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Tales of the Edge #1
The Collarbound
On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities, and the oppression of the Kher community.
When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can't remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn't intend to give up now.
Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, fought beside them, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He's never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar. Despite his fear of being discovered, Tatters decides to help her.
As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, The Collarbound follows an unlikely friendship between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.
A tale that questions fate and finds strength in not-belonging, The Collarbound hooks from the opening pages and will appeal to fans of magical, brink-of-war settings, like that of The Poppy War, and lyrical, character-driven writing, as found in A Darker Shade of Magic.
When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can't remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn't intend to give up now.
Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, fought beside them, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He's never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar. Despite his fear of being discovered, Tatters decides to help her.
As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, The Collarbound follows an unlikely friendship between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.
A tale that questions fate and finds strength in not-belonging, The Collarbound hooks from the opening pages and will appeal to fans of magical, brink-of-war settings, like that of The Poppy War, and lyrical, character-driven writing, as found in A Darker Shade of Magic.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2022
23 people are currently reading
1742 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Zahabi
9 books42 followersRebecca Zahabi is a mixed-heritage writer (a third British, a third French and a third Iranian, if the mix is of interest to you). Her long-term goal is to take over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
October 17, 2022
Rebecca Zahabi has created a compelling setting for the backdrop of this high fantasy trilogy with an unjust society of Mage overlords and oppressed citizens.
Our main characters are a man named Tatters, with an interesting back story and a collar that marks him as a slave, although he doesn't seem to act like one - and a young refugee with a tattoo that brands her as one of the oppressed Kher, although she seems to be human.
Both of our protagonists do not believe in the oppressive system that is upheld by the Mages in their stronghold that sits on the edge of the world - nor do they fully agree with the violent methods of the rebellion - a group that preaches equality for all while slaughtering all who stand in their way.
There was so much about this book that I loved - my favourite being the world building that really grounded me in this story and kept me invested. However, this book is mainly setup, we get to know our two main protagonists and what they stand for, the magic system (relying on mental fortitude and battles in imagined arenas), and the current social and political climate. The plot doesn't really build up to anything except for going over a plot reveal three times, and we leave the book poised on the edge of a true plot beginning.
Definitely a good start to a fantasy series, but I would have appreciated an extra 200 pages so we could have had some real plot and conflict before the book closed out
Our main characters are a man named Tatters, with an interesting back story and a collar that marks him as a slave, although he doesn't seem to act like one - and a young refugee with a tattoo that brands her as one of the oppressed Kher, although she seems to be human.
Both of our protagonists do not believe in the oppressive system that is upheld by the Mages in their stronghold that sits on the edge of the world - nor do they fully agree with the violent methods of the rebellion - a group that preaches equality for all while slaughtering all who stand in their way.
There was so much about this book that I loved - my favourite being the world building that really grounded me in this story and kept me invested. However, this book is mainly setup, we get to know our two main protagonists and what they stand for, the magic system (relying on mental fortitude and battles in imagined arenas), and the current social and political climate. The plot doesn't really build up to anything except for going over a plot reveal three times, and we leave the book poised on the edge of a true plot beginning.
Definitely a good start to a fantasy series, but I would have appreciated an extra 200 pages so we could have had some real plot and conflict before the book closed out
February 10, 2022
4.5 stars
“If this was where she belonged, in the space in-between, then this was where she would hold her ground. This was where she would fight.”
The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi is a wonderfully imaginative novel which revels in mystery, intrigue and dazzling magic, set against the backdrop of a world torn by rebellion. This is a story of closely guarded secrets and of characters who are caught between two warring sides.
The narrative begins by Zahabi throwing her readers into the middle of events. We enter a strange world where mages, humans and a non-human race called khers, roam. Yet not freely. On a cliff near The Edge, stands The Nest, a castle where high mages offer their protection over the lands, where they train apprentices and rule with a firm hand. However, across the Shadowpass there are those who resist the Nest’s strictly governed hierarchy which holds mages as the elite and those without magic as savages to be oppressed. Rebellion is brewing, tearing lands in its wake. But are the rebels just replacing one tyrannical regime for another?
Amidst this turmoil refugees flee to the Nest in the hopes of escaping the bloodshed, at least for a short while. Yet one such refugee stands out from the crowd, Isha, a woman who we learn has lost parts of her memories, her past veiled in shadow, her face branded with an intricate tattoo, with no recollection as to what it means. When Tatters, who wears the mystical golden collar of a slave, sets eyes on Isha he immediately feels drawn towards her, her tattoo fascinating him, the feeling that he should know who this woman is. Tatters may be in hiding, and the strange presence of a young girl called Lal inside his mind may be deterring him from becoming involved, but Tatters is willing to risk all to uncover Isha’s mystery. Their pasts are surely connected and their fates just may be entwined.
The Collarbound favours uncovering secrets over high stake battle sequences, which nonetheless delivered a compelling slow-burn character driven story. Zahabi never gives away too much to her readers, we begin knowing very little about these characters or the world but as the narrative progresses pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. As Isha determines to become a powerful mage at the Nest under the tutelage of the questionable Sir Daegon, and Tatters desperately hides from the rebel Renegades we discover he was once a part of, Zahabi shows us that neither side is wholly good or evil, corruption and brutality run through both. The Renegades’ sweet promise of freedom and equality also comes with much bitterness, which I loved seeing explored.
Initially we are given terms such as kher and lacunants with very little context given behind them. We go on to discover the kher are a race of non-humans with horns, various shades of clay red skin and tattoos on their bodies. They are deemed as no more intelligent than animals, savage and undignified, derogatorily called cows which interbreed. They are subservient to humans, little more than slaves, the women are given guard duty whilst the men must remain lowly farmers. Yet Zahabi turns this prejudiced view on its head by weaving in layers of culture, tradition and religion to their race. During one of my favourite chapters, Tatters and Isha enter the kher quarters and it is here where we discover so much more about them and see for ourselves that this race is far more cultivated than the humans could ever be. We also learn the tradition behind their tattoos, which made the entire chapter fascinating. As for the lacunants, well their revelation is much more somber and gives us a great deal of knowledge as to what happens to mages who go too far or break the Nest’s rules.
Zahabi’s magic system absolutely captured me whole. The Collarbound features mindlink, a type of mind-magic where mages can enter another’s mind for various uses such as compulsion, telepathy, sifting through their memories or altering their emotions. There are a lot of elements to this form of magic and a lot of unique concepts such as soulsplintering, lightborn and my favourite of all, mindbrawling. (I’ll go into a bit more detail about what a mindbrawl entails in the next paragraph but if you’d rather not know, please don’t read that part.) Although this magic system is rather broad in its capabilities there are certain limitations put in place too, and to emit illegal usage there are lawmages, but it isn’t until later on that we uncover what happens to those who break the rules.
So, why was a mindbrawl my favourite part of the magic system? Well I loved how Zahabi used images and emotions as a form of fighting rather than physical violence. In some ways destroying someone’s mind is far more effective than destroying a body. You see, a mindbrawl begins by two opponents using a settler who uses his mind space as the arena for a mental brawl. They create a mental picture of a theatre, where the two opponents will duel. The two duellists then appear on the stage in the form their mind has conjured up - perhaps versions of themselves which are taller, plumper or slimmer. The two competitors then can conjure, for example, imaginary fire to haul at their opponent, or make them see a loved one dying, whilst the other can conjure up water to defend themselves or send imagery of their own. The two opponents duel until one of them becomes too overwhelmed to continue or cannot sustain the mindlink.
“They rested at the edge of the shrine, at the Edge of the world. As far as the eye could see, there was mist, fading into the light blue of the sky. The wind was so fierce that, for a moment, Tatters could believe it would rip his soul out of his body and carry it upwards. Part of him longed to jump.”
I may have initially become hooked into The Collarbound for all its mystery and magic but later I also found myself becoming rather attached to the characters too. Tatters, easily became my favourite character. At first he appears to be charming if not slightly cheeky, his personality is scarcely detailed but we get a sense that he is skilled in manipulating others and lying in order to hide his secrets and also to achieve what he wants. Given how adept he is with mindlink it is no wonder he is popular with the apprentice mages as everyone vies to be better than their peers. The presence of Lal in his mind also causes him much conflict as when performing mindlinks and mindbrawls, she often acts of her own accord which Tatters doesn’t appear to be able to control. As we learn more about who Lal is we see Tatters holds a past full of pain, a collared slave with a master, someone who has lost much more than just his freedom. Although he may appear aloof to the treatment of others, in truth he does care. Especially for the khers and Isha.
Tatters feels a pull towards Isha, and although for the majority of the novel Zahabi never quite makes it clear whether they are friend or foe to each other they nonetheless spend a great deal of time with one another. Isha’s is desperately trying to piece together her lost memories whilst also becoming a strong enough mage to defend herself against her enemies and those she longs to gain revenge upon. She’s strong, quick to learn and guards herself from others, yet through her POV we see a great deal of her insecurities. At every turn she faces prejudice, her tattoo mistaking her as a halfbreed kher, an outsider, Isha faces disdain from many. How must it feel to be consistently judged and hated upon for the way you look? For a branding you had little control over or even know what it means. How must it feel to be treated as lesser when you are so much more? On the outside it doesn’t seem to affect Isha, but on the inside her anger boils. Zahabi’s world, unfortunately like our own, explores racism and bigotry in its many forms.
As we reach the story’s climax Zahabi painstakingly left me wanting so much more. The Collarbound hooks it’s readers into a dark tale where characters are thrust into a play for power and freedom with both resulting in unjust devastation. Zahabi’s novel will delight fans of thrilling magic systems and imaginative worlds.
“Secrets are more precious than money. They’re the currency of power.”
ARC provided by Will at Gollancz in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an early ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
The Collarbound is out May 12th but you can preorder here: https://www.gollancz.co.uk/titles/reb...
“If this was where she belonged, in the space in-between, then this was where she would hold her ground. This was where she would fight.”
The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi is a wonderfully imaginative novel which revels in mystery, intrigue and dazzling magic, set against the backdrop of a world torn by rebellion. This is a story of closely guarded secrets and of characters who are caught between two warring sides.
The narrative begins by Zahabi throwing her readers into the middle of events. We enter a strange world where mages, humans and a non-human race called khers, roam. Yet not freely. On a cliff near The Edge, stands The Nest, a castle where high mages offer their protection over the lands, where they train apprentices and rule with a firm hand. However, across the Shadowpass there are those who resist the Nest’s strictly governed hierarchy which holds mages as the elite and those without magic as savages to be oppressed. Rebellion is brewing, tearing lands in its wake. But are the rebels just replacing one tyrannical regime for another?
Amidst this turmoil refugees flee to the Nest in the hopes of escaping the bloodshed, at least for a short while. Yet one such refugee stands out from the crowd, Isha, a woman who we learn has lost parts of her memories, her past veiled in shadow, her face branded with an intricate tattoo, with no recollection as to what it means. When Tatters, who wears the mystical golden collar of a slave, sets eyes on Isha he immediately feels drawn towards her, her tattoo fascinating him, the feeling that he should know who this woman is. Tatters may be in hiding, and the strange presence of a young girl called Lal inside his mind may be deterring him from becoming involved, but Tatters is willing to risk all to uncover Isha’s mystery. Their pasts are surely connected and their fates just may be entwined.
The Collarbound favours uncovering secrets over high stake battle sequences, which nonetheless delivered a compelling slow-burn character driven story. Zahabi never gives away too much to her readers, we begin knowing very little about these characters or the world but as the narrative progresses pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. As Isha determines to become a powerful mage at the Nest under the tutelage of the questionable Sir Daegon, and Tatters desperately hides from the rebel Renegades we discover he was once a part of, Zahabi shows us that neither side is wholly good or evil, corruption and brutality run through both. The Renegades’ sweet promise of freedom and equality also comes with much bitterness, which I loved seeing explored.
Initially we are given terms such as kher and lacunants with very little context given behind them. We go on to discover the kher are a race of non-humans with horns, various shades of clay red skin and tattoos on their bodies. They are deemed as no more intelligent than animals, savage and undignified, derogatorily called cows which interbreed. They are subservient to humans, little more than slaves, the women are given guard duty whilst the men must remain lowly farmers. Yet Zahabi turns this prejudiced view on its head by weaving in layers of culture, tradition and religion to their race. During one of my favourite chapters, Tatters and Isha enter the kher quarters and it is here where we discover so much more about them and see for ourselves that this race is far more cultivated than the humans could ever be. We also learn the tradition behind their tattoos, which made the entire chapter fascinating. As for the lacunants, well their revelation is much more somber and gives us a great deal of knowledge as to what happens to mages who go too far or break the Nest’s rules.
Zahabi’s magic system absolutely captured me whole. The Collarbound features mindlink, a type of mind-magic where mages can enter another’s mind for various uses such as compulsion, telepathy, sifting through their memories or altering their emotions. There are a lot of elements to this form of magic and a lot of unique concepts such as soulsplintering, lightborn and my favourite of all, mindbrawling. (I’ll go into a bit more detail about what a mindbrawl entails in the next paragraph but if you’d rather not know, please don’t read that part.) Although this magic system is rather broad in its capabilities there are certain limitations put in place too, and to emit illegal usage there are lawmages, but it isn’t until later on that we uncover what happens to those who break the rules.
So, why was a mindbrawl my favourite part of the magic system? Well I loved how Zahabi used images and emotions as a form of fighting rather than physical violence. In some ways destroying someone’s mind is far more effective than destroying a body. You see, a mindbrawl begins by two opponents using a settler who uses his mind space as the arena for a mental brawl. They create a mental picture of a theatre, where the two opponents will duel. The two duellists then appear on the stage in the form their mind has conjured up - perhaps versions of themselves which are taller, plumper or slimmer. The two competitors then can conjure, for example, imaginary fire to haul at their opponent, or make them see a loved one dying, whilst the other can conjure up water to defend themselves or send imagery of their own. The two opponents duel until one of them becomes too overwhelmed to continue or cannot sustain the mindlink.
“They rested at the edge of the shrine, at the Edge of the world. As far as the eye could see, there was mist, fading into the light blue of the sky. The wind was so fierce that, for a moment, Tatters could believe it would rip his soul out of his body and carry it upwards. Part of him longed to jump.”
I may have initially become hooked into The Collarbound for all its mystery and magic but later I also found myself becoming rather attached to the characters too. Tatters, easily became my favourite character. At first he appears to be charming if not slightly cheeky, his personality is scarcely detailed but we get a sense that he is skilled in manipulating others and lying in order to hide his secrets and also to achieve what he wants. Given how adept he is with mindlink it is no wonder he is popular with the apprentice mages as everyone vies to be better than their peers. The presence of Lal in his mind also causes him much conflict as when performing mindlinks and mindbrawls, she often acts of her own accord which Tatters doesn’t appear to be able to control. As we learn more about who Lal is we see Tatters holds a past full of pain, a collared slave with a master, someone who has lost much more than just his freedom. Although he may appear aloof to the treatment of others, in truth he does care. Especially for the khers and Isha.
Tatters feels a pull towards Isha, and although for the majority of the novel Zahabi never quite makes it clear whether they are friend or foe to each other they nonetheless spend a great deal of time with one another. Isha’s is desperately trying to piece together her lost memories whilst also becoming a strong enough mage to defend herself against her enemies and those she longs to gain revenge upon. She’s strong, quick to learn and guards herself from others, yet through her POV we see a great deal of her insecurities. At every turn she faces prejudice, her tattoo mistaking her as a halfbreed kher, an outsider, Isha faces disdain from many. How must it feel to be consistently judged and hated upon for the way you look? For a branding you had little control over or even know what it means. How must it feel to be treated as lesser when you are so much more? On the outside it doesn’t seem to affect Isha, but on the inside her anger boils. Zahabi’s world, unfortunately like our own, explores racism and bigotry in its many forms.
As we reach the story’s climax Zahabi painstakingly left me wanting so much more. The Collarbound hooks it’s readers into a dark tale where characters are thrust into a play for power and freedom with both resulting in unjust devastation. Zahabi’s novel will delight fans of thrilling magic systems and imaginative worlds.
“Secrets are more precious than money. They’re the currency of power.”
ARC provided by Will at Gollancz in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an early ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
The Collarbound is out May 12th but you can preorder here: https://www.gollancz.co.uk/titles/reb...
April 8, 2022
What did I just read?
I knew I had to read this book as soon as Gollancz revealed the cover for The Collarbound. I am a HUGE sucker for white covers, and I love the art style! Moreover, the synopsis: “Bound by magic, marked by war, ready to fight”, fills you with many questions! How can magic bind you? Who are you going to fight? Why are you marked by war? I was ecstatic when I received a physical arc of this book. So what did I think?
I went blind into this book, and I didn’t read any reviews or even the synopsis, which made the reading experience...interesting. The Collarbound is an ingenious story filled with mystery, intrigue, magic and tension. The reader is thrown into a world filled with magical races such as roams, khers and mages. The story starts in the middle of events with a rebellion looming which has led to an influx of refugees to the Nest. When Isha escapes to the city, Tatters, a collarbound, immediately takes notice of the strange tattoo on her face. Tatters has a strong sense that he knows this woman, but he doesn’t recall why. Consequently, Isha is struggling with memory loss. Tatters and Isha’s lives become intertwined as secrets and past memories are slowly revealed.
In a lot of ways, The Collarbound feels imaginative and fresh since it is a fantasy book that heavily focuses on intrigue, mystery and confusion. The narrative focuses mainly on slowly uncovering secrets and is gradually giving the reader a better understanding of what is going on. The Collarbound is not a story filled with action sequences or riveting pace. It is very much a slow burn story that relies on intrigue and atmosphere. When you think you start to understand what is going on, Zahabi reveals something else that will lead to even more questions.
Zahabi did a fantastic job at making me intrigued and making me want to find answers to my questions until I hit the 40% mark. I don’t mind stories with ‘confusion’ as one of their storytelling elements, but I found it too much for my taste in this story. When I pick up a fantasy book, I want to be filled with wonder, awe and intrigue. Zahabi definitely made me feel intrigued. However, since there is such a reliance on making the reader ‘confused’, I never felt a sense of wonder and awe. I found it challenging to feel invested in the characters or the plot because I constantly questioned what was going on.
However, this is very much a case of a book not being to my taste. I usually prefer stories with a more direct writing style. If you are a reader who enjoys stories where you have to ‘go with the flow’ and don’t mind ‘confusion’ as one of the main storytelling elements, then The Collarbound is for you. Zahabi does a fantastic job at slowly uncovering what is going on in this story, which will be very satisfying for some readers. Unfortunately, this way of telling a story doesn’t work well for me but will work well for other readers.
Therefore, I am giving this book a 3 / 5 star rating since I enjoyed the first 40% of the book and can appreciate what Zahabi has crafted in this story. I can definitely see many readers giving this book a much higher rating.
A special thanks to Gollancz for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
I knew I had to read this book as soon as Gollancz revealed the cover for The Collarbound. I am a HUGE sucker for white covers, and I love the art style! Moreover, the synopsis: “Bound by magic, marked by war, ready to fight”, fills you with many questions! How can magic bind you? Who are you going to fight? Why are you marked by war? I was ecstatic when I received a physical arc of this book. So what did I think?
I went blind into this book, and I didn’t read any reviews or even the synopsis, which made the reading experience...interesting. The Collarbound is an ingenious story filled with mystery, intrigue, magic and tension. The reader is thrown into a world filled with magical races such as roams, khers and mages. The story starts in the middle of events with a rebellion looming which has led to an influx of refugees to the Nest. When Isha escapes to the city, Tatters, a collarbound, immediately takes notice of the strange tattoo on her face. Tatters has a strong sense that he knows this woman, but he doesn’t recall why. Consequently, Isha is struggling with memory loss. Tatters and Isha’s lives become intertwined as secrets and past memories are slowly revealed.
In a lot of ways, The Collarbound feels imaginative and fresh since it is a fantasy book that heavily focuses on intrigue, mystery and confusion. The narrative focuses mainly on slowly uncovering secrets and is gradually giving the reader a better understanding of what is going on. The Collarbound is not a story filled with action sequences or riveting pace. It is very much a slow burn story that relies on intrigue and atmosphere. When you think you start to understand what is going on, Zahabi reveals something else that will lead to even more questions.
Zahabi did a fantastic job at making me intrigued and making me want to find answers to my questions until I hit the 40% mark. I don’t mind stories with ‘confusion’ as one of their storytelling elements, but I found it too much for my taste in this story. When I pick up a fantasy book, I want to be filled with wonder, awe and intrigue. Zahabi definitely made me feel intrigued. However, since there is such a reliance on making the reader ‘confused’, I never felt a sense of wonder and awe. I found it challenging to feel invested in the characters or the plot because I constantly questioned what was going on.
However, this is very much a case of a book not being to my taste. I usually prefer stories with a more direct writing style. If you are a reader who enjoys stories where you have to ‘go with the flow’ and don’t mind ‘confusion’ as one of the main storytelling elements, then The Collarbound is for you. Zahabi does a fantastic job at slowly uncovering what is going on in this story, which will be very satisfying for some readers. Unfortunately, this way of telling a story doesn’t work well for me but will work well for other readers.
Therefore, I am giving this book a 3 / 5 star rating since I enjoyed the first 40% of the book and can appreciate what Zahabi has crafted in this story. I can definitely see many readers giving this book a much higher rating.
A special thanks to Gollancz for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2022
EVERYONE STEP BACK, NEW FAVOURITE BOOK COMING THROUGH!
I believe it was the cover of this book that caught my attention first, then the description and the comps (The Poppy War and The City of Brass), I just knew I had to read it.
I do see a tiny bit of the first comp in it, but instead of the second I'd say The Farseer Trilogy fits much better.
There's something about the writing style that reminds me of Robin Hobb, while also being entirely unique and captivating. It's also very easy to get into, and I wasn't confused for a second.
When I started reading I felt like I knew these characters already, and I was invested in their lives from the get go. Of course, Isha and Tatters are my favourites, but I love everyone else too (Sir Daegan not included).
The world building is phenomenal, all the characters and their races have a proper backstory/lore. I loved learning about it all.
One of the best things about The Collarbound is that it doesn't info dump. The reader is fed information one nugget at a time so it's easier to process, and makes it a lot more fun to follow the clues.
Out of the two main characters, one of them has a slightly more prominent romantic subplot than the other. I won't say which, but rest assured that it's sweet and feels real.
I can't find a single flaw, so I won't even try. The only thing I can think of is that I wish it was even longer, because I haven't had enough. I have no idea how I'm going to survive until the next book.
I'm also hoping that book boxes do special editions of this book/series, because it deserves all that and more. It's truly a gem, one I can't wait to have a physical copy of (or multiple physical copies if my special edition agenda happens).
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go pester my friends to read The Collarbound so they can suffer with me.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I believe it was the cover of this book that caught my attention first, then the description and the comps (The Poppy War and The City of Brass), I just knew I had to read it.
I do see a tiny bit of the first comp in it, but instead of the second I'd say The Farseer Trilogy fits much better.
There's something about the writing style that reminds me of Robin Hobb, while also being entirely unique and captivating. It's also very easy to get into, and I wasn't confused for a second.
When I started reading I felt like I knew these characters already, and I was invested in their lives from the get go. Of course, Isha and Tatters are my favourites, but I love everyone else too (Sir Daegan not included).
The world building is phenomenal, all the characters and their races have a proper backstory/lore. I loved learning about it all.
One of the best things about The Collarbound is that it doesn't info dump. The reader is fed information one nugget at a time so it's easier to process, and makes it a lot more fun to follow the clues.
Out of the two main characters, one of them has a slightly more prominent romantic subplot than the other. I won't say which, but rest assured that it's sweet and feels real.
I can't find a single flaw, so I won't even try. The only thing I can think of is that I wish it was even longer, because I haven't had enough. I have no idea how I'm going to survive until the next book.
I'm also hoping that book boxes do special editions of this book/series, because it deserves all that and more. It's truly a gem, one I can't wait to have a physical copy of (or multiple physical copies if my special edition agenda happens).
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go pester my friends to read The Collarbound so they can suffer with me.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
February 1, 2023
This story completely shocked me and blew me away. I knew nothing about this story going into it.
What I loved about this story the world building, it's done very naturally and you can tell it's been well thought out. It's an enriched world and I could spent 900 pages just learning about all of it.
Also the magic system. It's the magic of someone's mind and I thought it was very unique and fascinating.
The tons of politics. There's politics and scheming at every point of this story.
What I didn't like about this story.... it's 300 pages. I needed more. It should have been 800.
I need book two!
What I loved about this story the world building, it's done very naturally and you can tell it's been well thought out. It's an enriched world and I could spent 900 pages just learning about all of it.
Also the magic system. It's the magic of someone's mind and I thought it was very unique and fascinating.
The tons of politics. There's politics and scheming at every point of this story.
What I didn't like about this story.... it's 300 pages. I needed more. It should have been 800.
I need book two!
March 31, 2023
This world is so cool! We have magic schools, rebellions, waring species, and a dash of politics. I like the contrast of the two characters here and the struggles each were facing. I think there some good discussions to be had. I was aware, but the only bad thing for me, was it takes about 70% of the book of setup before the plot kicks in. Once it does, I really enjoyed it! I can't wait for the Hawking
May 28, 2025
First Read: February 2023, Rating: 5/5 stars
Second Read: May 2025, Rating: 4.5/5 stars
This is the first instalment in The Collarbound series.
The Nest is a clifftop fortress offering magical training and a home for all mages. There they hone their abilities to infiltrate the minds of others, to fight or to garner information, and to close off their own, to distance themselves from becoming a weapon or informant.
Isha is a new recruit there, but it is the tattoo that covers half of her face that marks her as different and not her lack of magical discipline. Tatters can be found in a nearby tavern instead of the renowned training halls, but his skill can rival all those who dwell above him and his knowledge will be necessary for what is fast approaching them all.
These characters were as fascinating as the magic system was. The initial scenes introduced all key players and I was eager to learn more about each and every one of them. The parts they played, in the unfolding narrative, ensured there was no favoured perspective and that I enjoyed each emerging storyline equally.
Learning about the layout of the land, the formation of the magic system, the political upheaval occurring, and the differing species and beings that dwelled across the kingdom was the primary focus for much of the novel. This did feel like the genesis for a long series (hopefully!), for how slow-moving the plot yet how intricate the actual bones of it was. I can foresee much action to occur in later instalments and whilst this first one might not have been the most action-packed or fast-paced, it did set the foundation for future brilliance. I can only applaud the mind that conceived it all!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Rebecca Zahabi, and the publisher, Gollancz, for this opportunity.
Second Read: May 2025, Rating: 4.5/5 stars
This is the first instalment in The Collarbound series.
The Nest is a clifftop fortress offering magical training and a home for all mages. There they hone their abilities to infiltrate the minds of others, to fight or to garner information, and to close off their own, to distance themselves from becoming a weapon or informant.
Isha is a new recruit there, but it is the tattoo that covers half of her face that marks her as different and not her lack of magical discipline. Tatters can be found in a nearby tavern instead of the renowned training halls, but his skill can rival all those who dwell above him and his knowledge will be necessary for what is fast approaching them all.
These characters were as fascinating as the magic system was. The initial scenes introduced all key players and I was eager to learn more about each and every one of them. The parts they played, in the unfolding narrative, ensured there was no favoured perspective and that I enjoyed each emerging storyline equally.
Learning about the layout of the land, the formation of the magic system, the political upheaval occurring, and the differing species and beings that dwelled across the kingdom was the primary focus for much of the novel. This did feel like the genesis for a long series (hopefully!), for how slow-moving the plot yet how intricate the actual bones of it was. I can foresee much action to occur in later instalments and whilst this first one might not have been the most action-packed or fast-paced, it did set the foundation for future brilliance. I can only applaud the mind that conceived it all!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Rebecca Zahabi, and the publisher, Gollancz, for this opportunity.
March 8, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the ARC.
I didn’t think I would enjoy this book so much but I’m currently sitting on the edge of my seat, metaphorically of course, waiting for the second book because this book had it all for me.
Following the story of Tatters was something I really enjoyed, it was different and interesting. And following Isha’s story was very mysterious, I think that might play a factor in why I couldn’t put the book down. I needed answers about Tatters and Isha, a strange pair yet I really loved the friendship that came to be between them.
Hopefully this isn’t a major spoiler however I am not one to read books with heavy romance, the romance in The Collarbound wasn’t like anything I’d come across before. It wasn’t shoved into my face, it was there in the background and each time the characters interacted I found myself becoming excited because I was looking forward to the romance. It surprised me a lot.
The world that Rebecca has built is something marvellous, in this world there are mages, humans and khers. I don’t really see the need to go into full detail about the mages, and their magic, it’s pretty straightforward and I liked that. Khers are awesome, I really do look forward to learning more about them!
The most compelling factor of this novel is the mystery, there’s a great satisfaction to unraveling it.
Last thing I will be adding is this: the world is on the brink of a war yet instead of having the characters rushing around preparing, we get to see how the characters are connected to the war. This is definitely a book I’ll be reading again, probably once it’s published so I can buy a physical copy and I’ll be waiting patiently for the sequel.
I didn’t think I would enjoy this book so much but I’m currently sitting on the edge of my seat, metaphorically of course, waiting for the second book because this book had it all for me.
Following the story of Tatters was something I really enjoyed, it was different and interesting. And following Isha’s story was very mysterious, I think that might play a factor in why I couldn’t put the book down. I needed answers about Tatters and Isha, a strange pair yet I really loved the friendship that came to be between them.
Hopefully this isn’t a major spoiler however I am not one to read books with heavy romance, the romance in The Collarbound wasn’t like anything I’d come across before. It wasn’t shoved into my face, it was there in the background and each time the characters interacted I found myself becoming excited because I was looking forward to the romance. It surprised me a lot.
The world that Rebecca has built is something marvellous, in this world there are mages, humans and khers. I don’t really see the need to go into full detail about the mages, and their magic, it’s pretty straightforward and I liked that. Khers are awesome, I really do look forward to learning more about them!
The most compelling factor of this novel is the mystery, there’s a great satisfaction to unraveling it.
Last thing I will be adding is this: the world is on the brink of a war yet instead of having the characters rushing around preparing, we get to see how the characters are connected to the war. This is definitely a book I’ll be reading again, probably once it’s published so I can buy a physical copy and I’ll be waiting patiently for the sequel.
October 23, 2025
Tatters is a collarbound mage, enslaved to the will of another. Isha is a mage-student with a face tattoo in the kher style (a race of ram-horned people who have a strange relationship with magic). Both find themselves involved with the Nest, a mage school in a city being flooded by refugees from a nearby rebellious conflict.
"Evil starts when you treat other people as things. There are perhaps worse crimes, but they begin when you treat other people as things." - Terry Pratchett
I was reminded of that quote throughout this book, with unashamed exploitation of others by the powerful the overwhelming theme of the book. Unfortunately a tad too overwhelming for my case, and there's not enough development of the overall plot in this first volume for me to find it compelling.
"Evil starts when you treat other people as things. There are perhaps worse crimes, but they begin when you treat other people as things." - Terry Pratchett
I was reminded of that quote throughout this book, with unashamed exploitation of others by the powerful the overwhelming theme of the book. Unfortunately a tad too overwhelming for my case, and there's not enough development of the overall plot in this first volume for me to find it compelling.
September 20, 2022
My Review of The Collarbound
8.5/10
So what’s the book about?
On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities, and the oppression of the Kher community. When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can’t remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn’t intend to give up now. Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, fought beside them, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He’s never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar. Despite his fear of being discovered, Tatters decides to help her. As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, The Collarbound follows an unlikely friendship between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.
These aspects attracted me the most while reading.
I’m a reader who sticks more to characters and doesn’t focus on the magic system at all, yet this book managed to make me so fascinated by magic that all I want to do is read these epic and unusual battles within the minds of the mages. The idea that everything starts from the head, from the thoughts, is so exciting to read, because it is not an athletic body that is required to win a battle here, but a steeled brain. Of course, this kind of magic has many applications, for example, that one can enter the mind of another, thereby influencing him, changing his feelings or yet also searching through his memories. So many ways to dominate another that this magic is naturally also restricted so that no rules are broken. You can certainly imagine how bad it must be when someone is in your thoughts. I found it particularly exciting that epic battles happen in the minds of mages, so to speak, as images and emotions are used as a form of combat – and as we all know, it is much worse to be destroyed mentally than physically. Our mind is what characterises us, and so it is most exciting when this place is attacked to break the other. One might think that the magicians only send lightning through the other’s mind, but no, real duels are fought in the mind of another, where the location, own body and type of attacks are determined by oneself, so these duels are even more epic than the real ones, because our mind has more possibilities than the real world.
One might think that an author can only focus on one theme, but Zahabi has also managed to create believable and interesting characters alongside the extraordinary magic system. And in this, Tatters in particular could do it for me, as he probably did for most who read the book. He is charming and a little cheeky, and his secrets also give him a mysterious character. Through several of his actions, you get that he is shrewd and knows how to figure out how to find out other secrets, but still hides his own. And even though he often seems cold towards others, you realise in the course of the story that he has a heart and cares for others. It also seems that Tatters has an interesting past, which is forced to be revealed more and more, and this past becomes known when Isha enters Tatters’ world. Because unlike Tatters, Isha cannot remember her past, which attracts Tatters. A teacher-student relationship slowly builds up between the two, and you realise that at some point the student will surpass her teacher!
Racism is another central theme in this book. Be it racism towards Isha, who is hated because of her tattoo, or be it racism towards the Kher, the beings who cannot use “mind magic”. And so two worlds build up right next to each other. Even if one honestly doesn’t know exactly why the Kher are hated so much, many people don’t need a reason why racism arises, and so the horned beings are seen as outsiders. The Kher are portrayed as savage and unintelligent beings, but through the encounter between Tatters and the Kher, one quickly realises that this is just a lie to make the Kher hate even more. Tatters and Isha show us what a complex culture lies behind the Kher, who have many traditions and their own religion – thus not savage at all, but simply different from our own. The tattoos also have a meaning, and so Isha also wants to understand what the drawings on her skin mean. It is so nice to read how Tatters and Isha learn about the Kher culture and also question their own traditions.
What did not work for me!
The book is relatively short and yet the story is told at just the right pace, which is why I kept asking myself why this volume was so short. The story has so much to tell that I hope the next volumes will be longer so that we have more time to spend in the world and get to know the characters better.
So what are my final thoughts about it?
This is one of those books that you can’t stop reading and you just want more! I enjoyed this book so much and honestly it wasn’t even on my radar and I’m even happier that I’ve now been sitting full of thoughts after finishing the book and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The Collarbound is the kind of book that draws you in from the start. It’s quite a slow story, slowly building tension as we learn more and more. The most compelling factor of this novel is definitely that there are many mysteries, be it to the cultures, to the magic system and also to the individual characters, that brought a great satisfaction when individual mysteries were solved. Little by little the mysteries are solved, with each revelation, making me want more. How one cannot read this book in one piece is somehow a mystery to me. Zahabi has created a really fascinating world that kept me very engrossed. The world building was well thought out and I loved learning more about the mages and the Khers, as well as the individual characters. Also, Zahabi has a knack for creating fascinating, dynamic characters. Both Tatters and Isha were really compelling characters and I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. If you are looking for a fantasy story that will keep you up late into the night, please read The Collarbound!
8.5/10
So what’s the book about?
On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities, and the oppression of the Kher community. When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can’t remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn’t intend to give up now. Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, fought beside them, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He’s never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar. Despite his fear of being discovered, Tatters decides to help her. As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, The Collarbound follows an unlikely friendship between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.
These aspects attracted me the most while reading.
I’m a reader who sticks more to characters and doesn’t focus on the magic system at all, yet this book managed to make me so fascinated by magic that all I want to do is read these epic and unusual battles within the minds of the mages. The idea that everything starts from the head, from the thoughts, is so exciting to read, because it is not an athletic body that is required to win a battle here, but a steeled brain. Of course, this kind of magic has many applications, for example, that one can enter the mind of another, thereby influencing him, changing his feelings or yet also searching through his memories. So many ways to dominate another that this magic is naturally also restricted so that no rules are broken. You can certainly imagine how bad it must be when someone is in your thoughts. I found it particularly exciting that epic battles happen in the minds of mages, so to speak, as images and emotions are used as a form of combat – and as we all know, it is much worse to be destroyed mentally than physically. Our mind is what characterises us, and so it is most exciting when this place is attacked to break the other. One might think that the magicians only send lightning through the other’s mind, but no, real duels are fought in the mind of another, where the location, own body and type of attacks are determined by oneself, so these duels are even more epic than the real ones, because our mind has more possibilities than the real world.
One might think that an author can only focus on one theme, but Zahabi has also managed to create believable and interesting characters alongside the extraordinary magic system. And in this, Tatters in particular could do it for me, as he probably did for most who read the book. He is charming and a little cheeky, and his secrets also give him a mysterious character. Through several of his actions, you get that he is shrewd and knows how to figure out how to find out other secrets, but still hides his own. And even though he often seems cold towards others, you realise in the course of the story that he has a heart and cares for others. It also seems that Tatters has an interesting past, which is forced to be revealed more and more, and this past becomes known when Isha enters Tatters’ world. Because unlike Tatters, Isha cannot remember her past, which attracts Tatters. A teacher-student relationship slowly builds up between the two, and you realise that at some point the student will surpass her teacher!
Racism is another central theme in this book. Be it racism towards Isha, who is hated because of her tattoo, or be it racism towards the Kher, the beings who cannot use “mind magic”. And so two worlds build up right next to each other. Even if one honestly doesn’t know exactly why the Kher are hated so much, many people don’t need a reason why racism arises, and so the horned beings are seen as outsiders. The Kher are portrayed as savage and unintelligent beings, but through the encounter between Tatters and the Kher, one quickly realises that this is just a lie to make the Kher hate even more. Tatters and Isha show us what a complex culture lies behind the Kher, who have many traditions and their own religion – thus not savage at all, but simply different from our own. The tattoos also have a meaning, and so Isha also wants to understand what the drawings on her skin mean. It is so nice to read how Tatters and Isha learn about the Kher culture and also question their own traditions.
What did not work for me!
The book is relatively short and yet the story is told at just the right pace, which is why I kept asking myself why this volume was so short. The story has so much to tell that I hope the next volumes will be longer so that we have more time to spend in the world and get to know the characters better.
So what are my final thoughts about it?
This is one of those books that you can’t stop reading and you just want more! I enjoyed this book so much and honestly it wasn’t even on my radar and I’m even happier that I’ve now been sitting full of thoughts after finishing the book and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. The Collarbound is the kind of book that draws you in from the start. It’s quite a slow story, slowly building tension as we learn more and more. The most compelling factor of this novel is definitely that there are many mysteries, be it to the cultures, to the magic system and also to the individual characters, that brought a great satisfaction when individual mysteries were solved. Little by little the mysteries are solved, with each revelation, making me want more. How one cannot read this book in one piece is somehow a mystery to me. Zahabi has created a really fascinating world that kept me very engrossed. The world building was well thought out and I loved learning more about the mages and the Khers, as well as the individual characters. Also, Zahabi has a knack for creating fascinating, dynamic characters. Both Tatters and Isha were really compelling characters and I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. If you are looking for a fantasy story that will keep you up late into the night, please read The Collarbound!
March 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! The plot was more thoughtful than it was action-packed, but the pages still raced by as I was reading. A fascinating, mind-based magic system sets the stage for a story filled with the grim, understated conflict that exists in a world experiencing the tense, fraught "calm" before the storm of all-out war.
Zahabi deftly creates a fully-realized and richly described world, providing a quiet yet striking exploration of the way inequality and injustice often serve as the bedrock of systems of power. The characters that populate the world of THE COLLARBOUND are nuanced and complex, each an exile in their own way, struggling to find a path forward in a world that balances on the knife's edge of war and chaos.
Anyone looking for a book with all the intrigue and gorgeous worldbuilding of high fantasy and a thoughtful, measured prose and characterization style suggestive of more literary fiction should definitely give this one a read!
Zahabi deftly creates a fully-realized and richly described world, providing a quiet yet striking exploration of the way inequality and injustice often serve as the bedrock of systems of power. The characters that populate the world of THE COLLARBOUND are nuanced and complex, each an exile in their own way, struggling to find a path forward in a world that balances on the knife's edge of war and chaos.
Anyone looking for a book with all the intrigue and gorgeous worldbuilding of high fantasy and a thoughtful, measured prose and characterization style suggestive of more literary fiction should definitely give this one a read!
June 8, 2022
The Collarbound is a fiercely gripping fantasy tale that’s full to the brim with magic and mystery. Set in a world that has been torn apart by rebellion, we follow Isha as she arrives at The Nest as a refugee. Isha does what she can to fit in, but she has no idea what happened in her past or where her tattoo came from. Meanwhile, Tatters is one of the collarbound and knows the danger of rebellion. Whilst he’s determined to stay away from things, he can’t help but be drawn to Isha and the mystery that surrounds her. Together the two form an unlikely friendship as they seek to survive the rebellion and the secrets of their past.
The Collarbound is the kind of book that draws you in right from the very beginning. This is quite a slow burn story, one that slowly builds tension as we learn more and more. I found I was thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading it and it kept me intrigued and wanting more. I often felt on the edge of my seat, dying to know what was going on. Zahabi does a brilliant job of keeping the reader guessing, making for a really engaging read.
Zahabi has created a really fascinating world in The Collarbound and it felt like such a compelling setting. The worldbuilding felt well crafted and I loved learning about the mages and the khers. I sort of feel like I’ve only scratched the surface and can’t wait to see more of the world in the sequel. I thought the concept of mindbrawling was so fascinating and something I haven’t seen before. Similarly, Zahabi has a knack for creating really interesting, dynamic characters. Both Tatters and Isha were really compelling characters and I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. I also really liked Arushi and her family.
The Collarbound is a brilliant, engaging story, unlike anything I’ve read before. If you’re looking for a slow burn fantasy story that will have you reading long into the night, this should definitely be on your to read list.
The Collarbound is the kind of book that draws you in right from the very beginning. This is quite a slow burn story, one that slowly builds tension as we learn more and more. I found I was thinking about the book even when I wasn’t reading it and it kept me intrigued and wanting more. I often felt on the edge of my seat, dying to know what was going on. Zahabi does a brilliant job of keeping the reader guessing, making for a really engaging read.
Zahabi has created a really fascinating world in The Collarbound and it felt like such a compelling setting. The worldbuilding felt well crafted and I loved learning about the mages and the khers. I sort of feel like I’ve only scratched the surface and can’t wait to see more of the world in the sequel. I thought the concept of mindbrawling was so fascinating and something I haven’t seen before. Similarly, Zahabi has a knack for creating really interesting, dynamic characters. Both Tatters and Isha were really compelling characters and I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop. I also really liked Arushi and her family.
The Collarbound is a brilliant, engaging story, unlike anything I’ve read before. If you’re looking for a slow burn fantasy story that will have you reading long into the night, this should definitely be on your to read list.
May 25, 2022
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I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
A debut from a promising new writer, The Collarbound explores magic, identity, and belonging.
I really enjoyed The Collarbound! It's a book that is a little slow to start - I went in expecting something a little different - yet I couldn't put it down. I loved the world Zahabi created, from the windswept Nest that houses and educates mages to the incredibly cool mind-link magic and mindbrawls, to the Kher - the humanoid race that is treated as second class citizens. In fact, the exploration of the Kher community and ways of life were the best bits of The Collarbound. My favourite chapters were when our characters were in the Kher quarter of the city and saw first hand how they are treated by humans - these chapters and their revelations were incredibly powerful.
Zahabi takes a lot of care with building her characters and it is those characters that really shine in this book. Our POV characters are Tatters, a collarbound mage who has escaped his master, and Isha, the human novice mage with a Kher tattoo. Both of these characters were great and well-written (especially Isha, who truly embodies the sense of not-belonging that is pervasive through the book), but I have a real soft spot for Arushi, the Kher guard that befriends Tatters, and her family.
I expected The Collarbound to be an action-packed adventure and was pleasantly surprised to find it was not. It is a quiet, character-driven, slow burn of a book. Zahabi creates a world that feels fresh and unique and I couldn't help but fall in love with it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
CW: racism, slavery
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
A debut from a promising new writer, The Collarbound explores magic, identity, and belonging.
I really enjoyed The Collarbound! It's a book that is a little slow to start - I went in expecting something a little different - yet I couldn't put it down. I loved the world Zahabi created, from the windswept Nest that houses and educates mages to the incredibly cool mind-link magic and mindbrawls, to the Kher - the humanoid race that is treated as second class citizens. In fact, the exploration of the Kher community and ways of life were the best bits of The Collarbound. My favourite chapters were when our characters were in the Kher quarter of the city and saw first hand how they are treated by humans - these chapters and their revelations were incredibly powerful.
Zahabi takes a lot of care with building her characters and it is those characters that really shine in this book. Our POV characters are Tatters, a collarbound mage who has escaped his master, and Isha, the human novice mage with a Kher tattoo. Both of these characters were great and well-written (especially Isha, who truly embodies the sense of not-belonging that is pervasive through the book), but I have a real soft spot for Arushi, the Kher guard that befriends Tatters, and her family.
I expected The Collarbound to be an action-packed adventure and was pleasantly surprised to find it was not. It is a quiet, character-driven, slow burn of a book. Zahabi creates a world that feels fresh and unique and I couldn't help but fall in love with it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
CW: racism, slavery
December 8, 2025
4 stars on a re-read
The cover of this caught my eye and I was lucky enough to be chosen for an arc.
There are two main characters, both have mage-skills and both are outcasts in their own way.
Tatters, my favourite, hides out in a tavern, earning money by letting students practise their magics on him. Hides out, because he appears to have escaped his owners. He wears a gold collar, an expensive symbol of servitude. He still has layers of mysteries and I can’t wait to discover more of his sister.
Isha is a new student, her face marked by a black tattoo. Only kher bear tattoos, why would a human be marked so? She is missing memories, unable to recall her life and seems overly skilled for a novice.
The world building is revealed little by little creating a fascinating background. The supporting cast is fleshed out and I have favourites and ones to dislike! The ending is clearly set up for at least another book.
I loved it and read it over the weekend, enjoying the deepening of some mysteries and flow reveals of others. Totally can’t wait for the next.
Thanks you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing group - Gollancz for providing this E- ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The cover of this caught my eye and I was lucky enough to be chosen for an arc.
There are two main characters, both have mage-skills and both are outcasts in their own way.
Tatters, my favourite, hides out in a tavern, earning money by letting students practise their magics on him. Hides out, because he appears to have escaped his owners. He wears a gold collar, an expensive symbol of servitude. He still has layers of mysteries and I can’t wait to discover more of his sister.
Isha is a new student, her face marked by a black tattoo. Only kher bear tattoos, why would a human be marked so? She is missing memories, unable to recall her life and seems overly skilled for a novice.
The world building is revealed little by little creating a fascinating background. The supporting cast is fleshed out and I have favourites and ones to dislike! The ending is clearly set up for at least another book.
I loved it and read it over the weekend, enjoying the deepening of some mysteries and flow reveals of others. Totally can’t wait for the next.
Thanks you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing group - Gollancz for providing this E- ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2023
Please note there may be some small spoilers in the review below.
I found this book as I signed up for the ARC for the sequel The Hawkling, not realising at the time it was a sequel. As I needed to review the Hawkling I quickly jumped onto Amazon and purchased Collarbound. When I received this book I struggled to put it down. Rebecca Zahabi has crafted a detailed world with engaging characters. The book starts with not much information on the main characters and then throughout the book, the pieces of the puzzle are revealed. I did find some of the ideas hard to grasp at first but I suppose that is the difference between layering the book with a backstory or letting the reader figure it out on their own. It is something I did enjoy while going on this journey with Isha and Tatters. Rebecca does an amazing job of building a deep and very family-orientated culture with the Kher, a downtrodden race of beings that are not far off slaves to the mages of the Nest. There are strong tones of intolerance against these people that make you root for them. I have read many fantasy novels and seen many magic systems but Zahabis system seemed original and I really enjoyed learning it with Isha and seeing how the mages would enter each other’s minds and use imagery as a powerful tool. I loved the terms like Mindbrawling and Mindrambling, they were very emotive and carried the action and helped with the world-building. The thought that the magical fighting takes place in their minds and there isn’t much physical fighting is something new to me and it was part of what I really liked about this book.
One of the things I think this book is missing however is a map, it’s something readers of fantasy have come to expect and this book would definitely be the better for it. Sometimes it’s hard to visualise the Edge, Nest, and Shadowpass. It would be nice to see this in the books.
Throughout the book, I found I really started to care for Isha and Tatters and at times I was banging my head on the table wanting them to understand each other more. By the end of the book, I was glad to know I already had the next in the series and couldn’t wait to continue the journey. If you are a fan of fantasy stories that deal with mystery, action, and character development you will enjoy this book.
I found this book as I signed up for the ARC for the sequel The Hawkling, not realising at the time it was a sequel. As I needed to review the Hawkling I quickly jumped onto Amazon and purchased Collarbound. When I received this book I struggled to put it down. Rebecca Zahabi has crafted a detailed world with engaging characters. The book starts with not much information on the main characters and then throughout the book, the pieces of the puzzle are revealed. I did find some of the ideas hard to grasp at first but I suppose that is the difference between layering the book with a backstory or letting the reader figure it out on their own. It is something I did enjoy while going on this journey with Isha and Tatters. Rebecca does an amazing job of building a deep and very family-orientated culture with the Kher, a downtrodden race of beings that are not far off slaves to the mages of the Nest. There are strong tones of intolerance against these people that make you root for them. I have read many fantasy novels and seen many magic systems but Zahabis system seemed original and I really enjoyed learning it with Isha and seeing how the mages would enter each other’s minds and use imagery as a powerful tool. I loved the terms like Mindbrawling and Mindrambling, they were very emotive and carried the action and helped with the world-building. The thought that the magical fighting takes place in their minds and there isn’t much physical fighting is something new to me and it was part of what I really liked about this book.
One of the things I think this book is missing however is a map, it’s something readers of fantasy have come to expect and this book would definitely be the better for it. Sometimes it’s hard to visualise the Edge, Nest, and Shadowpass. It would be nice to see this in the books.
Throughout the book, I found I really started to care for Isha and Tatters and at times I was banging my head on the table wanting them to understand each other more. By the end of the book, I was glad to know I already had the next in the series and couldn’t wait to continue the journey. If you are a fan of fantasy stories that deal with mystery, action, and character development you will enjoy this book.
April 30, 2022
An overall solid and very interesting read. I would say that this story is more on the slow-paced side. But I did not mind this at all because I feel like this just sets the proper foundation for the upcoming books. The book's unique magic system and world-building still make this a fascinating and enjoyable read. The author’s writing is very descriptive and has created a world filled with magic, religion and politics. Apart from this, I would add that this is a character-driven book since it is more focused on the characters' lives and secrets. I did feel at times confused when it came to the overall world system, and I think this was the main reason I gave it four stars. Thus I think it would not be that suitable for people who rather enjoy a fast-paced, action-packed fantasy. Nevertheless, this book surprised me in a good way, and I am very intrigued to read the sequel.
Huge thanks to Orion Publishing Group for the eArc.
Huge thanks to Orion Publishing Group for the eArc.
May 11, 2022
Book Review - The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi
4/5 stars
I was given an e-ARC on Netgalley in return for an honest review.
The Collarbound takes us to a very strange world; divided in a light and shadow side, circled by an edge, it is very different from our own. This world is ruled by mages, individuals with mindbending powers that subjugate anyone without this gift. This story follows Tatters a mage who has been bound by a mystic collar fleeing from a mysterieus past and Isha a girl with an enigmatic tattoo. Together they find out that the world they knew is ready for change and... war.
Let's start with what this book does best, worldbuilding. Zahabi gives us one of the most unique worlds I've ever seen. From the actual geography to the caste system it all seems very foreign. Which is both a blessing and a curse as I found it a little hard to imagine.
The magic system based on mindbending powers, where one individual can enter another's mind and battle them is just as cool as it sounds. I was really expecting traditional mages from the synopsis, but what I got was so much better.
I also really enjoyed the non human Kher. Kher are basically humanoids with horns, think along the lines of minotaur. Their society was so cool to explore and their role as an undercaste really had me feel for them. There was nothing I wanted more than for them to rise up and overthrow their masters. The fact that their immune to the mage's power was also very well done.
Pasingwise collarbound is great for me, I like slower books where I don't go from action scene to action scene. I felt like Zahabi was way more focussed on giving us the best worldbuilding possible. This also brings us to the biggest downside, character building. There are really only two well fleshed out characters Tatters and Isha, with Isha being the most interesting. In a later installment I would love to get a bigger cast and more meaning full interactions
All in all a nice little story in an amazing world! I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
A great thanks to Netgalley, Orion and Rebecca Zahabi for the review copy.
4/5 stars
I was given an e-ARC on Netgalley in return for an honest review.
The Collarbound takes us to a very strange world; divided in a light and shadow side, circled by an edge, it is very different from our own. This world is ruled by mages, individuals with mindbending powers that subjugate anyone without this gift. This story follows Tatters a mage who has been bound by a mystic collar fleeing from a mysterieus past and Isha a girl with an enigmatic tattoo. Together they find out that the world they knew is ready for change and... war.
Let's start with what this book does best, worldbuilding. Zahabi gives us one of the most unique worlds I've ever seen. From the actual geography to the caste system it all seems very foreign. Which is both a blessing and a curse as I found it a little hard to imagine.
The magic system based on mindbending powers, where one individual can enter another's mind and battle them is just as cool as it sounds. I was really expecting traditional mages from the synopsis, but what I got was so much better.
I also really enjoyed the non human Kher. Kher are basically humanoids with horns, think along the lines of minotaur. Their society was so cool to explore and their role as an undercaste really had me feel for them. There was nothing I wanted more than for them to rise up and overthrow their masters. The fact that their immune to the mage's power was also very well done.
Pasingwise collarbound is great for me, I like slower books where I don't go from action scene to action scene. I felt like Zahabi was way more focussed on giving us the best worldbuilding possible. This also brings us to the biggest downside, character building. There are really only two well fleshed out characters Tatters and Isha, with Isha being the most interesting. In a later installment I would love to get a bigger cast and more meaning full interactions
All in all a nice little story in an amazing world! I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!
A great thanks to Netgalley, Orion and Rebecca Zahabi for the review copy.
May 30, 2022
The Collarbound had lovely prose, solid worldbuilding, and some fascinating concepts. Unfortunately, none of that could help me get past the fact that I found the storyline disappointingly dull and meandering. The mystery lacked tension and intrigue, mostly because the author chose to keep the reader so in the dark about who the two main characters are that the stakes felt like they barely registered above zero.
The story did finish in an interesting place for the next instalment, but the resolution of the mystery was anticlimactic. The main characters just kind of realise who they are/who the other one is with very little prompting, explanation, or emotional investment.
I don’t think I’ll continue with this series, but I wouldn’t rule out reading future works from the author as Zahabi is certainly a talented wordsmith.
The story did finish in an interesting place for the next instalment, but the resolution of the mystery was anticlimactic. The main characters just kind of realise who they are/who the other one is with very little prompting, explanation, or emotional investment.
I don’t think I’ll continue with this series, but I wouldn’t rule out reading future works from the author as Zahabi is certainly a talented wordsmith.
February 3, 2023
3.5 or 4 stars... I am not sure.
What a wild ride!! This is honestly unlike anything I have ever read before and I want more of it!
Loved the magic system revolving around diving into other people's minds, it was fascinating to learn about.
The sense of mystery and intrigue just kept me hooked the entire way through, but I can see why some readers would become frustrated due to feeling lost and confused. This is definitely the type of book where the author just throws you in and you will have to trust that things will fall into place eventually.
The plot (is there really a plot?) is also super meandering, but then I have to admit that I was having fun just following these characters on whatever crazy path they were going. Couldn't get super emotionally invested, but I was so eager to find out more about these characters' pasts that it didn't bother me too much. The amnesia trope was handled SO well in here and the twists and reveals were super satisfying. I am dying to see where things go next, please give me updates on book 2!!!
What a wild ride!! This is honestly unlike anything I have ever read before and I want more of it!
Loved the magic system revolving around diving into other people's minds, it was fascinating to learn about.
The sense of mystery and intrigue just kept me hooked the entire way through, but I can see why some readers would become frustrated due to feeling lost and confused. This is definitely the type of book where the author just throws you in and you will have to trust that things will fall into place eventually.
The plot (is there really a plot?) is also super meandering, but then I have to admit that I was having fun just following these characters on whatever crazy path they were going. Couldn't get super emotionally invested, but I was so eager to find out more about these characters' pasts that it didn't bother me too much. The amnesia trope was handled SO well in here and the twists and reveals were super satisfying. I am dying to see where things go next, please give me updates on book 2!!!
October 6, 2023
It was a solid 3-star maybe even a 3.75, the thing that really makes this book is the world-building. the different cultures and ways of living were amazing. it was a little difficult to separate the different types of human groups since they all really had a similar name, and the plot was... well predictable. but I am emotionally invested again in the side characters so... second book here I come.
Want to read
August 13, 2024🎈 Price dropped to .99 Aug 12, 2024 🎈
May 20, 2022
This one had a very interesting and unique magic system with a decent amount of world building. Sadly, that was the only part of the story which I truly enjoyed.
The plot relies heavily on certain mystery elements but it also suffers because there is no tension or a sense of urgency to it. The writing was okay and easily readable but again the bland plot killed the vibe of the story for me.
I liked the characters fine but I don't think they had a lot going on for them. One of the characters, Isha has holes in her memory so for most of the story she spends trying to understand why she bears the tattoo of another race. While this did lead to establishing/ explaining the world culturally, I don't think it led to a lot of personal growth for her character. Tatter on the other hand was a fun character to follow and I enjoyed reading from his perspective.
Overall, I do think that this one plays with some really cool concepts but I am used to reading more action packed books so that definitely prevented me from enjoying the story fully. Nonetheless, I would recommend this for readers who enjoy their fantasy books on a slower side.
ARC provided by publishers via Netgalley!
The plot relies heavily on certain mystery elements but it also suffers because there is no tension or a sense of urgency to it. The writing was okay and easily readable but again the bland plot killed the vibe of the story for me.
I liked the characters fine but I don't think they had a lot going on for them. One of the characters, Isha has holes in her memory so for most of the story she spends trying to understand why she bears the tattoo of another race. While this did lead to establishing/ explaining the world culturally, I don't think it led to a lot of personal growth for her character. Tatter on the other hand was a fun character to follow and I enjoyed reading from his perspective.
Overall, I do think that this one plays with some really cool concepts but I am used to reading more action packed books so that definitely prevented me from enjoying the story fully. Nonetheless, I would recommend this for readers who enjoy their fantasy books on a slower side.
ARC provided by publishers via Netgalley!
May 2, 2022
On my blog.
Galley provided by publisher
The Collarbound is a book that I thought would be a standalone fantasy, so at least part of my rating derives from that. It is not a standalone, it is definitely a series-starter. This isn’t to say it’s a bad book because of it, but it’s a book that, when you frame it as the latter, might be enjoyed more.
However, it’s also a book where, to be brutally honest, not a whole lot stuck with me. So this could end up being a quite short review.
The best part of this book was its worldbuilding and magic system. The whole idea of mind-based duelling was fascinating, and honestly, could have stood to have played a bigger role (although perhaps it will later on?). The world too was an interesting one, with the Shadowpass and a rebellion brewing. Perhaps I would have liked a bit more depth to it, just in terms of description, since it was, at times, hard to tell who or what the Nest and the Shadowpass (and beyond it) were in relation to one another. However, this is all things I could see being further explored in a sequel.
The main characters and their dynamic was also intriguing, especially with the secrets they were keeping and the reveals towards the end. That’s another thing that I would hope to see explored more in the second book, particularly that one reveal, that didn’t really show up much here. It was drip fed you to keep you interested, I suppose, but I guess I needed more to really care about the characters much. This is what I mean in part when I say the book wasn’t hugely memorable. I can remember just about who the characters were, but I can’t remember their personalities very much. They seemed to be made up of these secrets and not a lot more.
However, I did like reading this one. It was a diverting way to spend a few hours and definitely one I’d recommend as a new voice in fantasy. I just never really loved it.
Galley provided by publisher
The Collarbound is a book that I thought would be a standalone fantasy, so at least part of my rating derives from that. It is not a standalone, it is definitely a series-starter. This isn’t to say it’s a bad book because of it, but it’s a book that, when you frame it as the latter, might be enjoyed more.
However, it’s also a book where, to be brutally honest, not a whole lot stuck with me. So this could end up being a quite short review.
The best part of this book was its worldbuilding and magic system. The whole idea of mind-based duelling was fascinating, and honestly, could have stood to have played a bigger role (although perhaps it will later on?). The world too was an interesting one, with the Shadowpass and a rebellion brewing. Perhaps I would have liked a bit more depth to it, just in terms of description, since it was, at times, hard to tell who or what the Nest and the Shadowpass (and beyond it) were in relation to one another. However, this is all things I could see being further explored in a sequel.
The main characters and their dynamic was also intriguing, especially with the secrets they were keeping and the reveals towards the end. That’s another thing that I would hope to see explored more in the second book, particularly that one reveal, that didn’t really show up much here. It was drip fed you to keep you interested, I suppose, but I guess I needed more to really care about the characters much. This is what I mean in part when I say the book wasn’t hugely memorable. I can remember just about who the characters were, but I can’t remember their personalities very much. They seemed to be made up of these secrets and not a lot more.
However, I did like reading this one. It was a diverting way to spend a few hours and definitely one I’d recommend as a new voice in fantasy. I just never really loved it.
April 18, 2022
"The Collarbound" is set in a magical world where the high mages of the Nest rule over the lesser in the world, specifically those without magic like the "brutish" Khers. Apprentice Isha meets slave and collarbound Tatters as they navigate the world deciding where to side in the upcoming rebellion. Author Rebecca Zahabi creates an imaginative and innovative world where she navigates conversations about race and power.
Although the idea is strong, the execution is lacking. Zahabi starts with strong depictions of the various social groups in the novel, however the majority of the characters lack personality or character development, including Isha who lacks motivation or self-authority thus making it difficult to connect with her, or have any sort of opinion about her. Additionally, although the prose was beautifully written, the details provided did not add to the plot, characters or the world, making it difficult to find value in the details or create any interest in the story. Finally, the story lacked a sense of flow or transitions resulting in it feeling like discordant scenes of action with no continuity or overall intention. The result was that this 400+ page novel felt stuck in exposition without a discernible climax. I believe if this had been appropriately edited down and combined with the content of the 2nd volume, it would create one full complete novel.
I received this as an electronic advance review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Although the idea is strong, the execution is lacking. Zahabi starts with strong depictions of the various social groups in the novel, however the majority of the characters lack personality or character development, including Isha who lacks motivation or self-authority thus making it difficult to connect with her, or have any sort of opinion about her. Additionally, although the prose was beautifully written, the details provided did not add to the plot, characters or the world, making it difficult to find value in the details or create any interest in the story. Finally, the story lacked a sense of flow or transitions resulting in it feeling like discordant scenes of action with no continuity or overall intention. The result was that this 400+ page novel felt stuck in exposition without a discernible climax. I believe if this had been appropriately edited down and combined with the content of the 2nd volume, it would create one full complete novel.
I received this as an electronic advance review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
May 29, 2024
(4.5/5) I'm so so SO happy to have went into this book without knowing anything! I really had a great time with this! A definite fantasy must-read.
The concept, the magic system, the worldbuilding, I LOVEEEE!!! As a huge fan of fantasy, I found the magic system of this book new and intriguing and I was invested!
I felt that the pace and introduction of the world was done very well, and we progressively get introduced to the relationship between the humans and khers without it feeling overwhelming at any point. Personally, I felt that the main character, Tatters, gives off very humane vibes and I was rooting for him throughout the book!
I'm definitely curious about book two and am looking forward to getting to it soon!
The concept, the magic system, the worldbuilding, I LOVEEEE!!! As a huge fan of fantasy, I found the magic system of this book new and intriguing and I was invested!
I felt that the pace and introduction of the world was done very well, and we progressively get introduced to the relationship between the humans and khers without it feeling overwhelming at any point. Personally, I felt that the main character, Tatters, gives off very humane vibes and I was rooting for him throughout the book!
I'm definitely curious about book two and am looking forward to getting to it soon!
May 16, 2022
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
CWs: racism, slavery
I have pretty mixed feelings about this book, because there were some really interesting aspects to the world, but the plot itself is pretty standard. We follow two main characters; Isha is a student who has just enrolled in the Nest, which is sort of an academy to learn magic. She has a tattoo on her face that would suggest some relation to the Kher, a non-human race that has horns growing out of their skulls, and who face a lot of prejudice from humans. The other character is Tatters, a collarbound, who spends most of his time in a tavern, gaining coin from Nest students who try to learn magic from him.
Both characters are pretty mysterious, and the book takes its time fully unravelling everything we don't know about them. We still don't know everything by the end, but we get enough of the pieces to paint a fairly complete picture. I predicted the reveals about Isha before I was 50% in, so for me Tatters was the more interesting character. I didn't really connect with Isha in general; she made decisions and revealed information that made me seriously question her intelligence. I wanted her to be more clever and more cunning. We're certainly told that she's smart and a quick learner, which holds up when it comes to her studying magic, but not so much when it comes to strategy, which is unfortunate. There's a part towards the end of the book where she has the chance to seize a massive amount of power (which would've been a fascinating twist), and instead of taking a shot at it, she makes the docile and obedient choice, neither of which she was throughout the rest of the story.
My favourite part of this book were the Kher. Not necessarily the Kher characters, but the idea of them, and how humans abuse them. The horns growing out of their skulls are their cause of death, since they loop back towards their heads and eventually end up piercing them. There are also fascinating and gruesome rituals surrounding their deaths, and I loved exploring this aspect of the world.
The other cool thing was the magic system, which all has to do with telepathy and mind control. This means that any magical fights between two magic users don't play out with both parties casting damage-dealing spells towards each other, but by them trying to inflict psychological damage, by using the others' fears to create mental illusions within their minds. I liked the idea of brains over brawn as a magic system. It'll be interesting to see this developed further, since the potential for abuse is really high, and we definitely see hints of that already.
CWs: racism, slavery
I have pretty mixed feelings about this book, because there were some really interesting aspects to the world, but the plot itself is pretty standard. We follow two main characters; Isha is a student who has just enrolled in the Nest, which is sort of an academy to learn magic. She has a tattoo on her face that would suggest some relation to the Kher, a non-human race that has horns growing out of their skulls, and who face a lot of prejudice from humans. The other character is Tatters, a collarbound, who spends most of his time in a tavern, gaining coin from Nest students who try to learn magic from him.
Both characters are pretty mysterious, and the book takes its time fully unravelling everything we don't know about them. We still don't know everything by the end, but we get enough of the pieces to paint a fairly complete picture. I predicted the reveals about Isha before I was 50% in, so for me Tatters was the more interesting character. I didn't really connect with Isha in general; she made decisions and revealed information that made me seriously question her intelligence. I wanted her to be more clever and more cunning. We're certainly told that she's smart and a quick learner, which holds up when it comes to her studying magic, but not so much when it comes to strategy, which is unfortunate. There's a part towards the end of the book where she has the chance to seize a massive amount of power (which would've been a fascinating twist), and instead of taking a shot at it, she makes the docile and obedient choice, neither of which she was throughout the rest of the story.
My favourite part of this book were the Kher. Not necessarily the Kher characters, but the idea of them, and how humans abuse them. The horns growing out of their skulls are their cause of death, since they loop back towards their heads and eventually end up piercing them. There are also fascinating and gruesome rituals surrounding their deaths, and I loved exploring this aspect of the world.
The other cool thing was the magic system, which all has to do with telepathy and mind control. This means that any magical fights between two magic users don't play out with both parties casting damage-dealing spells towards each other, but by them trying to inflict psychological damage, by using the others' fears to create mental illusions within their minds. I liked the idea of brains over brawn as a magic system. It'll be interesting to see this developed further, since the potential for abuse is really high, and we definitely see hints of that already.
April 30, 2023
4.5☆.
I loved the start to this series!! You get thrown into this world with magic users. While knowing very little about the worldbuilding and its system. From the start I kept curious and everything felt mysterious, I constantly wanted to pick the book back up. There is no info dumping, you slowly get snippets of the world and how the magic works. I wish there was a map, and hopefully a glossary will be added in the next book. It ended with quite a subtle cliffhanger.
.
We follow two perspectives. Tatters an older collarbound mage and Isha a refugee who joins the mages school to learn to wield magic. Isha stands out because of her Kher tattoo on her face and Tatters by his golden collar around his neck. While Isha has lost her memory and is looking for answers she meets Tatters who fights students for money illegally. She sees an opportunity to train. Tatters on the other hand is intrigued by the tattoo, it looks familiar. Both growing an interest in eachother.
.
The story circles around politics and power based on someones magical abilities. There is people without magical abilities and the Kher people ( they have horns and are different to humans). They are the lowest in this society. And there is a rebellion brewing fighting for equality. There is a lot interesting to this world, and it is fun finding out about it by reading! I can't wait for book two. It's quite a short read and you get invested quickly with a nice compelling pace.
I loved the start to this series!! You get thrown into this world with magic users. While knowing very little about the worldbuilding and its system. From the start I kept curious and everything felt mysterious, I constantly wanted to pick the book back up. There is no info dumping, you slowly get snippets of the world and how the magic works. I wish there was a map, and hopefully a glossary will be added in the next book. It ended with quite a subtle cliffhanger.
.
We follow two perspectives. Tatters an older collarbound mage and Isha a refugee who joins the mages school to learn to wield magic. Isha stands out because of her Kher tattoo on her face and Tatters by his golden collar around his neck. While Isha has lost her memory and is looking for answers she meets Tatters who fights students for money illegally. She sees an opportunity to train. Tatters on the other hand is intrigued by the tattoo, it looks familiar. Both growing an interest in eachother.
.
The story circles around politics and power based on someones magical abilities. There is people without magical abilities and the Kher people ( they have horns and are different to humans). They are the lowest in this society. And there is a rebellion brewing fighting for equality. There is a lot interesting to this world, and it is fun finding out about it by reading! I can't wait for book two. It's quite a short read and you get invested quickly with a nice compelling pace.
May 14, 2024
Umm so... this was bad. For my tastes, this was just laughably bad.
I've listened to the whole thing and have no idea what happened or why I was supposed to care. The reveal meant nothing to me, I had no connection to the characters, the magic system was fairly boring, and it was riddled with the theme/trope I hate most of being treated differently because one is dark skinned.
I just cannot with this. If not for what was obviously good research and an attempt to build a cohesive world it would have been a 1 star. I’ve given it a 2 here but on Storygraph it will definitely get a 1.5.
I received this book from Goldsboro a few years ago and kept it on the shelf as the cover and blurb looked great. I was ready to be invested in some epic fantasy from a female author and thought this might be something good in that vein. This was not to be the case and I just felt really disappointed and unsatisfied for every second of it.
In this world divided by some dark rift, there is a school of mages who know how to fight each other mentally called mind linking. There are novices who want to be like the revered mages but one such novice is called Isha and she has a big ‘ole tattoo on her face that sets her a part as an ‘Other’ that of course nobody likes and treats like shit. There are horned creatures and other such beings who are also treated as second class citizens for no other reason it seems then to just have people to disrespect.
Alongside Isha is some random dude called Tatters – what a shit name) who is [a] Collarbound? Not really sure of the terminology but it means, hey, you guessed it, he’s a slave. But get this friends, he’s a runaway slave hiding out from his masters with a some kind of mental bestie who constantly talks into his head. They tried to make this slave element a little less offensive by making him white but then hey, we’re not down for slavery whatever race so why is this even here. Why is he collarbound? Who is he running from? Why has no one returned him to his master if this collar is so noticeable? Why is this grown man chilling with kids in a tavern? Don’t you have any friends dude?
The whole thing is just a mess of forced mystery and murky details that was just so incredibly boring all the way through. The audio was only six or so hours on 1.7x and that still wasn’t fast enough. I really wanted to find something different for once but this wasn’t it. I can respect lyrical prose as much as anyone but I need my books to, I dunno, have a point maybe?
I've listened to the whole thing and have no idea what happened or why I was supposed to care. The reveal meant nothing to me, I had no connection to the characters, the magic system was fairly boring, and it was riddled with the theme/trope I hate most of being treated differently because one is dark skinned.
I just cannot with this. If not for what was obviously good research and an attempt to build a cohesive world it would have been a 1 star. I’ve given it a 2 here but on Storygraph it will definitely get a 1.5.
I received this book from Goldsboro a few years ago and kept it on the shelf as the cover and blurb looked great. I was ready to be invested in some epic fantasy from a female author and thought this might be something good in that vein. This was not to be the case and I just felt really disappointed and unsatisfied for every second of it.
In this world divided by some dark rift, there is a school of mages who know how to fight each other mentally called mind linking. There are novices who want to be like the revered mages but one such novice is called Isha and she has a big ‘ole tattoo on her face that sets her a part as an ‘Other’ that of course nobody likes and treats like shit. There are horned creatures and other such beings who are also treated as second class citizens for no other reason it seems then to just have people to disrespect.
Alongside Isha is some random dude called Tatters – what a shit name) who is [a] Collarbound? Not really sure of the terminology but it means, hey, you guessed it, he’s a slave. But get this friends, he’s a runaway slave hiding out from his masters with a some kind of mental bestie who constantly talks into his head. They tried to make this slave element a little less offensive by making him white but then hey, we’re not down for slavery whatever race so why is this even here. Why is he collarbound? Who is he running from? Why has no one returned him to his master if this collar is so noticeable? Why is this grown man chilling with kids in a tavern? Don’t you have any friends dude?
The whole thing is just a mess of forced mystery and murky details that was just so incredibly boring all the way through. The audio was only six or so hours on 1.7x and that still wasn’t fast enough. I really wanted to find something different for once but this wasn’t it. I can respect lyrical prose as much as anyone but I need my books to, I dunno, have a point maybe?
April 26, 2022
Thank you Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the e-arc of Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
The Collarbound is one of those books that lays the foundations for the books in the series to come. Rebecca Zahabi crafts a masterpiece of incredibly detailed, and fantastic world building, so much so that it’s possible to see the gigantic Nest atop the edge of this world and feel the wind as it blows amidst the cliff tops. The Nest sits on one side of a world divided, ruled by Mages who oversee and dominate the magically ungifted and Kher.
This is a world of magic entwined with a whole religion, with division between believers and non believers, and magic as the political strength that determines status, achievement and opportunity. And this is just the top of this world, there is so much more…and of course I’m hoping for a most beautiful map in the finished edition.
Amidst this world we meet Tatters, a lot of his origin story is, as yet unknown. He has been Collarbound by a magical gold collar, that enslaved him to his master, from whom he has escaped. Tatters is in his own words unreliable and carries many secrets, some of which he shares, including Lal and their amazing relationship, but many more are there waiting to be discovered.
Isha is a mage apprentice, newly arrived to the Nest and it us through her perspective we learn about the innermost workings of the Nest. However, like Tatters Isha carries her own secrets and hidden past, in memories that have been hidden from her…will these memories come to the surface? Will she discover more about the tattoo, similar to the tattoos worn by the Kher, that marks her face?
I suspect that this book will be divisive, as there are overall no events of great significance in the first 2/3 of the book. The pace feels quite slow and measured as the foundations of the world building, the socio and political landscapes are laid. It is only towards the end that events pick up and you get that feeling in your gut that you’re heading towards a cliffhanger, which definitely left me demanding book 2,The Eyas NOW!
I really enjoyed the complexity of the world building, the development of relationships, the examination of the politics in this book and I look forward to reading the next layer in what I hope will be an epic fantasy to remember.
The Collarbound is one of those books that lays the foundations for the books in the series to come. Rebecca Zahabi crafts a masterpiece of incredibly detailed, and fantastic world building, so much so that it’s possible to see the gigantic Nest atop the edge of this world and feel the wind as it blows amidst the cliff tops. The Nest sits on one side of a world divided, ruled by Mages who oversee and dominate the magically ungifted and Kher.
This is a world of magic entwined with a whole religion, with division between believers and non believers, and magic as the political strength that determines status, achievement and opportunity. And this is just the top of this world, there is so much more…and of course I’m hoping for a most beautiful map in the finished edition.
Amidst this world we meet Tatters, a lot of his origin story is, as yet unknown. He has been Collarbound by a magical gold collar, that enslaved him to his master, from whom he has escaped. Tatters is in his own words unreliable and carries many secrets, some of which he shares, including Lal and their amazing relationship, but many more are there waiting to be discovered.
Isha is a mage apprentice, newly arrived to the Nest and it us through her perspective we learn about the innermost workings of the Nest. However, like Tatters Isha carries her own secrets and hidden past, in memories that have been hidden from her…will these memories come to the surface? Will she discover more about the tattoo, similar to the tattoos worn by the Kher, that marks her face?
I suspect that this book will be divisive, as there are overall no events of great significance in the first 2/3 of the book. The pace feels quite slow and measured as the foundations of the world building, the socio and political landscapes are laid. It is only towards the end that events pick up and you get that feeling in your gut that you’re heading towards a cliffhanger, which definitely left me demanding book 2,The Eyas NOW!
I really enjoyed the complexity of the world building, the development of relationships, the examination of the politics in this book and I look forward to reading the next layer in what I hope will be an epic fantasy to remember.
August 16, 2022
I found myself incredibly intrigued by this book, the first book I have read from my Goldsboro SFF subscription. I also found the juxtaposition of reading this book directly after Fireborne, a bit confusing. One of my problems with Fireborne is the fact that Rosaria Munda drops the reader into the story with little to no backstory/world-building that helps the reader connect with the characters. Rebecca Zahabi does a similar thing in this book. She packs a lot into such a short novel without info-dumping yet manages to create a real, visual world, easy to see. I have no idea what she did differently to Munda but I absolutely loved this book. The plot moves slowly, methodically, something I would have imagined difficult to achieve in such a short book; I loved it.
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