Seven young adults are tasked with ending another world's war, and they're trying desperately to figure it out. *Spoilers, they don't, because there's five books in the series* Tilion holds its secrets. And things are about to change
In the wake of tragedy, Jen Monroe steps into the world of Tilion, determined to find a way to end the war that she’s been thrust into. Leaving Earth, her family, and her friends behind, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to protect those she cares about. As she and the Human-Borns start to find their rhythm in this strange new world, Agerius begins to feel like home.
The brief semblance of a peaceful respite is abruptly pulled away, and things start to unravel fast. Despite their acclimation to Agerian culture, tensions are still rising with the High Council, and that tension slowly spreads through all of Agerius.
Meanwhile, their enemy plots and schemes. Ancient things stir throughout the world of Tilion. Mountains move. Legends awaken. And at the epicenter of all these quaking changes are seven young warriors that are forced to grow up fast, or crumble under the weight of their roles.
Amid the chaos, Jen discovers something else. Something she didn’t expect, with someone she quickly learns she can’t afford to lose.
In her desperation to end all the pain and torment of war, will the bonds she’s forged prove to be her strength? Or will she become worse than the monster she’s trying to stop?
New Adult fantasy featuring epic battles, dragons, werewolves, portals to other worlds, teleporters, and the found family and chosen ones tropes. The story will deal with topics such as warfare, death, mental manipulation, implied closed-door intimacy, as well as innuendo.
Susan Markloff spent a majority of her childhood pretending to live in other worlds. Coupled with her admiration for fantastical stories, she crafted one of her own. Studying writing at Houghton College, she learned how to hone her skills as an author, writing first drafts of five books during her college career. The Rise of the Raidin is her debut novel and the first in the Human-Born Era series. To date, she has published 3 novels and 6 novellas, winning a total of 4 awards for her books.
Wow! I absolutely adored Reflection. It took me a while to mull over this book before I could write a coherent review. I'm going to be so vague because it's hard to write anything without spoiling. So, first off, the character development was perfect. I loved seeing how each human born grew and became stronger. There were things in this book that made me gasp out loud and cry and there were things that made me squeal and grin like a fool. Susan delivered on the relationships! I had been wanting to see these progress since the middle of book 2, and I was not disappointed. I cannot wait to see what happens in book 4 and I'm so stoked!
Someone's going to have to remind me to redo this review once Reflection is released because I have SO MANY spoilery thoughts to share. In the meantime, I'm going to share a spoiler-free review.
Plot: Reflection is book three in @susanlmarkloff's The Human-Born Era. It's one of those series where the story spans across all the books. Each new book is another step in a long journey. Personally, I love that. We dive into a new world with this one, so there's a lot to learn. It was really interesting getting to know how Agerius works.
Characters: There is so much I want to say about characters, but a lot of it is spoilery. There was some really good development in this one, though. Several characters stepped up and took on new roles of power, which was really great to see as a fan. I do wish we got to see more of the other Human-Borns, though. I think I was a little spoiled by the Human-Born Chronicles. After seeing each of the Human-Borns as the main character, it was a little sad to see them as side characters. Don't get me wrong, I totally get why the other Human-Borns weren't primary POVs--the book would be significantly longer than it already is. And mind you, the Human-Borns did play an important role in Reflection. However, their roles are smaller than Jen's (understandably).
Ships: the first thing you should know is that Susan DELIVERED with the ship content in Reflection. The second, is that I will be providing my thoughts on each ship without specifying who I'm talking about.
1 - YES. THIS IS WHAT I WAS WANTING. ZERO COMPLAINTS HERE! 2 - aww. 3 - cute! 4 - I didn't want this one to sail. 5 - this crashed and burned way worse than I could possibly have imagined. 6 - I'm interested to see where this one goes.
So, that's my non-spoiler review of The Reflection of the Raidin. I really enjoyed this installment of The Human-Born Era and look forward to being able to share my spoilery thoughts and opinions once Reflection releases on June 24th!
Thank you so much, Susan L Markloff, for providing me with an eARC of The Reflection of the Raidin in exchange for an honest review.
Tillion holds its secrets–and things are about to change. Jennifer Monroe and the Human Borns enter the world of Tillion in the wake of tragedy, leaving behind Earth and everything they’ve ever known. As they settle in and Agerius starts to feel like home, their temporary feeling of peace is ripped away and everything begins to unravel. Tensions are rising in the High Council, their enemy Cregorous plots and schemes, and ancient things are stirring throughout the world of Tillion. And at the center of everything are seven young warriors who must rise to the challenge–or crumble under the weight of their roles.
Susan has done it again! The world building and character development in her series is one of the best I’ve read. The characters are well-rounded and dynamic, the world is rich in detailed history and culture, and the descriptions of the land itself are stunning. I love that we get to spend this entire novel on Tillion! I enjoyed getting to know the Human Borns a bit more, particularly the relationships that are beginning to blossom. We really get to see Jen wrestle with her purpose as the Raidin in this book, as well as her friendship with Alaster. I loved the introduction of the elders and the Elementals, the development of Tyron and Janet’s relationships, the glimpses into the Archives–there’s seriously just so much to love about this novel! It’s a hefty time investment (761 pages), but well worth it. One thing I wasn’t expecting was Susan’s incorporation of her faith into the story. I know from her IG stories that she is a believer, but I had never really considered how you would reconcile a fantasy world outside planet Earth and the idea of God/Creator without making it a direct allegory (a la Narnia). But I loved the way she seamlessly wove that concept into the fabric of Tillion. I can’t wait for the next installment of this series!