Warrior

Chronicles of Osota #1

by Michelle Magly

Alina knew that one day she would return to the heartland of Osota, even after eleven years of isolation. But how could she know her return to the capital would coincide with the arrival of young Warrior-in-training Senri?
Beautiful and strong, Senri makes for a pleasant distraction from Alina's troubles. But as the prospective ruler of a nation, Alina can hardly devote time to pursuing a romance. As a new threat looms over the kingdom of Osota, she is left with little choice but to turn to Senri for help.

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Lesbian, Romance, Fiction

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 23, 2014

About the author

Michelle is an Alaskan author who specializes in lgbt genre fiction. She enjoys dabbling in the worlds of blogging, reading groups, and fanfiction when not busy at work writing. Find her on Tumblr for more active updates.

Reviews

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read a basic high fantasy story with LGBT main characters, that alone makes this book good in my eyes. Before I even started reading, I already knew I was probably going to enjoy this, no matter how predictable it might be.

Thankfully, it wasn't. Warrior introduced us to a vivid and interesting fantasy world. There were many intriguing and likeable characters and a pretty good plot. It does definitely feel like the first book in a series, but that's not a bad thing, it just means that sequels won't seem forced. There is a lot of room for the story to grow and I'm excited to see more of this world in the next books.

The concept of readers is really interesting, I liked the way it worked and the way the powers were described. It was a cool power without it being too powerful and making people who have it invincible fighters compared to people who don't.

The world building was nice. I really really loved seeing a fantasy world clearly based on medieval times where the author didn't feel the need to also add medieval gender roles and bigoted opinions. It always bothers me when fantasy writers add magic, dragons, and other fantastical things to their world but simply can't imagine some women's rights or lack of heteronormativity in there too.

The relationship between Alina and Senri felt very natural. I liked that it wasn't rushed and they fit well together. In general, I really enjoyed the amount of positive friendships between female characters.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next one eagerly.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pitched this book to a friend of mine as Medieval fantasy adventure with dragons and lesbians and now she's reading it too, but Warrior is a lot more than just that. Michelle Magly has created a vast, interesting world and this story only touches the surface of what she clearly has in store.

Warrior focuses on Alina and Senri. Alina is destined to rule her kingdom, and Senri is a warrior of extraordinary ability. The slow-burn romance between them is a tantalizing subplot, but at the heart of the story is the kingdom of Osota and what our heroines and the kingdom as a whole can do to stop a massive threat that is creeping in on their shores. Helping and hindering the heroines are a diverse cast of characters who balance out Senri's seriousness and Alina's stubbornness.

If you enjoy adventure, magic, politics, and love stories, this one is for you. It's as rich as any classic fantasy and I can't wait till the sequel comes out to see what else the author has in store for these heroines.

[Michelle]

It's my book! Read it :D

[Frank Van Meer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Warrior immediately after Divine Touched. (because when I switch genres, I tend to binge read for a while.) While Warrior has all the ingredients of a good fantasy, I missed the epic part.

The book starts off with politics and court intrigue when the newly appointed ruler arrives. By birthright Alina is the rightfull Queen of Osata, but right from the bat she notices not everyone is too happy with that. She is actively discouraged to participate in anything involving the kingdom, but she will not be set aside that easily. Besides, she is not who they think she is.

Meanwhile the new recruits for the legendary Warriors arrive in town. They are Warriors because each of them can control an element (Earth, Water, Fire and so on). Senri can control fire, but she actually sucks at it. She is loyal to the crown no matter what and she tries to make the best of it.

Events are set in motion and the Queen-to-be and the Warrior meet under quite difficult circumstances. Hesitant sparks fly and soon both are on their way with a quest to try to make an alliance with the dragons.

But it was a bit flat. As I said, the epic was missing. I think Senri was the most developed character. She struggles with her powers, her attraction to Alina and her place in the Warriors. I honestly couldn't care less about Nat and Yahn. They just seem tacked on, because, hey we have a quest and we need a party. Alina was interesting enough; but how does someone who is exiled for 11 years to near solitude become so political savvy? The quest itself was boring. We get a week of bad weather and they arrive at their destination. The final battle is done with in a few pages.

I really liked how Senri comes into her powers. She effortlessly kills everyone that stands in her way or is a threat to Alina, slays 3 dragons with a couple of blinks; yet utterly fails in the final battle. Why even bother to hack and slash your way to the rescue when you simply have to touch your foes and suck the life out of them?

But, not all is lost. As Penny said, the basic framework for the sequel is set and it does have a lot of potential. But it really needs more epic.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warrior is a really intriguing start to the Chronicles of Osota series -- it's a high fantasy with two female leads who fall in love, which was a rare pleasure to read! (I can't recall reading many other books in this genre; Malinda Lo's Ash is the only other one that immediately comes to mind.)

It's about two young women on parallel journeys to step up and embrace their very stressful destinies: country girl Senri leaves her village to become a Warrior and royal heir (and secret seer) Alina finds herself inheriting the throne of Osota in a time of major political turmoil. Those separate journeys bring them into each other's lives, and then all the fun gets started! Occasionally, I found the political stuff a bit slow to get through (it's just not really my genre -- I tend to gravitate way more toward relationship-based plots), but I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Senri and Alina grow. The moments where Alina got all flirty to fluster sweet awkward Senri were particularly delightful. The fantasy world-building is also really interesting: the concept of the Readers is very cool, and the novel's portrayal of dragons was intriguingly unlike the typical lonely-beast-in-a-cave trope.

Looking forward to more tales about these ladies, especially since things left off on a bit of a mysterious note for Alina! I'm curious to see where things go next.

[Griffin Schulman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could summarize this book in a sentence, it'd probably be something like "One helluva set-up." And that's not really a full sentence, but you get the idea. "Warrior" is the introduction to a fantasy world that is both quite clever, but at the same time rather familiar. Though, if I had to guess, I'd say that familiarity will fade as the story continues, which is a good thing, considering that I think it succeeds rather well in what it sets out to do. Establish a world, the protagonists, the love story that happens between them (which was really quite adorable), and the nuance of how all of those things fit together. I'm generalizing, of course, but the point remains the same. It does what it set out to do, and honestly a decent amount more than that, too. There are moments, which I won't go into detail about, that are of such excellent clarity of the world and the internal laws/logic of it that are, to be perfectly honest, surprising in how effective they are. They hint at something so much deeper and complex just under the surface that I really want to know about, but of course I'll have to wait until the next novel in the series.

And that's kind of awesome. I WANT to know more. I WANT to find out what happens next, because, well, like I said before: it was one helluva setup.

[Kat Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The story was well thought out and although it was not completely resolved it didn't feel like a sequel would be contrived as in it feels like there needs to be another book rather than just the author tagging on another one, or three, for profit <> Cassandra Clare <>. I like the character development in the book too and the fact that although the two main characters are the main focus (obviously) the other characters aren't just pushed aside and forgotten about. This author is not a lazy author and has taken her time to really think through who her characters are and what drives them and ultimately where this story is going.
I strongly recommend this book to people who love fantasy and also that are lady loving ladies because the love story is so sweet. Although now that I think about it it is a little similar to Huntress by Malinda Lo so if you like that book, which I did, then you should like this book too.

[Fiannawolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! The world building was steady and the prose was concise. Senri is a honest and open character. Sometimes its good to have a heroine that is actually good natured and not bogged down with "X was killed" origin stories. I fully expect to read the sequel sometime soon. Interested in seeing more of this world. The magic system especially. It didn't feel tacked on for the sake of "Fantasy trope 101."

Slight Spoilers:


I'm glad Senri and Alina developed as friends first. Made for a more believable romance later on. In a way Alina reminds me a bit of Mua'dib. Mainly due to the fact maybe sometimes being able to see one future limits one's abilities to alter it, escape or accept it. Hope she doesn't somehow share his fate. We shall see in the next book.

[Kellie Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warrior is a great read, the characters and the plot are intense but believable. The magic is lovely. The lesbians aren't shoved into the limelight for being different or weird or strange, they just are. Seeing the romance blossom between the two characters will give you butterflies.

If you like Fantasy and Romance, read this book.

[Terri Basner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely love the character as well as the humor the characters shared with each other. Wish there could have been more action and less politics involved, however still a good story. Looking forward to the next book.

[Elisa Rolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

2014 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a few barely passable books in this genre but reading this book restores my faith in fantasy books with lesbian main characters.
The world is developing interestingly enough to keep me in the series and the cast of main characters is small enough to develop each of them individuals,
The story is interesting and rolls along at just the right pace although perhaps the ending could have benefited by being less rushed.
The romance between the main characters was perfect. I am not a fan of mixing fantasy and romance but in this case it worked, the protagonists started as friends and the progression was slow and natural. it felt real and not forced. Also the FF relationship was accepted by their piers as normal. How this affects the royal succession will be an interesting topic for future books. On the subject of future books - when can we expect #2? I for one an looking forward to it.

[Sile Enis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: parts of this review contain general, minor spoilers.

"Warrior" is a great first book for a new author. The characters are strong and well defined and each has their own voice and quirks. The story itself is also strong and gains momentum as you read. The ending will leave you wanting to know more.

However, I must say that you have to be patient in the beginning. Magly takes her time setting up the characters, setting, and conflict throughout the first third of the book. You will be able to tell though when the story picks up because you will not be able to stop reading. I know that I couldn't.

The magic system is interesting and unique. Magly makes it partly elemental but it is slightly different from the traditional earth/water/air/fire format. She expands it to include aspects of plant magic, seeing the future, and sensing a persons intentions or feelings. I would have liked to see aspects of the magic system developed further and explored more deeply, but the information and origin story we're given are enough to satisfy for this first book.

The romance between the two leads is a little awkward, not because of Magly's writing, but because Alina and Senri struggle with their responsibilities and their growing attraction for one another. Overall, their relationship is sweet. If you love fluff, you will love the romance aspect of this book. If you like things a little more hot and heavy, don't despair, there's sexiness too.

As I said above, this book is very much the beginning of a series book. Magly sets the stage for a larger conflict that will no doubt span the rest of the series. She hints at many things and the ending will give you the impression that there is still more about Osota to learn about and explore. The end will leave you with intriguing questions but you won't feel unsatisfied either. The resolution is beautiful and solid and you will feel (like the characters) that this is a moment of rest before continuing to fight the good fight.

A must read for the fan of lesbian or queer fantasy/romance.

[W. Gregory Kett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to agree with others this is definitely a first in a series book and should appeal to both fans of Fantasy and Romance.

Warning, some mild spoilers ahead

=-=-=-=-
As a Fantasy I love the political situation and world, all the classic elements, an princess hidden away, a corrupt council, banned dragons and a truly evil empire. Assassins and heroes abound. Other lands and peoples are just barely touched on, but gave me the feeling that Magly knows full well the rest of her world and is only teasing us with its depth and richness.

The Readers and their magic are strong and used well to support the story rather than dominating it. Vital to the story, but not of itself the story.

The Dragons that prove all too human. The Humans that prove to be more monstrous than any beast.

=-=-
As a romance the pains of duty versus personal joy are clearly and excellently laid out. Senri is by duty a warrior first and a lover second. Alina knows clearly she might one day have to order her love to her death for the sake of her country, and even if not she may well be subject to political marriages and a need for heirs for the country she holds so dear. Both subject to prior vows that may override any vows of love.
I felt joy at their coming together, but trepidation at the coming pains that may prevent their future happiness Yes, I actually thought of the political and social issues after putting the book down.

There are few novels I read lately that I feel could be best served by being longer, much longer. There was so much about the world hinted at, a taste given, some I am sure is intended for future books, but damn it I want it NOW! :)

I eagerly await the further novels I am sure are coming. Bravo!

[Rae Magdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a charming read. The author balances romance seamlessly with the plot, and the little humorous moments make perfect touches along the way (especially the increasingly ridiculous ballads about Senri's exploits). The way Alina and Senri dance around each other at first is charming, and the world is very fleshed out. I know I'm going to be pestering MIchelle for a sequel soon.

[Heather Henkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story quite a lot. A very nice read and interesting take on powers. I will be curious to find out if there is another in the series.