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Asiana #1
Markswoman
Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, one of a handful of sisterhoods of highly trained elite warriors. Armed with blades whose metal is imbued with magic and guided by a strict code of conduct, the Orders are sworn to keep the peace and protect the people of Asiana. Kyra has pledged to do so—yet she secretly harbors a fierce desire to avenge her murdered family.
When Tamsyn, the powerful and dangerous Mistress of Mental Arts, assumes control of the Order, Kyra is forced on the run. She is certain that Tamsyn committed murder in a twisted bid for power, but she has no proof.
Kyra escapes through one of the strange Transport Hubs that are the remnants of Asiana’s long-lost past and finds herself in the unforgiving wilderness of a desert that is home to the Order of Khur, the only Order composed of men. Among them is Rustan, a disillusioned Marksman whose skill with a blade is unmatched. He understands the desperation of Kyra’s quest to prove Tamsyn’s guilt, and as the two grow closer, training daily on the windswept dunes of Khur, both begin to question their commitment to their Orders. But what they don’t yet realize is that the line between justice and vengeance is thin . . . as thin as the blade of a knife.
When Tamsyn, the powerful and dangerous Mistress of Mental Arts, assumes control of the Order, Kyra is forced on the run. She is certain that Tamsyn committed murder in a twisted bid for power, but she has no proof.
Kyra escapes through one of the strange Transport Hubs that are the remnants of Asiana’s long-lost past and finds herself in the unforgiving wilderness of a desert that is home to the Order of Khur, the only Order composed of men. Among them is Rustan, a disillusioned Marksman whose skill with a blade is unmatched. He understands the desperation of Kyra’s quest to prove Tamsyn’s guilt, and as the two grow closer, training daily on the windswept dunes of Khur, both begin to question their commitment to their Orders. But what they don’t yet realize is that the line between justice and vengeance is thin . . . as thin as the blade of a knife.
371 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2018
291 people are currently reading
11982 people want to read
About the author
Rati Mehrotra
40 books464 followersBorn and raised in India, Rati Mehrotra now lives and writes in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of the science fantasy novels Markswoman (2018) and Mahimata (2019) published by Harper Voyager and the YA fantasy novel Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove (2022) published by Wednesday Books. You can check out her short stories at http://ratiwrites.com/short-fiction/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 473 reviews
January 26, 2018
I freaking love this cover! I loved the summary of the book but it was just an okay read for me.
I'm sure plenty will love it though 😊
Happy Reading!
Mel ❤️
I'm sure plenty will love it though 😊
Happy Reading!
Mel ❤️
November 18, 2017
This was a fast paced fun read. It was YA so it unfortunately it fell into some of the same YA pitfalls I tend to dislike, most notably, an instalove triangle. Not to fear though, the love interest doesn’t even show up until halfway into the book and the romance was in no way a central plot thread.
I loved the characters here. Kyra does not have special snowflake syndrome. She is the youngest full fledged Markswoman in the Order of Kali and her skills aren’t always up to par which was refreshing. She makes a few bad decisions (and really, don’t all teenagers make relatively stupid decisions now and again?) but what redeems it is that she was not a damsel in distress that needed rescuing. If Kyra messed up, Kyra dealt with it on her own. I also really enjoyed Rustan’s character and found him very relatable. His past is still a mystery and I’m hoping we get to read more of it in the next book!
The world building was absolutely superb. Even though there are several Orders of Markswomen (and Marksmen) that share some core traits, they seem to have their own methods of doing things. We get to see how the Marswomen are brought up, some of the rituals they partake in as part of their journey from novices to Marswomen, their belief systems, etc. The world is sort of post apocalyptic. This is set 850 years after an event known as the Great War, and many many years after an exalted civilization known as The Ones who left behind some ancient technologies that the current people don’t understand how to replicate but are still able to use. The world building was definitely my favorite part and I often marveled at the level of detail the author included without using excessive infodumps.
The setting was done really well too and I liked that we weren’t limited to one part of the world. The Order of Kali lives in a cave system set in a lush forest surrounded by mountains. The Order of Khur (the Marksmen) reside in the desert surrounded by sand dunes that experience scorching hot temperatures by day and freezing temperatures by night.
My only real complaint was that for a novel about assassins, there weren’t many assassinations happening? (I know, I know, I’m a terrible person who likes her fantasies bloody and dark.) All in all, a standout in the YA fantasy genre. This book ended with a lot of questions left to answer and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!!
I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway so thank you to the publisher and GoodReads!
I loved the characters here. Kyra does not have special snowflake syndrome. She is the youngest full fledged Markswoman in the Order of Kali and her skills aren’t always up to par which was refreshing. She makes a few bad decisions (and really, don’t all teenagers make relatively stupid decisions now and again?) but what redeems it is that she was not a damsel in distress that needed rescuing. If Kyra messed up, Kyra dealt with it on her own. I also really enjoyed Rustan’s character and found him very relatable. His past is still a mystery and I’m hoping we get to read more of it in the next book!
The world building was absolutely superb. Even though there are several Orders of Markswomen (and Marksmen) that share some core traits, they seem to have their own methods of doing things. We get to see how the Marswomen are brought up, some of the rituals they partake in as part of their journey from novices to Marswomen, their belief systems, etc. The world is sort of post apocalyptic. This is set 850 years after an event known as the Great War, and many many years after an exalted civilization known as The Ones who left behind some ancient technologies that the current people don’t understand how to replicate but are still able to use. The world building was definitely my favorite part and I often marveled at the level of detail the author included without using excessive infodumps.
The setting was done really well too and I liked that we weren’t limited to one part of the world. The Order of Kali lives in a cave system set in a lush forest surrounded by mountains. The Order of Khur (the Marksmen) reside in the desert surrounded by sand dunes that experience scorching hot temperatures by day and freezing temperatures by night.
My only real complaint was that for a novel about assassins, there weren’t many assassinations happening? (I know, I know, I’m a terrible person who likes her fantasies bloody and dark.) All in all, a standout in the YA fantasy genre. This book ended with a lot of questions left to answer and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!!
I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway so thank you to the publisher and GoodReads!
October 6, 2022
This book is a fast paced YA read with solid characters and a good story.
It has a unique setting, it’s a post-apocalyptic middle eastern/Indian inspired world. The world is full of forgotten technologies that people do not understand the physics of them but use them.
Kyra is the main protagonist which is the newest markswoman of the oldest order in the Asiana. She is not the best and has lots of doubts about what she should do due to her tragic past, but she is the head of Order’s favorite and makes her life in danger when the head is found one day suspiciously dead and one of the deadliest, ambitious markswoman becomes the new leader.
Khur hosts the newest order of Asiana, the only order which is of men. Rustan being confused after his latest mission is all but doubt about his order and world. When he is instructed to watch one of the portal doors which has not opened in many years, the last thing he expects is to see some markswoman emerges from it. When Khur elders know Kyra’s story they appoint Rustan to teach her everything he knows to help her prepare herself for what could be easily her death.
The story itself is not anything new, but it flows and doesn’t bore you. That’s the reason I gave it 4 star. I’d definitely will read the next book.
It has a unique setting, it’s a post-apocalyptic middle eastern/Indian inspired world. The world is full of forgotten technologies that people do not understand the physics of them but use them.
Kyra is the main protagonist which is the newest markswoman of the oldest order in the Asiana. She is not the best and has lots of doubts about what she should do due to her tragic past, but she is the head of Order’s favorite and makes her life in danger when the head is found one day suspiciously dead and one of the deadliest, ambitious markswoman becomes the new leader.
Khur hosts the newest order of Asiana, the only order which is of men. Rustan being confused after his latest mission is all but doubt about his order and world. When he is instructed to watch one of the portal doors which has not opened in many years, the last thing he expects is to see some markswoman emerges from it. When Khur elders know Kyra’s story they appoint Rustan to teach her everything he knows to help her prepare herself for what could be easily her death.
The story itself is not anything new, but it flows and doesn’t bore you. That’s the reason I gave it 4 star. I’d definitely will read the next book.
April 4, 2018
Title: Markswoman
Series: Asiana #1
Author: Rati Mehrotra
Release date: January 23, 2018
Cliffhanger: Yes
HEA
“To be evil is to suffer, and there is joy in releasing others from suffering."
When I first spotted this book, I just had to have it. The entire package was calling out to me, telling me that I needed to read it. A group of revered female assassins who use magic daggers to enforce justice and keep the peace? That cover? A debut YA fantasy author to try out? Yes, yes, and more yes. Give me a pen and paper, and I'll sign on the dotted line. I was eager for this book to be a huge hit, but while it wasn't bad by any means, it wasn't what I was hoping it would be. My main issue was that I just could not stay engaged in the story. Throughout the majority of the book, it felt as if it was dragging at a snail's pace, and I had to keep setting it down and picking it back up again.
I think the plot may have suffered from that dreaded first book in a fantasy trilogy syndrome. All of the necessary characters' introductions, intricate world building, and establishing backstories can drain the story of potential action. I felt as if I spent most of the book learning about their culture and waiting for things to kick into a higher gear.
Kyra as the main protagonist was at the top of the list of things that were right. Having a female centric story was appealing enough, but it was an added bonus that she was a likable character that I could root for. In the beginning of the book, she has just earned her place as an official Markswoman after taking out her first mark. We see that she is a young woman who struggles with the morality of what she is doing, and her doubts consume her despite a personal interest in the kill. Kyra is a bit of a rebel in the sense that she is unable to let go of the injustices done on her family in the past. Her heart is firmly set on revenge, even though the Order specifically mandates that all members must release the past in order to give themselves and their futures to their superiors. The hatred and anger she feels towards those who wronged her just cannot be snuffed out. It simmers and burns quietly under the surface, just waiting for the opportunity to appease it.
Kyra started out as a novice in the Order at the age of five, the youngest that had ever been accepted. Since that time, she took classes and trained, working towards earning the katari that she would eventually bond with through life and beyond. The rare kalishium metal that is forged with has telepathic properties that they still don't fully comprehend, and the skill to produce these special daggers is almost extinct. To earn these extremely rare weapons, novices are put through a rigorous coming of age trial with four stages that prove their worth. The concept was really unique, and the idea behind it one that was clearly intelligently thought out.
The themes of good and evil were prevalent, most notably in the kalashik guns formed before the Great War that alter minds, causing horrible death and destruction. Whereas katari blades seek to protect, there is a wrongness to these guns that almost wiped out an entire world. Another was prejudice, aimed towards the one solitary male Order of Khur. These men are belittled and insulted despite their fierceness and skill, and the females are generally taught that they are imposters. This was an interesting gender power reversal, and smartly highlighted the unfairness of discrimination and inequality in society in a fresh way.
Rustan is the second protagonist, one of the males in the Order of Khur. When Kyra flees her home and steps through a portal that has been closed for decades, her preconceptions quickly change about Rustan and the rest of his Order. Training with him is a very humbling experience, and she realizes that her plan to return home to her Order and her comfortable life may be doomed for failure. If she cannot best this man, how will she win the dual against the traitorous new Mahimata?
Both are tormented with their own uncertain futures, and self-doubt plagues them. However, they both showed extraordinary courage and commitment to doing the right thing despite the odds that were against them. Separately they were great, but as a couple, I couldn't really get behind the pairing. Their romantic emotions had absolutely no realistic build to speak of. At one point, we were abruptly told that he was in love with her, with no foundation at all. We were not shown this development at all, making the entire thing two dimensional and disingenuous. I personally enjoy romance in my fantasy books, but this was not executed well in my opinion.
I will say, the last 15-20% of the story finally fully engaged me, and the climax was well written and impressively creative. I wish that I had felt that way about more of the book, and perhaps the following installment would be more successful in consistently holding my interest. There was quite the cliffhanger at the end, so I confess that I'm more than a little curious as to how it will continue. I think this could be a hit for many fantasy lovers, especially if you're looking for something unique with a strong female character in the forefront.
**The Second book in the Asiana series will be released in January 2019.
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March 23, 2018
This book was a big surprise for me. Why? Because I had started off listening to the audiobook in the car while my kids were with me and they insisted that I could only listen to it when they were there too. So I did - hence the lengthy time to completion. I thought maybe they might get bored, as this book is a bit slow in some parts, and has more than a few political machinations going on, but no, they LOVED IT. **
What I liked about this were the unique setting - post-apocalyptic but Indian inspired, with the devastation so far in the past that things have essentially cycled forward into a brand new civilisation. I liked that the main character Kyra was chosen to complete a task, but isn't necessarily a "chosen one" in terms of her abilities. Her struggles made her more real and likeable. The romance, if you can even call it that, was extremely light handed. It's more of a hopefulness for the next book.
Overall I thought the worldbuilding was unique, the story interesting, and any weaknesses are mostly due to the fact that this is a debut novel. I'm very interested to see how the story concludes in the second book, and to see if Mehrotra continues to level up as a writer.
** Note: The 4 star rating actually comes from me. My 9 and 12 year old rate this book 5 and 4.5 stars respectively.
What I liked about this were the unique setting - post-apocalyptic but Indian inspired, with the devastation so far in the past that things have essentially cycled forward into a brand new civilisation. I liked that the main character Kyra was chosen to complete a task, but isn't necessarily a "chosen one" in terms of her abilities. Her struggles made her more real and likeable. The romance, if you can even call it that, was extremely light handed. It's more of a hopefulness for the next book.
Overall I thought the worldbuilding was unique, the story interesting, and any weaknesses are mostly due to the fact that this is a debut novel. I'm very interested to see how the story concludes in the second book, and to see if Mehrotra continues to level up as a writer.
** Note: The 4 star rating actually comes from me. My 9 and 12 year old rate this book 5 and 4.5 stars respectively.
May 20, 2018
I was iffy about this one for the first 70 pages or so, but I really enjoyed it! There were times where it dragged a bit and could've been condensed, but overall it was better than I was expecting. There are still some things that I'm confused about with regards to the world-building, but I don't know if it'll ever be cleared up. The only way I think we'll ever learn more about the history (and the things that are confusing) is if there are some sort of flashbacks in the next book or insights into the war that kept being referenced, or even before that. I just want to know more about the Transport Hubs and who the people in the past civilization were!
Personally, I felt the romance wasn't necessary in this one. I think I would've enjoyed some bits more than I did if the romance wasn't there. It just felt kind of forced to me. The odd love triangle-ish thing was just weird to me. It almost felt like the romance was there just to have a romance subplot and didn't add anything.
All-in-all, I'm looking forward to the next book!
Personally, I felt the romance wasn't necessary in this one. I think I would've enjoyed some bits more than I did if the romance wasn't there. It just felt kind of forced to me. The odd love triangle-ish thing was just weird to me. It almost felt like the romance was there just to have a romance subplot and didn't add anything.
All-in-all, I'm looking forward to the next book!
March 18, 2019
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/03/18/...
There’s really not much more to say about Markswoman beyond the fact it was a thoroughly engaging and straight-up good read. I blew through this book in a little over a day, and I loved how what started off as a typical YA-ish premise eventually developed and grew into a more enigmatic, mature and interesting story.
Our protagonist is Kyra, a Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a sisterhood of elite warriors trained to protector and enforce the laws of this unforgiving, post-apocalyptic-like world. Because of the nature of their work, Markswomen also occasionally take on the role of assassin, and although Kyra recently passed all her tests to become a full-fledged sister, the order’s leader Shirin Mam still has concerns about her readiness to take on these types of missions on her own. Due to her tragic past, Kyra was one of the youngest girls to ever join the sisterhood, and much unresolved anger still simmers within her for the bandits that killed her entire family. Secretly, she dreams of one day hunting them all down and exacting her revenge.
But then Shirin Mam dies mysteriously, and for Kyra it is like losing her mother for the second time. Worse, the order’s Mistress of Mental Arts named Tamsyn, whom Kyra has never gotten along with, becomes the new leader of the Order of Kali. Tamsyn’s veiled threats as well as her hunger for power makes Kyra believe she has something to do with Shirin Mam’s death. And so, before the order’s new mistress can claim her predecessor’s magical sword, our protagonist makes off with it and escapes through a Transport Hub, one of the strange portals left over from the world’s ancient past. Emerging in a desert, Kyra finds herself in the home of the Order of Khur, shunned from all the others because they are the only one composed of men. One of their Marksmen, Rustan, helps bring Kyra’s news of Shirin Mam’s death to his elders and heeds her when she expresses her suspicions about Tamsyn’s treachery.
The world of Markswoman, Asiana, is a very cool place. Its past is slowly revealed as we discover that many centuries ago, a Great War devastated the land and changed it forever. But because there is also magic and hints at the remnants of advanced technology, the result is a fascinating kind of fantasy and sci-fi dystopian mix. Harsh conditions have forged a very different kind of civilization, as merciless as the landscape. Thus, the Orders of Peace was born, giving rise to a new system to reign in the chaos and maintain harmony. The worst crimes were punishable by execution, carried out by Markswomen.
Kyra herself was an archetypal kind of protagonist, but that didn’t make her any less interesting to follow. She has the quintessential backstory of tragedy involving a murdered family, fueling her bloodthirsty desire for vengeance even though Markswomen are supposed to leave their pasts behind when they commit to their order. That said, her first mission ended in near disaster when she almost failed to kill her mark—a man who was part of the clan who massacred her loved ones—because of a momentary lapse of resolve. The experience forces her to recognize that there is still much for her to learn, as well as make her rethink her path in life.
For all that Markswoman was an enjoyable read though, plot and character development was still lighter than I would have preferred. Magical sentient weapons and the suggestion of alien tech aside, the world building was also sparse and lacked a quality to bring it all together despite all the wonderful ideas and imagination poured into its creation. As a reading experience, this was not a very deep one, nor do I think the story will end up being too memorable, as most of the plot (especially early on) relies heavily on prophecy tropes and other familiar elements. Still, to the novel’s credit, the second half contained a lot more surprises, and overall this was a quick and easy read, undeniably fun while it lasted.
A warning though, before I wrap this up: this book ends with an abrupt cliffhanger. Since I received Markswoman and its sequel Mahimata at the same time for review, I was already prepared to read both books as a whole, but readers who prefer their book endings with actual resolutions may want a heads up. Personally, I’m looking forward to diving into the next one, not only to see what happens next but because I’m also confident that Mahimata will bring much more on the characters, story, and world. I’ll be picking it up soon.
There’s really not much more to say about Markswoman beyond the fact it was a thoroughly engaging and straight-up good read. I blew through this book in a little over a day, and I loved how what started off as a typical YA-ish premise eventually developed and grew into a more enigmatic, mature and interesting story.
Our protagonist is Kyra, a Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a sisterhood of elite warriors trained to protector and enforce the laws of this unforgiving, post-apocalyptic-like world. Because of the nature of their work, Markswomen also occasionally take on the role of assassin, and although Kyra recently passed all her tests to become a full-fledged sister, the order’s leader Shirin Mam still has concerns about her readiness to take on these types of missions on her own. Due to her tragic past, Kyra was one of the youngest girls to ever join the sisterhood, and much unresolved anger still simmers within her for the bandits that killed her entire family. Secretly, she dreams of one day hunting them all down and exacting her revenge.
But then Shirin Mam dies mysteriously, and for Kyra it is like losing her mother for the second time. Worse, the order’s Mistress of Mental Arts named Tamsyn, whom Kyra has never gotten along with, becomes the new leader of the Order of Kali. Tamsyn’s veiled threats as well as her hunger for power makes Kyra believe she has something to do with Shirin Mam’s death. And so, before the order’s new mistress can claim her predecessor’s magical sword, our protagonist makes off with it and escapes through a Transport Hub, one of the strange portals left over from the world’s ancient past. Emerging in a desert, Kyra finds herself in the home of the Order of Khur, shunned from all the others because they are the only one composed of men. One of their Marksmen, Rustan, helps bring Kyra’s news of Shirin Mam’s death to his elders and heeds her when she expresses her suspicions about Tamsyn’s treachery.
The world of Markswoman, Asiana, is a very cool place. Its past is slowly revealed as we discover that many centuries ago, a Great War devastated the land and changed it forever. But because there is also magic and hints at the remnants of advanced technology, the result is a fascinating kind of fantasy and sci-fi dystopian mix. Harsh conditions have forged a very different kind of civilization, as merciless as the landscape. Thus, the Orders of Peace was born, giving rise to a new system to reign in the chaos and maintain harmony. The worst crimes were punishable by execution, carried out by Markswomen.
Kyra herself was an archetypal kind of protagonist, but that didn’t make her any less interesting to follow. She has the quintessential backstory of tragedy involving a murdered family, fueling her bloodthirsty desire for vengeance even though Markswomen are supposed to leave their pasts behind when they commit to their order. That said, her first mission ended in near disaster when she almost failed to kill her mark—a man who was part of the clan who massacred her loved ones—because of a momentary lapse of resolve. The experience forces her to recognize that there is still much for her to learn, as well as make her rethink her path in life.
For all that Markswoman was an enjoyable read though, plot and character development was still lighter than I would have preferred. Magical sentient weapons and the suggestion of alien tech aside, the world building was also sparse and lacked a quality to bring it all together despite all the wonderful ideas and imagination poured into its creation. As a reading experience, this was not a very deep one, nor do I think the story will end up being too memorable, as most of the plot (especially early on) relies heavily on prophecy tropes and other familiar elements. Still, to the novel’s credit, the second half contained a lot more surprises, and overall this was a quick and easy read, undeniably fun while it lasted.
A warning though, before I wrap this up: this book ends with an abrupt cliffhanger. Since I received Markswoman and its sequel Mahimata at the same time for review, I was already prepared to read both books as a whole, but readers who prefer their book endings with actual resolutions may want a heads up. Personally, I’m looking forward to diving into the next one, not only to see what happens next but because I’m also confident that Mahimata will bring much more on the characters, story, and world. I’ll be picking it up soon.
January 16, 2018
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/0...
This debut was such an enjoyable read for me. It had a great balance of world building and character drama and the pace kept things moving. The world in this is definitely interesting. It starts out feeling like a standard fantasy world with magic and swords, etc. But then as you keep reading and details are revealed, you come to realize it also is post-apocalyptic. I’ve seen this in a number of other books, but that certainly did not prevent me from enjoying the reveals in this one at all.
There are orders of women called Markswomen, who serve essentially as assassins. They are meant to uphold the law and enforce order, so they are feared as their skills are almost legendary. Plus, as I mentioned before, they are assassins, so its probably natural that the commoners don’t want to buddy up with them and instead keep a respectul (and slightly fearful) distance. One secret to their power is that they are telepathically bonded with a special type of blade, so it becomes a sort of extenstion of themselves. These blades are magical, and provide their owners strength and the ability to do more than just cut or slice. Even at the end of the book, I feel like there is more to these blades than I we have learned so far, and I look forward to reading on to find out.
Our protaginist, Kyra, was brought to the order at a much younger age than most and she formed a close bond with her mentor, who was like a mother to her. Because of the devastating events that she experienced as her clan and family were destroyed, Kyra has a strong desire for vengeance for the death of her family and clan. This is something that challenges her at points in the book, where she has to weigh her commitment to her order or her desire for vengeance. An apprentice’s first kill in the name of the order (their first mark) is how they graduate to become a Markswoman, Kyra’s first kill does not sit easy for her, showing that while she has a strong desire for retribution for the death of her family and clan, killing also does not sit easy for her.
After the unexpected death of her mentor, she is faced with a new challenge as well, as she believes it was foul play and has a keen idea exactly who murdered her. But without proof, she is challenged to find a way to persuade the leaders what has happened to ensure justice is served. Kyra’s life takes a very unexpected turn after the death of Sherrin Mam and she has to face her actions and make a plan to make right what has gone horribly wrong.
While the majority of the book is told from Kyra’s perspective, there are chapters told from Rustan’s perspective as well. He is a Marksman, and his order is shunned by most of the Markswomen who believe that men are not qualified to wield. It gives a slightly different perspective to the world, and really provides a a lot of great information about dynamics. I have a feeling Rustan, who was quite important in this book, will become an even bigger piece of the story as the series continues.
Overall, I feel like Markswoman gave a great mix of badass women, action and an interesting world. The pace moved well and I am really looking forward to the next book.
This debut was such an enjoyable read for me. It had a great balance of world building and character drama and the pace kept things moving. The world in this is definitely interesting. It starts out feeling like a standard fantasy world with magic and swords, etc. But then as you keep reading and details are revealed, you come to realize it also is post-apocalyptic. I’ve seen this in a number of other books, but that certainly did not prevent me from enjoying the reveals in this one at all.
There are orders of women called Markswomen, who serve essentially as assassins. They are meant to uphold the law and enforce order, so they are feared as their skills are almost legendary. Plus, as I mentioned before, they are assassins, so its probably natural that the commoners don’t want to buddy up with them and instead keep a respectul (and slightly fearful) distance. One secret to their power is that they are telepathically bonded with a special type of blade, so it becomes a sort of extenstion of themselves. These blades are magical, and provide their owners strength and the ability to do more than just cut or slice. Even at the end of the book, I feel like there is more to these blades than I we have learned so far, and I look forward to reading on to find out.
Our protaginist, Kyra, was brought to the order at a much younger age than most and she formed a close bond with her mentor, who was like a mother to her. Because of the devastating events that she experienced as her clan and family were destroyed, Kyra has a strong desire for vengeance for the death of her family and clan. This is something that challenges her at points in the book, where she has to weigh her commitment to her order or her desire for vengeance. An apprentice’s first kill in the name of the order (their first mark) is how they graduate to become a Markswoman, Kyra’s first kill does not sit easy for her, showing that while she has a strong desire for retribution for the death of her family and clan, killing also does not sit easy for her.
After the unexpected death of her mentor, she is faced with a new challenge as well, as she believes it was foul play and has a keen idea exactly who murdered her. But without proof, she is challenged to find a way to persuade the leaders what has happened to ensure justice is served. Kyra’s life takes a very unexpected turn after the death of Sherrin Mam and she has to face her actions and make a plan to make right what has gone horribly wrong.
While the majority of the book is told from Kyra’s perspective, there are chapters told from Rustan’s perspective as well. He is a Marksman, and his order is shunned by most of the Markswomen who believe that men are not qualified to wield. It gives a slightly different perspective to the world, and really provides a a lot of great information about dynamics. I have a feeling Rustan, who was quite important in this book, will become an even bigger piece of the story as the series continues.
Overall, I feel like Markswoman gave a great mix of badass women, action and an interesting world. The pace moved well and I am really looking forward to the next book.
December 3, 2017
omg omg omg! I just one this book as my first goodreads giveaway!!!
I'm sooo happy. I entered more than 100 give aways for over a year and I FINALLY won!!
Can't wait to start reading this book!! :D
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Great read! It was a bit confusing sometimes because it went very fast at some points, but still a great book.
I'm sooo happy. I entered more than 100 give aways for over a year and I FINALLY won!!
Can't wait to start reading this book!! :D
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Great read! It was a bit confusing sometimes because it went very fast at some points, but still a great book.
February 2, 2019
WARNING: Dont read more than the first paragraph of the goodreads/amazon summary because it will spoil half the book and make it a lot less entertaining.
I was hooked after the first line of the blurb "An order of magical-knife wielding female assassins ..." Set in a fascinating world where women with the gift can bond telepathically with their blades. These women train to become peace makers and executioners in a sisterhood of Markswomen. Kyra was taken in by their leader Shirin Mam after everyone in her village was murdered by outlaws. Intent on avenging the ones she's lost Kyra finds herself on a path that could change the world.
The main character Kyra was determined and brave. I loved seeing her mother daughter type relationship with Shirin Mam. Her friendship with the two Markswomen apprentice Elena and Nineth was amazing. I thought they were both well developped side characters with distinct personalities. I didnt really feel the chemistry between the two main characters and I felt like their training together was kind of boring. If you enjoy a slow burn romance you might like it more than I did.
The antagonist was captivating, but I would have liked knowing her motivations better. I found the mysterious actions of Shirin Mam and the travel portals compelling. I loved the assassin sisterhood concept and the Markswomen telepathic abilities. Its nice to read a YA fantasy that goes beyond the typical formula. The South Asian inspired world is so vaste and imaginative. The revenge story was intriguing, but the plot had so many more layers to it.
Dont read more than the first paragraph of the summary because it will spoil half of the book. Im really glad I didnt read it before hand because it wouldnt have packed as much of an emotional punch or been as entertaining. Theres so many unanswered questions and things left to explore that Im really looking forward to the duologys conclusion. Id definitely recommend Markswoman if you want a fresh epic fantasy story.
*received for review consideration*
I was hooked after the first line of the blurb "An order of magical-knife wielding female assassins ..." Set in a fascinating world where women with the gift can bond telepathically with their blades. These women train to become peace makers and executioners in a sisterhood of Markswomen. Kyra was taken in by their leader Shirin Mam after everyone in her village was murdered by outlaws. Intent on avenging the ones she's lost Kyra finds herself on a path that could change the world.
The main character Kyra was determined and brave. I loved seeing her mother daughter type relationship with Shirin Mam. Her friendship with the two Markswomen apprentice Elena and Nineth was amazing. I thought they were both well developped side characters with distinct personalities. I didnt really feel the chemistry between the two main characters and I felt like their training together was kind of boring. If you enjoy a slow burn romance you might like it more than I did.
The antagonist was captivating, but I would have liked knowing her motivations better. I found the mysterious actions of Shirin Mam and the travel portals compelling. I loved the assassin sisterhood concept and the Markswomen telepathic abilities. Its nice to read a YA fantasy that goes beyond the typical formula. The South Asian inspired world is so vaste and imaginative. The revenge story was intriguing, but the plot had so many more layers to it.
Dont read more than the first paragraph of the summary because it will spoil half of the book. Im really glad I didnt read it before hand because it wouldnt have packed as much of an emotional punch or been as entertaining. Theres so many unanswered questions and things left to explore that Im really looking forward to the duologys conclusion. Id definitely recommend Markswoman if you want a fresh epic fantasy story.
*received for review consideration*
Want to read
October 3, 2017LOOK.AT.THAT.COVER
February 28, 2018
Check out my book blog for more book reviews and other bookish posts!
I received an ARC of Markswoman from the publisher. It was one of my most anticipated releases for 2018. Fantasy stories about assassins are always sure to pique my interest. This is a new adult fantasy novel (MC is 19 years old).
It’s #ownvoices for Asian representation. It’s set in post-apocalyptic Asia.
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The pacing in this book picks up momentum with every chapter. I couldn’t stop reading. The ending was a massive cliffhanger, and after all that energy and momentum, I was so shocked when I realised the book was actually over. We don’t find out if all the characters end up safe. So many new questions are brought up within the last pages. As soon as the book was over, the first thing I did was go to Goodreads, to find out when the next book is coming out. 2019! January 2019! I’m so excited for it.
One aspect that I enjoyed a lot, was where some of the assassins discussed whether death was a suitable punishment for crimes, seeing as one could not always be sure that the accused had committed the crime. This is a subject that is often left out of other assassin stories, and I think it shouldn’t be.
The fantasy elements were compelling. Markswomen and Marksmen are able to tell people what to do with their minds. Their blades have a telepathic connection to them, which is often not a spoken connection.
Some of the Markswomen are very wary about the Order of Khur, which is the only order for Marksmen. I would have liked more worldbuilding in this aspect, as it was not explained why the women hated these men so much. As a reader, we only find out that they do. The main character also states that she thought the men in the Order of Khur were generally okay, and the only person she disliked was also the only woman in that Order. As we don’t know why the other Markswomen bear a grudge to the Order of Khur and we also don’t know why Kyra dislikes this person, this comment felt weird to me.
The story is very rich in its worldbuilding and the plot was amazing. I was intrigued by the different settings we were introduced to. The characters were are very detailed, even those who were quite minor characters. It was fascinating to read about how they felt about certain situations.
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Markswoman was a fantastic read. The only part I would have liked more worldbuilding in, is why the Markswomen had a grudge with the Marksmen.
Trigger warning: murder.
I received an ARC of Markswoman from the publisher. It was one of my most anticipated releases for 2018. Fantasy stories about assassins are always sure to pique my interest. This is a new adult fantasy novel (MC is 19 years old).
It’s #ownvoices for Asian representation. It’s set in post-apocalyptic Asia.
__
The pacing in this book picks up momentum with every chapter. I couldn’t stop reading. The ending was a massive cliffhanger, and after all that energy and momentum, I was so shocked when I realised the book was actually over. We don’t find out if all the characters end up safe. So many new questions are brought up within the last pages. As soon as the book was over, the first thing I did was go to Goodreads, to find out when the next book is coming out. 2019! January 2019! I’m so excited for it.
One aspect that I enjoyed a lot, was where some of the assassins discussed whether death was a suitable punishment for crimes, seeing as one could not always be sure that the accused had committed the crime. This is a subject that is often left out of other assassin stories, and I think it shouldn’t be.
The fantasy elements were compelling. Markswomen and Marksmen are able to tell people what to do with their minds. Their blades have a telepathic connection to them, which is often not a spoken connection.
Some of the Markswomen are very wary about the Order of Khur, which is the only order for Marksmen. I would have liked more worldbuilding in this aspect, as it was not explained why the women hated these men so much. As a reader, we only find out that they do. The main character also states that she thought the men in the Order of Khur were generally okay, and the only person she disliked was also the only woman in that Order. As we don’t know why the other Markswomen bear a grudge to the Order of Khur and we also don’t know why Kyra dislikes this person, this comment felt weird to me.
The story is very rich in its worldbuilding and the plot was amazing. I was intrigued by the different settings we were introduced to. The characters were are very detailed, even those who were quite minor characters. It was fascinating to read about how they felt about certain situations.
__
Markswoman was a fantastic read. The only part I would have liked more worldbuilding in, is why the Markswomen had a grudge with the Marksmen.
Trigger warning: murder.
December 27, 2017
Markswoman is an interesting fantasy title in the fact that it defies categorization, to a certain extent. While the uniqueness of the world appealed, I did find the execution a little disorienting and confusing. This was part coming-of-age story, a revenge plot, a romance, and an adventure. There were many things happening in
and I felt that to be a detriment considering that it took so long for the plot to get moving. Readers go in to the book knowing that Kyra's mentor is going to die; it says so right in the blurb. So, when it takes a significant portion of the book to get to that point, the actual event seems a bit anticlimactic.
The fact that Markswoman is also character-drive was another point of favour for me. Again, I was somewhat disappointed by the slow pace of Kyra's transformation. Kyra is young and filled with anger due to what happened to her family as a young child. Her quick anger is something that her mentor tries to get her to vanquish, but again, any transformation on Kyra's part took the better part of the book. While I'm all for taking the time to truly communicate the depth of a character's development, but I felt that any changes on Kyra's part were incremental, which, on top of a slow pace, frustrated me as a reader.
Markswoman is an interesting debut with a unique world, but a read that might bog down some readers who prefer a faster pace.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
The fact that Markswoman is also character-drive was another point of favour for me. Again, I was somewhat disappointed by the slow pace of Kyra's transformation. Kyra is young and filled with anger due to what happened to her family as a young child. Her quick anger is something that her mentor tries to get her to vanquish, but again, any transformation on Kyra's part took the better part of the book. While I'm all for taking the time to truly communicate the depth of a character's development, but I felt that any changes on Kyra's part were incremental, which, on top of a slow pace, frustrated me as a reader.
Markswoman is an interesting debut with a unique world, but a read that might bog down some readers who prefer a faster pace.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
October 14, 2017
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Post-apocalyptic magical knife-wielding female assassins FTW! I received a galley through the publisher (also my publisher), and was happy to supply a blurb:
"Markswoman is a breathlessly-paced post-apocalyptic fantasy with a highly original setting and characters you can't help but love (and hate)."
"Markswoman is a breathlessly-paced post-apocalyptic fantasy with a highly original setting and characters you can't help but love (and hate)."
February 19, 2018
I like it, but it is SO SLOW. It takes forever to get going. (I think 150 pages so almost half of the book before the story starts)
Basic plot: the story is told from 2 view points Rushtan and Kyra. They are both assassins (Markswomen/Marksmen) who are tasked to carry out all deaths for this world. When Krya’s favorite mentor is murdered she goes seeks aid for vengeance/justice. (She is still trying to learn the difference)
So the world is interesting in that it is a bit like Shanara. 100s+ year’s after the apocalypse and this is a new race of beings/people that dwell here. Markswomen are interesting in that they are chosen because they bond with their blades. (The metal actually talks to them). They also study the Mental Arts and use Inner Speach to mind control just about anyone. To mean their powers are so above and beyond. I felt like they were too powerful. Sure they have some vulnerability but come on.
Anyway it was just so slow for me. Fun world building but the story was mostly world building and very little action. For a book of assassins you would think there would be more death. I feel that their job is almost irrelevant. Not really interested in the next in the series.
Basic plot: the story is told from 2 view points Rushtan and Kyra. They are both assassins (Markswomen/Marksmen) who are tasked to carry out all deaths for this world. When Krya’s favorite mentor is murdered she goes seeks aid for vengeance/justice. (She is still trying to learn the difference)
So the world is interesting in that it is a bit like Shanara. 100s+ year’s after the apocalypse and this is a new race of beings/people that dwell here. Markswomen are interesting in that they are chosen because they bond with their blades. (The metal actually talks to them). They also study the Mental Arts and use Inner Speach to mind control just about anyone. To mean their powers are so above and beyond. I felt like they were too powerful. Sure they have some vulnerability but come on.
Anyway it was just so slow for me. Fun world building but the story was mostly world building and very little action. For a book of assassins you would think there would be more death. I feel that their job is almost irrelevant. Not really interested in the next in the series.
January 26, 2018
Full spoiler-free review now on my blog
Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, one of five orders that were created to bring peace to the world of Asiana. She and every member of the order fight with weapons that are infused with magic and are bound to their wielder. But aside from her duty to her order, she has a deep desire to avenge her murdered family.
In my opinion, this is totally enough to know before going into the book and to tell more would only spoil the twist the story takes.
One of my highlights was definitely the world! The map is a nice addition to the book and helped me figure out that the world of Asiana is an alternate version of a future Asia (feels quite obvious now with Asiana and Asia in one sentence, I know). At first glance, the book seems like a typical fantasy world and story, but it surprised me with it's genre-bending world-building. There are a lot of science fiction elements mixed within the story which reminded me a lot of the The Shannara Chronicles or the videogame Horizon in regard to a world after the breakdown of technology. Mehrotra manages to create a very unique world that is able to distinguish itself from the typical fantasy setting, which was very refreshing to read about!
Kyra as a main character was very enjoyable to follow. We first see her during her mission to kill someone to become a Markswoman. Even though she trained her whole life for this, she struggles with the decision to take a life and that makes her seem very authentic. Additionally, she doesn't fall into the trope trap of being overly talented in any kind of art the warriors in the order of Kali learn. Kyra's family was killed in front of her when she was very young and thus has the deep desire to pursue her revenge and the events still haunt her. However, the leader of the order of Kali has other missions planned for her and this leads to some kind of inner struggle for Kyra.
Rustan is the other POV we get to see in Markswoman. He is a marksman and member of Khur, the only order consisting only of men. When he kills a man who was found guilty of murder, he learns later on that this man was framed and innocent. This throws him into a lot of self-doubt and internal struggle.
I had some struggles with the villains of the story because they suffered from lacking depth and motives despite wanting power. Kyra dislikes her teacher Tamsyn and the acolyte Akassa from the beginning and we are never really told why.
I loved the concept of magical weapons that are bound to one specific person. They were forged from a special metal named kalishium we learn more about as the story unfolds. There are also magical guns that were forged from a metal similar to kalishium, but they are tainted and evil.
Later on, another form of magic is introduced in the form of power words in the ancient tongue.
Sadly, the romance in this book is very tropy and suffers from insta-love. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two sides and the story could have easily done without it. Or, since there will be a second novel, I would have liked to see some sparks, but not a whole firework. And I haven't even told you about the love-triangle.
There is a massive cliff-hanger at the end of the book, which felt a bit forced for me and very sudden. However, for a debut novel, the story is very promising and I'm positive that the story-telling will only get better. There were some reveals during the course of the book regarding both Kyra and Rustan and I think I will pick up the sequel to see were their journey will take them.
Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, one of five orders that were created to bring peace to the world of Asiana. She and every member of the order fight with weapons that are infused with magic and are bound to their wielder. But aside from her duty to her order, she has a deep desire to avenge her murdered family.
In my opinion, this is totally enough to know before going into the book and to tell more would only spoil the twist the story takes.
One of my highlights was definitely the world! The map is a nice addition to the book and helped me figure out that the world of Asiana is an alternate version of a future Asia (feels quite obvious now with Asiana and Asia in one sentence, I know). At first glance, the book seems like a typical fantasy world and story, but it surprised me with it's genre-bending world-building. There are a lot of science fiction elements mixed within the story which reminded me a lot of the The Shannara Chronicles or the videogame Horizon in regard to a world after the breakdown of technology. Mehrotra manages to create a very unique world that is able to distinguish itself from the typical fantasy setting, which was very refreshing to read about!
Kyra as a main character was very enjoyable to follow. We first see her during her mission to kill someone to become a Markswoman. Even though she trained her whole life for this, she struggles with the decision to take a life and that makes her seem very authentic. Additionally, she doesn't fall into the trope trap of being overly talented in any kind of art the warriors in the order of Kali learn. Kyra's family was killed in front of her when she was very young and thus has the deep desire to pursue her revenge and the events still haunt her. However, the leader of the order of Kali has other missions planned for her and this leads to some kind of inner struggle for Kyra.
Rustan is the other POV we get to see in Markswoman. He is a marksman and member of Khur, the only order consisting only of men. When he kills a man who was found guilty of murder, he learns later on that this man was framed and innocent. This throws him into a lot of self-doubt and internal struggle.
I had some struggles with the villains of the story because they suffered from lacking depth and motives despite wanting power. Kyra dislikes her teacher Tamsyn and the acolyte Akassa from the beginning and we are never really told why.
I loved the concept of magical weapons that are bound to one specific person. They were forged from a special metal named kalishium we learn more about as the story unfolds. There are also magical guns that were forged from a metal similar to kalishium, but they are tainted and evil.
Later on, another form of magic is introduced in the form of power words in the ancient tongue.
Sadly, the romance in this book is very tropy and suffers from insta-love. I didn't feel any chemistry between the two sides and the story could have easily done without it. Or, since there will be a second novel, I would have liked to see some sparks, but not a whole firework. And I haven't even told you about the love-triangle.
There is a massive cliff-hanger at the end of the book, which felt a bit forced for me and very sudden. However, for a debut novel, the story is very promising and I'm positive that the story-telling will only get better. There were some reveals during the course of the book regarding both Kyra and Rustan and I think I will pick up the sequel to see were their journey will take them.
October 6, 2018
Enter a fantasy land of desert, tribal politics, the ruins of advanced magic or technology, and the goddess Kali whose chosen marksmen and markswomen live a life of mental and physical training to become superb warriors and assassins.
Kyra has just come back from a mark: a target she has been assigned to kill by the wise and deadly head of her order of Kali, the Mahimata. Only this was personal. Her mark was the son of the man, Kai Tau, who massacred her family.
But other things are afoot that eclipses her frustration at only being allowed this small amount of revenge. Her Mahimata is dropping strange hint about not being around forever and initiating Kyra into a mental discipline connected to the incredible knives, the katari, each of them are bonded to.
Meanwhile, across the desert, Rustan, an initiate in the only male order of Kali warriors, is having trouble with his own latest mark.
When Kyra and Rustan meet, they are at the nexus of incredible revelations about about their world and very nature of their order and enemies.
I thought long and hard about why I didn't feel this was a 5 star book. It's so very close. It has quite a lot going for it that I really liked. The world is layered, rich, anchored in Eastern mythologies, believable, and contains hints of very cool backstory in the abandoned magic/technology. In the end I think what it might be is that this world was so incredible, that Kyra's personal journey felt like a bare framework in contrast.
There's so much in Kyra's backstory that I felt we got just a tiny glimpse. I never felt the kind of identification with her I wanted to and I think its because there was just so much going on that we never spent enough time with the different aspects of her life for me to feel the depth of her relationship with the Mahimata, or her feelings toward Rustan (too much summary of their training without enough actually getting to experience it in my book), the impact of her wanting revenge (this is mentioned a couple of times, but we don't get to see how it impacts her life in the order), and the intriguing, super interesting way she is bonded with her katari.
And when things are finally getting very, very interesting, the book stops. Some people don't mind cliffhangers, especially if the second book is out, but I am not the biggest fan. This book just needed to be longer, I felt. Longer with Kyra before events set her in motion, longer with Rustan on his journey to being a marksman, and definitely longer with the two of them together.
And yet all of my complaints above don't outweigh my desire to find out the answers to the questions set up in this book about who the wyr-wolves the markswomen hunt truly are, what Kyra's relationship to her Mahimata means, and if her enemies will go unpunished. While Kyra isn't my favorite, the world she lives in is pretty cool. I'll probably have to continue with the next book to find out what happens.
Kyra has just come back from a mark: a target she has been assigned to kill by the wise and deadly head of her order of Kali, the Mahimata. Only this was personal. Her mark was the son of the man, Kai Tau, who massacred her family.
But other things are afoot that eclipses her frustration at only being allowed this small amount of revenge. Her Mahimata is dropping strange hint about not being around forever and initiating Kyra into a mental discipline connected to the incredible knives, the katari, each of them are bonded to.
Meanwhile, across the desert, Rustan, an initiate in the only male order of Kali warriors, is having trouble with his own latest mark.
When Kyra and Rustan meet, they are at the nexus of incredible revelations about about their world and very nature of their order and enemies.
I thought long and hard about why I didn't feel this was a 5 star book. It's so very close. It has quite a lot going for it that I really liked. The world is layered, rich, anchored in Eastern mythologies, believable, and contains hints of very cool backstory in the abandoned magic/technology. In the end I think what it might be is that this world was so incredible, that Kyra's personal journey felt like a bare framework in contrast.
There's so much in Kyra's backstory that I felt we got just a tiny glimpse. I never felt the kind of identification with her I wanted to and I think its because there was just so much going on that we never spent enough time with the different aspects of her life for me to feel the depth of her relationship with the Mahimata, or her feelings toward Rustan (too much summary of their training without enough actually getting to experience it in my book), the impact of her wanting revenge (this is mentioned a couple of times, but we don't get to see how it impacts her life in the order), and the intriguing, super interesting way she is bonded with her katari.
And when things are finally getting very, very interesting, the book stops. Some people don't mind cliffhangers, especially if the second book is out, but I am not the biggest fan. This book just needed to be longer, I felt. Longer with Kyra before events set her in motion, longer with Rustan on his journey to being a marksman, and definitely longer with the two of them together.
And yet all of my complaints above don't outweigh my desire to find out the answers to the questions set up in this book about who the wyr-wolves the markswomen hunt truly are, what Kyra's relationship to her Mahimata means, and if her enemies will go unpunished. While Kyra isn't my favorite, the world she lives in is pretty cool. I'll probably have to continue with the next book to find out what happens.
Want to read
July 27, 2017I just read " magical-knife wielding female assassins" and i'm sold
March 5, 2019
I won an ARC of the sequel without reading the first book which is how I got introduced to this series.
The worldbuilding was so vibrant and unique. I liked the amount of detail this fantasy world is given without info-dumping everything. Assassins that can telepathically wield knives and are after earning their rank of a Markswoman to keep peace in the post-apocalyptic world, indeed a very unique, well-developed concept and very well thought out.
Additionally, I liked Kyra, the main protagonist. Her inner conflict between trying to distinguish justice from vengeance was well-developed and intriguing as she tries to bring justice to her beloved mentor's death.
What I didn't like about Kyra was the instalove with her and Rustan. There was very little chemistry between them and could've been better developed. I liked them separately characterwise but as a couple... there was very little foundation to justify their romance between each other.
The plot was OK but for a post-apocalyptic world with magical wielding assassins, there wasn't much death or action. The plot starts fast paced then drags on in the middle but then quickly picks up again. I did like the ending though- that's when I was really engaged. The climax was well-written and the last few pages were such a cliffhanger that I can't wait to read the sequel.
The worldbuilding was so vibrant and unique. I liked the amount of detail this fantasy world is given without info-dumping everything. Assassins that can telepathically wield knives and are after earning their rank of a Markswoman to keep peace in the post-apocalyptic world, indeed a very unique, well-developed concept and very well thought out.
Additionally, I liked Kyra, the main protagonist. Her inner conflict between trying to distinguish justice from vengeance was well-developed and intriguing as she tries to bring justice to her beloved mentor's death.
What I didn't like about Kyra was the instalove with her and Rustan. There was very little chemistry between them and could've been better developed. I liked them separately characterwise but as a couple... there was very little foundation to justify their romance between each other.
The plot was OK but for a post-apocalyptic world with magical wielding assassins, there wasn't much death or action. The plot starts fast paced then drags on in the middle but then quickly picks up again. I did like the ending though- that's when I was really engaged. The climax was well-written and the last few pages were such a cliffhanger that I can't wait to read the sequel.
February 1, 2018
I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
The captivating world of Asiana awaits you in this stunning debut of Asian inspired fantasy! Kyra and her order of female assassins with telepathic blades rule over Asiana along with the other orders, keeping the peace and bringing justice. When betrayal strikes and Kyra escapes to the desert on the other side of Asiana and the male order of Khur, she and her new ally Rustan will discover where justice ends and vengeance begins.
I loved the world-building! I felt like I was traveling through a deserted Asia in a post-dystopian-fantasy world. Even the names are of Asian origin, not to mention how vivid and real the world felt.
Kyra and her friends have a strong bond and I liked how Kyra was a strong character.
While the romance was slow, it developed and it was very sweet.
This book deserves more attention!
The captivating world of Asiana awaits you in this stunning debut of Asian inspired fantasy! Kyra and her order of female assassins with telepathic blades rule over Asiana along with the other orders, keeping the peace and bringing justice. When betrayal strikes and Kyra escapes to the desert on the other side of Asiana and the male order of Khur, she and her new ally Rustan will discover where justice ends and vengeance begins.
I loved the world-building! I felt like I was traveling through a deserted Asia in a post-dystopian-fantasy world. Even the names are of Asian origin, not to mention how vivid and real the world felt.
Kyra and her friends have a strong bond and I liked how Kyra was a strong character.
While the romance was slow, it developed and it was very sweet.
This book deserves more attention!
dnf
April 21, 2018Not grabbed by either character in the first few chapters. The concept's interesting, though I'm a bit confused by the world building thus far. I don't hate it, but I'm not sold enough to continue at this point. I will keep an eye on the series, and, if it concludes well, I may give this another shot down the road.
February 26, 2018
2.5 stars
December 11, 2018
This is more like a 2.5 stars for me. And I don't really know how to review it.
I liked the story and it had a lot of potential. There were some plot holes or just some things that felt rushed.
The romance felt a little off to me. Like it went from 0-60 in a month, and we didn't get to learn about anything that happened in between.
I'm confused by the ending and I think it was abrupt, BUT I have an ARC of book 2, so at least I can jump back in to the world.
I didn't really have the "OMG I need to keep reading this! I love it so much!" feeling with this book. It wasn't bad, it wasn't awesome. Just kind of a 'meh' read..
There is so much I want to know about the past and the other characters though. I really hope the next book fills in the gaps and we get more out of the 'villain'.
I liked the story and it had a lot of potential. There were some plot holes or just some things that felt rushed.
The romance felt a little off to me. Like it went from 0-60 in a month, and we didn't get to learn about anything that happened in between.
I'm confused by the ending and I think it was abrupt, BUT I have an ARC of book 2, so at least I can jump back in to the world.
I didn't really have the "OMG I need to keep reading this! I love it so much!" feeling with this book. It wasn't bad, it wasn't awesome. Just kind of a 'meh' read..
There is so much I want to know about the past and the other characters though. I really hope the next book fills in the gaps and we get more out of the 'villain'.
May 16, 2020
Sadly...ahh....and I have the second book too....its not worth it in my opinion. The beginning was very slow and I had a really REALLY hard time getting into it as you guys now from my updates...but I had hopes, and they wernt enough. I didnt hate it. But it could have been so much more. The romantic element even sucked...there was no build up. Not enough interaction between the pair. Just, they hated each other then BAM...they didnt anymore. There were lots of moving parts, and not enough depth. The book would have to be much longer in my opinion for it to flow nicely. And I know that answers will maybe? be answered in the second...but I dont think I'll be reading it.
I had high hopes and was sadly disappointed.
I had high hopes and was sadly disappointed.
Read
February 14, 2018Started a sample but couldn't get into it. The writing seemed a little too descriptive and slow pace for YA.
January 26, 2018
Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
I was drawn into MARKSKWOMAN by the impressive back copy and cover art. Sign me up for any novel featuring a sisterhood of elite warriors. Readers that love page turning action and assassinations will fall in love with MARKSWOMAN.
However, I did have a few issues with MARKSWOMAN. The story jumps into immediate and confusing action. The pace is maintained throughout the book, barely giving the reader time to breath between paragraphs. I often had to pause and reread a paragraph or two so I could maintain awareness of where the characters were and what they were doing. Important character actions and decisions happen in the space of a single sentence. If you can get over the rushed paced, you'll probably have an easier time than I did.
World building is done through information dumps at the beginning of the four different parts of the novel. I would have loved more details layered between all the action. I also thought the late introduction of a love triangle detracted from the overall story of a woman on a path of revenge, as the relationships weren't given much time to develop. Fair warning that it also ends on a pretty dramatic cliffhanger.
But if you're interested in a fast-paced action novel featuring a strong and believable heroine with light romance aspects, MARKSWOMAN is for you.
Sexual Content: Kissing
I was drawn into MARKSKWOMAN by the impressive back copy and cover art. Sign me up for any novel featuring a sisterhood of elite warriors. Readers that love page turning action and assassinations will fall in love with MARKSWOMAN.
However, I did have a few issues with MARKSWOMAN. The story jumps into immediate and confusing action. The pace is maintained throughout the book, barely giving the reader time to breath between paragraphs. I often had to pause and reread a paragraph or two so I could maintain awareness of where the characters were and what they were doing. Important character actions and decisions happen in the space of a single sentence. If you can get over the rushed paced, you'll probably have an easier time than I did.
World building is done through information dumps at the beginning of the four different parts of the novel. I would have loved more details layered between all the action. I also thought the late introduction of a love triangle detracted from the overall story of a woman on a path of revenge, as the relationships weren't given much time to develop. Fair warning that it also ends on a pretty dramatic cliffhanger.
But if you're interested in a fast-paced action novel featuring a strong and believable heroine with light romance aspects, MARKSWOMAN is for you.
Sexual Content: Kissing
January 13, 2019
Markswoman starts off with so much potential, and then... never quite gets to where it's going.
It's odd: the pace through most of the book - especially the beginning - is slow, and this isn't always a bad thing. You get a little time with the characters (though not quite enough to really get to know them - they're still acquaintances rather than friends by the time the plot really kicks in) and a little time on world building, which is done nicely enough. The writing is engaging at least, and there are hints of monumental events to come.
And then suddenly the "journey" part of the plot kicks in, and there is the most rushed attempt at a romance I have ever seen in a YA novel. And just as we get settled into these new developments, the main villain of the piece is right at hand, and there's a confusing interaction involving an apparently compulsory fight and then... I'm not actually quite sure. We are left on a massive cliffhanger but without anywhere for the story to go after that one cliffhanger piece has been resolved, which could happen in less than two pages in a sequel.
So the whole thing wraps up in a bit of bewilderment and a lot of rushing and even more confusion, and I'm left... Uncertain. Still, speaking of a sequel: yes, I'll read it. There's enough here to make me not want to give up just yet.
It's odd: the pace through most of the book - especially the beginning - is slow, and this isn't always a bad thing. You get a little time with the characters (though not quite enough to really get to know them - they're still acquaintances rather than friends by the time the plot really kicks in) and a little time on world building, which is done nicely enough. The writing is engaging at least, and there are hints of monumental events to come.
And then suddenly the "journey" part of the plot kicks in, and there is the most rushed attempt at a romance I have ever seen in a YA novel. And just as we get settled into these new developments, the main villain of the piece is right at hand, and there's a confusing interaction involving an apparently compulsory fight and then... I'm not actually quite sure. We are left on a massive cliffhanger but without anywhere for the story to go after that one cliffhanger piece has been resolved, which could happen in less than two pages in a sequel.
So the whole thing wraps up in a bit of bewilderment and a lot of rushing and even more confusion, and I'm left... Uncertain. Still, speaking of a sequel: yes, I'll read it. There's enough here to make me not want to give up just yet.
January 11, 2018
*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Rati Mehrotra's Markswoman is the first installment in the authors Asiana duology. One can definitely call this a post-apocalyptic version of Asia. It is the year 853 of the Kanun and the Orders keep the peace – barely. Armed outlaws roam the Thar Desert, and a young woman seeks revenge for a horrific crime that was committed against her clan. 19-year old Kyra Veer lives in a land called Asiana. Here you will find Five Orders of Peace: Valavan, Zorya, Mar-Su, Khur, and Kali, which is the oldest of them all.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Rati Mehrotra's Markswoman is the first installment in the authors Asiana duology. One can definitely call this a post-apocalyptic version of Asia. It is the year 853 of the Kanun and the Orders keep the peace – barely. Armed outlaws roam the Thar Desert, and a young woman seeks revenge for a horrific crime that was committed against her clan. 19-year old Kyra Veer lives in a land called Asiana. Here you will find Five Orders of Peace: Valavan, Zorya, Mar-Su, Khur, and Kali, which is the oldest of them all.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
March 18, 2019
I really wanted to like this story. And while I did think it was good, I think I would've liked it more had I actually read the book. This was a very rich and complex fantasy world, and some of the details kind of flew over my head since I was listening to the audiobook.
However, I did really like the MC, Kyra. She was determined to make things right for her Order despite her mentor being murdered and the new Mahimata spreading lies about her. Kyra kept persisting even when things got out of hand. I loved that she would push herself to make things right.
I wasn't completely sold by the romance, but I did like Rustan as a character. It was interesting to see how the Marksman were treated in the Markswoman-run society.
However, I did really like the MC, Kyra. She was determined to make things right for her Order despite her mentor being murdered and the new Mahimata spreading lies about her. Kyra kept persisting even when things got out of hand. I loved that she would push herself to make things right.
I wasn't completely sold by the romance, but I did like Rustan as a character. It was interesting to see how the Marksman were treated in the Markswoman-run society.
April 9, 2020
3.5/5
Bookstagram
Assassin's Creed meets Covenant of bad ass women. Going into this book I had quite a few expectations. Especially after reading that amazing synopsis. And honestly, the first 50 pages or so, I was not disappointed. I was given exactly what I came for. Badass females with a little bit of Assassin's Creed (or maybe even the Assassins Guild in Skyrim) thrown into the midst.
In this world there are clans of women assassins and of course the one male clan of assassins. There is also a sense of history and old legends that ride in the behind scenes of the book. This world was built by those that are from the "stars" - the Old one's they were called - and they brought their technology down to the land and created vessels to be able to transport through different locations. Seriously, does that not remind you of Assassin's Creed just a little bit?
There were so many things going for this book:
* The historical context
* The magic
* The assassin clans
* The plot in general
However, after 50 pages things just seemed to fall apart and I don't really know how to express my utter disappointment in this.
We are given a female character, Kyra, that has trained for over 14 years of her life when it comes to being a part of the Kali Clan (one of the largest and most powerful women assassin's clan). Yet, when she goes to get her first mark - the kill that declares her a markswomen - she bulks. And while it doesn't last long. It makes you wonder if she is a "true" assassin at heart. Then less than 30 pages later all she can think about is killing, murder, assassinating the ones that murdered her loved ones. Complete 180 if you tell me.
Which sends her on this whole adventure of wanting to avenge her fill-in mother's death and kill the *bitch* that did it.
Kyra's character development was fairly stagnant the entire book. There wasn't much growth or change in her character. The largest theme that revolves around Kyra is "is revenge worth it", does revenge change anything? While, we do see Kyra's idea of revenge and murder slightly change throughout the book. It's not by much. She is still on her quest for vengeance. There is some compassion to her character. But that is reserved for her friends and the clan's leader.
And then we come to the plot. As I said those first 50 pages really were amazing and then something happened. There started to be weird time gaps or the author would skip to a different character for 5 pages. And those 5 pages would equal a 2 month time period. Half the time I didn't know what was going on, or where the character was in the time plot. It was as if the author didn't know how to fill the pages so she found a way to create these choppy time gaps to speed up the story.
For example - Krya goes into a door and we are given 2 pages of information and yet that was over 2 months she was gone. I mean seriously? It really made no sense.
And of course there was the plot assist at the beginning of the book that was so blatantly obvious. Krya was literally given everything she was needed to complete her quest. Even the foreshadowing was pretty much telling what would happen in the plot. Honestly, you could read the first 90 pages and know what is going to happen for the entire book.
Then there is the dual POV that this book shares with Rustan - a brooding male from the Khur Clan (the only clan of male assassin's). I think by this point - if you have read my other reviews - I am sick of the brooding YA male trope. Apparently Rustan laughed and was happy at one point and now he is not. We are also given this weird time gap with him and it's mixed with Kyra's weird time gaps in the plot and good god I gave myself a headache figuring out what the hell was actually happening.
Rustan's character development was not much better than Kyra's. Actually I really don't know how to explain his developement. He is broody and angry the entire time. He doesn't want to help Kyra on her quest but feels "obligated" to. He starts to having feelings for her but it is a one-line statement that we were given and it's randomly thrown in there.
And don't get me started on the weird trope mix of "insta-love" and "sort of enemies to lovers". I was just as confused as you are. LITERALLY, the moment Kyra see's Rustan her very thought was "he was handsome in a chiseled way"....UGHHHHHHH. Guys I understand attraction, but this line is in EVERY YA book known to man kind. And then Krya goes on to hate him for most of the book but actually likes him.
I was hoping for so much more. There are so many things that this book could have done right but just didn't. Do I recommend the book? - Sort of. I mean yes for the original plot line, the magic, and the assassins but no for the issues of a scattered plot, weird tropes, and character issues. Am I going to continue on with the series? -Maybe, I am unsure at this point.
Bookstagram
Assassin's Creed meets Covenant of bad ass women. Going into this book I had quite a few expectations. Especially after reading that amazing synopsis. And honestly, the first 50 pages or so, I was not disappointed. I was given exactly what I came for. Badass females with a little bit of Assassin's Creed (or maybe even the Assassins Guild in Skyrim) thrown into the midst.
In this world there are clans of women assassins and of course the one male clan of assassins. There is also a sense of history and old legends that ride in the behind scenes of the book. This world was built by those that are from the "stars" - the Old one's they were called - and they brought their technology down to the land and created vessels to be able to transport through different locations. Seriously, does that not remind you of Assassin's Creed just a little bit?
There were so many things going for this book:
* The historical context
* The magic
* The assassin clans
* The plot in general
However, after 50 pages things just seemed to fall apart and I don't really know how to express my utter disappointment in this.
We are given a female character, Kyra, that has trained for over 14 years of her life when it comes to being a part of the Kali Clan (one of the largest and most powerful women assassin's clan). Yet, when she goes to get her first mark - the kill that declares her a markswomen - she bulks. And while it doesn't last long. It makes you wonder if she is a "true" assassin at heart. Then less than 30 pages later all she can think about is killing, murder, assassinating the ones that murdered her loved ones. Complete 180 if you tell me.
Which sends her on this whole adventure of wanting to avenge her fill-in mother's death and kill the *bitch* that did it.
Kyra's character development was fairly stagnant the entire book. There wasn't much growth or change in her character. The largest theme that revolves around Kyra is "is revenge worth it", does revenge change anything? While, we do see Kyra's idea of revenge and murder slightly change throughout the book. It's not by much. She is still on her quest for vengeance. There is some compassion to her character. But that is reserved for her friends and the clan's leader.
And then we come to the plot. As I said those first 50 pages really were amazing and then something happened. There started to be weird time gaps or the author would skip to a different character for 5 pages. And those 5 pages would equal a 2 month time period. Half the time I didn't know what was going on, or where the character was in the time plot. It was as if the author didn't know how to fill the pages so she found a way to create these choppy time gaps to speed up the story.
For example - Krya goes into a door and we are given 2 pages of information and yet that was over 2 months she was gone. I mean seriously? It really made no sense.
And of course there was the plot assist at the beginning of the book that was so blatantly obvious. Krya was literally given everything she was needed to complete her quest. Even the foreshadowing was pretty much telling what would happen in the plot. Honestly, you could read the first 90 pages and know what is going to happen for the entire book.
Then there is the dual POV that this book shares with Rustan - a brooding male from the Khur Clan (the only clan of male assassin's). I think by this point - if you have read my other reviews - I am sick of the brooding YA male trope. Apparently Rustan laughed and was happy at one point and now he is not. We are also given this weird time gap with him and it's mixed with Kyra's weird time gaps in the plot and good god I gave myself a headache figuring out what the hell was actually happening.
Rustan's character development was not much better than Kyra's. Actually I really don't know how to explain his developement. He is broody and angry the entire time. He doesn't want to help Kyra on her quest but feels "obligated" to. He starts to having feelings for her but it is a one-line statement that we were given and it's randomly thrown in there.
And don't get me started on the weird trope mix of "insta-love" and "sort of enemies to lovers". I was just as confused as you are. LITERALLY, the moment Kyra see's Rustan her very thought was "he was handsome in a chiseled way"....UGHHHHHHH. Guys I understand attraction, but this line is in EVERY YA book known to man kind. And then Krya goes on to hate him for most of the book but actually likes him.
I was hoping for so much more. There are so many things that this book could have done right but just didn't. Do I recommend the book? - Sort of. I mean yes for the original plot line, the magic, and the assassins but no for the issues of a scattered plot, weird tropes, and character issues. Am I going to continue on with the series? -Maybe, I am unsure at this point.
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