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Void Oath
Every four years, the dragons demand a maiden sacrifice.
But this time, the voluntary victim is male.
As a young man, Syrin has always been safe from the dragon’s violent whims. The terrifying monsters only steal girls and Syrin was lucky to be born male. But when the village’s chosen sacrifice is found dead and the role is forced on her transgender twin brother, Syrin refuses to let the injustice go. He takes his friend’s place on the sacrificial altar, dooming himself to death—or worse.
But the truth of the dragons’ abductions is more complicated than Syrin imagined. After narrowly avoiding death from his captors for being the wrong gender, he is given one chance to participate in their ritual.
And for the first time ever, it succeeds—but at a great cost. The dragons’ ritual has forced an evil upon Syrin against his will: the sin of magic.
But this time, the voluntary victim is male.
As a young man, Syrin has always been safe from the dragon’s violent whims. The terrifying monsters only steal girls and Syrin was lucky to be born male. But when the village’s chosen sacrifice is found dead and the role is forced on her transgender twin brother, Syrin refuses to let the injustice go. He takes his friend’s place on the sacrificial altar, dooming himself to death—or worse.
But the truth of the dragons’ abductions is more complicated than Syrin imagined. After narrowly avoiding death from his captors for being the wrong gender, he is given one chance to participate in their ritual.
And for the first time ever, it succeeds—but at a great cost. The dragons’ ritual has forced an evil upon Syrin against his will: the sin of magic.
358 pages, Paperback
Published February 25, 2021
50 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 21, 2021
No...just, no
So weird. MC didn't have his own personality. It started out strong with him saving his friend but it rapidly deteriorated.
SPOILERS
Being force-fed a raw rabbit? Disgusting. Not getting ill from it? False. Then the whole Goddess thing was so weird and cringey, and the MC suddenly went against everything he was raised to believe and knew to be true in a split second. It was completely ridiculous. I didn't read anymore after the red dragons showed up again. Do not recommend.
So weird. MC didn't have his own personality. It started out strong with him saving his friend but it rapidly deteriorated.
SPOILERS
Being force-fed a raw rabbit? Disgusting. Not getting ill from it? False. Then the whole Goddess thing was so weird and cringey, and the MC suddenly went against everything he was raised to believe and knew to be true in a split second. It was completely ridiculous. I didn't read anymore after the red dragons showed up again. Do not recommend.
August 6, 2021
Mediocre story with explosively excellent ending
Whoa! That ending alone was worth five stars!
It makes perfect sense, but I never expected it. And there’s no way that Grim knew, but what about Lacrimosa?
Now having said that, this book wasn’t perfect. Was the fact that Syrin was fed raw meat supposed to be anything other than just gross? And aren’t human digestive processes not able to handle raw meat in large quantities?
Why did Syrin seem to waffle between no personality and willing to die on the hill for any cause? Is Sol a budding serial killer? I mean, when he found the carcass, he was thinking about how it was such a rush to cut into it…that’s not healthy!
And finally, good on the author for having a strong, if crazy, trans character. But was that really believable? They come from a village of fewer than 200 people that is pretty much completely isolated from the rest of humanity. In the history of ever, has that ever resulted in a group that didn’t embrace religion, of some kind? And to add to the unreality, this oddly unsuperstitious community, isn’t fully accepting of a trans person, but doesn’t outright reject them either, until they run out of options to sacrifice? Kudos for the idea, but the execution just wasn’t believable.
Whoa! That ending alone was worth five stars!
It makes perfect sense, but I never expected it. And there’s no way that Grim knew, but what about Lacrimosa?
Now having said that, this book wasn’t perfect. Was the fact that Syrin was fed raw meat supposed to be anything other than just gross? And aren’t human digestive processes not able to handle raw meat in large quantities?
Why did Syrin seem to waffle between no personality and willing to die on the hill for any cause? Is Sol a budding serial killer? I mean, when he found the carcass, he was thinking about how it was such a rush to cut into it…that’s not healthy!
And finally, good on the author for having a strong, if crazy, trans character. But was that really believable? They come from a village of fewer than 200 people that is pretty much completely isolated from the rest of humanity. In the history of ever, has that ever resulted in a group that didn’t embrace religion, of some kind? And to add to the unreality, this oddly unsuperstitious community, isn’t fully accepting of a trans person, but doesn’t outright reject them either, until they run out of options to sacrifice? Kudos for the idea, but the execution just wasn’t believable.
September 5, 2021
The whole trans experience in this book really vibed with me as a trans person. This book has a bunch of Sapphic dragons, trans dragons, gay main character, trans main characters, and depicts their struggles, and the Author really knows how to represent those. I enjoyed the read greatly.
The interactions between the main characters seemed a bit irrational sometimes, but then again, the whole situation the characters are in was weird for them.
WELL, seriously, Syrin, - the fact that the main character was so ultra ignorant of that fact seemed off to me. The reveal was super satisfying and gave me goosebumps nevertheless, though.
The interactions between the main characters seemed a bit irrational sometimes, but then again, the whole situation the characters are in was weird for them.
WELL, seriously, Syrin, - the fact that the main character was so ultra ignorant of that fact seemed off to me. The reveal was super satisfying and gave me goosebumps nevertheless, though.
March 31, 2021
Add this book to the top of your reading list!
First time reader of Seth Sheffield, and I was mesmerized from the first word and chapter.
I can't wait to see how the next book is written, expanding on the artfully created characters and plot.
Why read this book? Find out for yourself.
First time reader of Seth Sheffield, and I was mesmerized from the first word and chapter.
I can't wait to see how the next book is written, expanding on the artfully created characters and plot.
Why read this book? Find out for yourself.
May 6, 2021
Awesome
Love this story but where's book 2? We need book 2 and maybe 3- feels unfinished somehow- please finish this story
Love this story but where's book 2? We need book 2 and maybe 3- feels unfinished somehow- please finish this story
August 6, 2021
Impressive
Start to finish the book keeps the reader guessing and wanting more. Characters are well thought out, executed bringing balance to a well written story.
Start to finish the book keeps the reader guessing and wanting more. Characters are well thought out, executed bringing balance to a well written story.
June 14, 2021
CW: severe transphobia (respected violence against, extreme misgendering, deadnaming), ?suicide, human sacrifice, graphic violence, pseudo slavery, eating raw meat, inexpert butchery, vomiting, bullying and childhood trauma, power dynamics.
Rep: gay main Character, trans main Character, side wlw
This is a really tough book to rate or review. This is a book about individual and community trauma, greater good Vs individual, saving yourself Vs allowing someone else to die in your place, the sacrifices we accept to survive and that makes most/all of the characters very traumatised and pretty unpleasant. Every time I paused or put down this book I seriously considered abandoning it.
Syrin is an idealist with very black and white morals - he’s a bit one dimensional but I kind of love him. I also love the dynamic he has with Varkha - another traumatised character struggling to survive but at least he gets more of a personality. Varkha is the only character I genuinely cared about and was interested in the history of and the main reason I kept reading.
I feel like Sol doesn’t really get his own personality beyond his rage and guilt. Discovering your entire village are so unaccepting of your gender that they plan to sacrifice you to dragons based purely on your afab status after your twin sister was killed by wolves (?possible suicide) trying to escape the same fate while the only person you’ve ever met who respects your gender takes your place at the last minute - is a very good justification to be completely traumatised but it doesn’t make him nice to read about.
It’s got a strong ending but it’s not a series I’d continue.
Rep: gay main Character, trans main Character, side wlw
This is a really tough book to rate or review. This is a book about individual and community trauma, greater good Vs individual, saving yourself Vs allowing someone else to die in your place, the sacrifices we accept to survive and that makes most/all of the characters very traumatised and pretty unpleasant. Every time I paused or put down this book I seriously considered abandoning it.
Syrin is an idealist with very black and white morals - he’s a bit one dimensional but I kind of love him. I also love the dynamic he has with Varkha - another traumatised character struggling to survive but at least he gets more of a personality. Varkha is the only character I genuinely cared about and was interested in the history of and the main reason I kept reading.
I feel like Sol doesn’t really get his own personality beyond his rage and guilt. Discovering your entire village are so unaccepting of your gender that they plan to sacrifice you to dragons based purely on your afab status after your twin sister was killed by wolves (?possible suicide) trying to escape the same fate while the only person you’ve ever met who respects your gender takes your place at the last minute - is a very good justification to be completely traumatised but it doesn’t make him nice to read about.
It’s got a strong ending but it’s not a series I’d continue.
July 12, 2021
Good Start to Series
This book was an entertaining read. I have to admit that I didn’t totally follow Sol’s development throughout the book. It didn’t seem totally believable with what I imagined Sol’s character to be like, but maybe with more time with Sol, I will understand his motivations better. It’s a good start to the series, and I’m interested in how the author will further characterize the main antagonist introduced at the very end
This book was an entertaining read. I have to admit that I didn’t totally follow Sol’s development throughout the book. It didn’t seem totally believable with what I imagined Sol’s character to be like, but maybe with more time with Sol, I will understand his motivations better. It’s a good start to the series, and I’m interested in how the author will further characterize the main antagonist introduced at the very end
April 14, 2021
DNF. Characters didnt feel like real people. Author also needs to learn how to use the perfect tense.
July 10, 2021
Such a waste of a good beginning.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews