threat, Delkan and his squadron work to exterminate the Varul, hoping to win the honor of wearing the Black Crescent.
After an explosion that rocks the desert megacity where they live, both Delkan and Ziara are tasked with the protection of their home from the Varul, a virus which can hijack control of the mind.
The only problem? Ziara was infected during the first intrusion. Rather than turn herself in to the Quarantine from which no one returns, Ziara searches for a cure and tries to keep the Varul under control. But now she’s blacking out, unable to stop herself from spreading the disease further.
Unaware of the internal threat, Delkan and his squadron work to exterminate the Varul, hoping to win the honor of wearing the Black Crescent.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 8, 2024
Disclaimer: I am not a YA reader, but I am familiar with the conventions of the genre.
The Black Crescent is Ender's Game meets Divergent, in a well-written, intimate story. The characters are well-realized and deep, the setting is interesting (more on that in a moment), and the plot moves along well from explosive beginning to thrilling finish. There's issues, like in any debut novel, but none kept me from enjoying it despite it being outside of what I normally read. The ending is satisfying enough for it to be a standalone yet sets it up for a sequel.
Two quibbles. One, both POVs are first-person, and Wynters *does* specify who each scene/chapter is in, but they're so similar that if he didn't you couldn't tell them apart - an issue in longer parts of the book. Second, the setting is a bit contrived, which is very common for the genre and not what I'd knock it for, but there's not enough investigation as to "why things are the way they are." If there's teenage soldiers fighting a deadly plague underneath a religious hierarchy that controls every aspect of their lives, there needs to be a good explanation for it, and not enough is provided. It's the rare instance in which I believe more worldbuilding and exposition would benefit the story - the reader is left wanting more.
But it's still an excellent book, and fans of YA dystopian and sci-fi will enjoy it tremendously, especially the well-written action scenes. I look forward to the sequel!
The Black Crescent is Ender's Game meets Divergent, in a well-written, intimate story. The characters are well-realized and deep, the setting is interesting (more on that in a moment), and the plot moves along well from explosive beginning to thrilling finish. There's issues, like in any debut novel, but none kept me from enjoying it despite it being outside of what I normally read. The ending is satisfying enough for it to be a standalone yet sets it up for a sequel.
Two quibbles. One, both POVs are first-person, and Wynters *does* specify who each scene/chapter is in, but they're so similar that if he didn't you couldn't tell them apart - an issue in longer parts of the book. Second, the setting is a bit contrived, which is very common for the genre and not what I'd knock it for, but there's not enough investigation as to "why things are the way they are." If there's teenage soldiers fighting a deadly plague underneath a religious hierarchy that controls every aspect of their lives, there needs to be a good explanation for it, and not enough is provided. It's the rare instance in which I believe more worldbuilding and exposition would benefit the story - the reader is left wanting more.
But it's still an excellent book, and fans of YA dystopian and sci-fi will enjoy it tremendously, especially the well-written action scenes. I look forward to the sequel!
April 27, 2024
The Black Crescent is a gripping debut novel, following two compelling characters with complex motivations.
Pitched as Ender's Game meets Romeo and Juliet with zombies, The Black Crescent follows Delkan, a young man with aspirations to earn the highest military honor, and Ziara, a young woman who is accidentally infected with the Varul, a mind-controlling virus trying to destroy the Arcology, an enclosed city in a desert. Told in dual first-person POV, it is so much fun and also so anxiety-inducing to see Delkan struggle to become stronger and to watch Ziara fight the mind-control of the Varul.
Personally, I'm a huge fan of descents into madness, doomed romances (the dramatic irony!), and fighting against forces beyond human control. Tragedies are just so *chef's kiss.*
ALSO! Super cool history of the world??? I am hoping for a prequel! I wanna know more about the War of the Immortals. You know it's a good book when you want to know everything about the history AND the future.
I received an ARC copy and was so excited to read this! Would definitely recommend to any YA sci-fi fans with a penchant for Shakespearian tragedies.
Pitched as Ender's Game meets Romeo and Juliet with zombies, The Black Crescent follows Delkan, a young man with aspirations to earn the highest military honor, and Ziara, a young woman who is accidentally infected with the Varul, a mind-controlling virus trying to destroy the Arcology, an enclosed city in a desert. Told in dual first-person POV, it is so much fun and also so anxiety-inducing to see Delkan struggle to become stronger and to watch Ziara fight the mind-control of the Varul.
Personally, I'm a huge fan of descents into madness, doomed romances (the dramatic irony!), and fighting against forces beyond human control. Tragedies are just so *chef's kiss.*
ALSO! Super cool history of the world??? I am hoping for a prequel! I wanna know more about the War of the Immortals. You know it's a good book when you want to know everything about the history AND the future.
I received an ARC copy and was so excited to read this! Would definitely recommend to any YA sci-fi fans with a penchant for Shakespearian tragedies.
June 4, 2024
The Black Crescent is a gripping story that from the first page on, never lets its foot off the gas. Think Ender's Game with a hint of Final Fantasy 7. But don't get me wrong, this story is it's own thing and I've never read anything quite like it.
This book really hits on so much of what I love about science fiction. It's intense, action packed, complex, and filled with drama. Where this book thrives is in plot and pacing. The Varul, the Immortals, the Arcology, Avintus, and his Vanguard were incredibly gripping pillars to build a story around. Every chapter has a purpose and real stakes. There was never a lull. The two main characters are on different paths from the beginning and it was a fascinating to watch their relationship grow and develop as they both became more set in their ways. However, if I were to give one critique it was that the character development and dialogue needed a bit more work. As I read I felt that a few characters changed far to fast. Their arcs all made sense in the grand scheme but I would have loved a bit more time to sit and watch them grow in all the small ways. The dialogue was good for the most part but there were a few sections that read unnaturally, clunky, or on the rare occasion out of character. However, none of it took me out of the epic story.
I was surprised by how fast I got swept up in the world. The first few chapters I was trying to hard to visualize everything (and there were a few growing pains), but from chapter 4 on everything played like a movie. Every time I feared the story would become predictable, a new twist was thrown in and by the end I truly could not guess how everything would wrap up. While reminiscent of so many of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy stories, this book truly feels unique and stands out in my mind.
This book really hits on so much of what I love about science fiction. It's intense, action packed, complex, and filled with drama. Where this book thrives is in plot and pacing. The Varul, the Immortals, the Arcology, Avintus, and his Vanguard were incredibly gripping pillars to build a story around. Every chapter has a purpose and real stakes. There was never a lull. The two main characters are on different paths from the beginning and it was a fascinating to watch their relationship grow and develop as they both became more set in their ways. However, if I were to give one critique it was that the character development and dialogue needed a bit more work. As I read I felt that a few characters changed far to fast. Their arcs all made sense in the grand scheme but I would have loved a bit more time to sit and watch them grow in all the small ways. The dialogue was good for the most part but there were a few sections that read unnaturally, clunky, or on the rare occasion out of character. However, none of it took me out of the epic story.
I was surprised by how fast I got swept up in the world. The first few chapters I was trying to hard to visualize everything (and there were a few growing pains), but from chapter 4 on everything played like a movie. Every time I feared the story would become predictable, a new twist was thrown in and by the end I truly could not guess how everything would wrap up. While reminiscent of so many of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy stories, this book truly feels unique and stands out in my mind.
August 5, 2025
True rating: 3.5/5 stars ⭐️
I just finished The Black Crescent and wow…what a rollercoaster! I really enjoyed it. While the first half of the book took me a little longer to get into, the last half I read in one sitting. It was action packed and cinematic. I would love to see The Black Crescent turned into a movie one day 🍿👀
While I enjoyed the story, there were multiple times I wondered about the sexual/romantic orientation of certain characters. In a young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel with heavy military/religious themes, I can’t think of a more appropriate theme to explore than sexuality. It would have made me more invested in certain characters, side and main, and more emotional about their fates.
There are a few other minor points I could make, but I don’t feel the need to. Overall, the author created a story anyone could pick up and enjoy. I definitely recommend purchasing a copy and adding it to your collection 📚 You won’t regret it.
Rouge the Bat
I just finished The Black Crescent and wow…what a rollercoaster! I really enjoyed it. While the first half of the book took me a little longer to get into, the last half I read in one sitting. It was action packed and cinematic. I would love to see The Black Crescent turned into a movie one day 🍿👀
While I enjoyed the story, there were multiple times I wondered about the sexual/romantic orientation of certain characters. In a young adult sci-fi/fantasy novel with heavy military/religious themes, I can’t think of a more appropriate theme to explore than sexuality. It would have made me more invested in certain characters, side and main, and more emotional about their fates.
There are a few other minor points I could make, but I don’t feel the need to. Overall, the author created a story anyone could pick up and enjoy. I definitely recommend purchasing a copy and adding it to your collection 📚 You won’t regret it.
Rouge the Bat
July 24, 2024
This book follows two main characters, Delkan and Ziara, who come from different backgrounds, but are brought together to protect their city from the Varul, a virus that can control a person’s mind and therefore, their actions. From the start of this book there is tension and mystery, which had me interested from the start. One of things that I really appreciate about this book is how D.C. does a great job of giving each character their own voice. Additionally, the dual POV is balanced nicely and works well to tell Delkan and Ziara’s story. The characters aren’t perfect, but you feel for them and they are written in such a way that we feel connected to their struggles. The ending of The Black Crescent left me excited and wanting for more!
December 17, 2025
I really, REALLY wanted to like this book. The story is such a cool idea, the cover art is awesome, I was so excited to read it. But man, I was so confused for 90% of the book. I don’t feel like some of the basic components were explained well enough, the world building didn’t make enough sense to me and overall, I was second guessing that I was comprehending the basic ideas and character arcs correctly the whole time. And most devastatingly, I didn’t like the main characters. Honestly, Cade Joshua and Ithaca were my favorites and they were supporting roles. I found this author at a local event, bought the book, got it signed and was so excited to support a new author and I really wish I could write a different review but, unfortunately, I can’t 😢
June 4, 2024
First, I should say that I received this book early, for free, under the stipulation that I would write a review upon finishing it. That being said, I am not required to write a good review, but I am going to because I loved this book!
The Black Crescent is fantastic! The world that this story exists in immediately grabbed my interest. I do wish we were able to spend more time learning about the world outside the mega city. Each character is fun to spend time with. I appreciated that all the characters feel like they exist within the world, not just within the lives of the main characters. I also really enjoyed how the book goes back and forth between the two main characters’ perspectives.
I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone that is interested!!
The Black Crescent is fantastic! The world that this story exists in immediately grabbed my interest. I do wish we were able to spend more time learning about the world outside the mega city. Each character is fun to spend time with. I appreciated that all the characters feel like they exist within the world, not just within the lives of the main characters. I also really enjoyed how the book goes back and forth between the two main characters’ perspectives.
I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone that is interested!!
November 20, 2025
This story was great! Quick, thoughtful and full of adventure! I hope there’s more story to be told!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews