About This Book:
Choose your guardian. Choose your destiny. From the #1 bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series comes an epic new fantasy set in a world where every child bonds with a spiritual guide—some promising greatness and glory, while others, destruction and death.
Every Anoran child dreams of the day they will enter the sacred bonding hut and match with a guardian—a spiritual guide who grants magically enhanced abilities. A lucky few will bond with Advocates, who promise greatness and glory. Others will be tempted by forbidden offers from the Accursed—dangerous spirits who bring nothing but destruction and a penalty of death to any Anoran who chooses them. But when Mako discovers that the worst of these agents of chaos has returned to spread an ancient evil through the empire, he faces an unthinkable choice: Will he bond with one of the Accursed to gain the power to stop another?
Halfway across the empire, Arden has no guardian and no prospects of adventure…until she infiltrates an underground criminal network to find her missing friend. Relying on her knack for sensing the truth through even the smoothest lies, Arden finds herself at the center of a sinister conspiracy that runs much deeper than she ever imagined.
Soon Mako’s and Arden’s fates collide, and together they must face bandit armies, dark secrets, and untold dangers to fight an enemy who could destroy all they’ve ever known.
*Review Contributed By Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
Evil is rising again
What worked:
The opening prologue introduces the most malevolent, feared antagonist in the book. The Matriarch traps a man who claims to have successfully transported an infant to safety. The Matriarch says his actions have been manipulated and then ruthlessly slays him. The story leaps ahead in time, leaving readers to wonder when The Matriarch will reappear. Characters with special aptitudes bond with spirits, guardians that augment those abilities. Advocates are special guardians with even greater power, while the Accused are evil spirits. All Anorans take an oath that they won’t bond with an Accursed, and violating this oath is punishable by death. Mako is one of the main characters, and he predictably, though not without an internal struggle, chooses to bond with one.
Mako is the infant mentioned above. He wants to become a warrior, but his talent is in musical tones; his ability with a sling is uncanny, too. However, music and slings aren’t the skills of a warrior, so Mako’s prospects for becoming a warrior apprentice are slim. In contrast, his brother has superior fighting skills and beats all challengers during their sparring matches. There is no animosity between the brothers, but the divergence of their destinies is clear. Mako is obsessed with becoming a warrior, which clouds his judgment. He has three guaranteed opportunities to bond with a spirit, but declining those chances does not guarantee a fourth choice. A smooth-tongued Accursed named Narrix and Mako’s desperation will lead to an ill-advised alliance. Readers will foresee the potential for conflict, confrontation, and tragedy.
Arden is the other main character, and she’s desperate to locate a friend who’s joined a street gang. Arden is so worried that she joins the Cat’s Paw gang, too. However, Arden can sense if others are being honest, and the gang’s leaders want to exploit her ability. She discovers the criminal enterprise is more widespread than she thinks, and there’s more danger than she expects. Arden is forced to make a hard decision; does she stay until she finds her friend, or does she leave before she’s asked to kill someone? The criminals are very protective of their secrets, so getting away from them will be the greatest risk she’s ever faced; the risk continues throughout the book.
What didn’t work as well:
The Amazon listing indicates this book is for ages 8 and older, but it’s more appropriate for upper middle-grade readers. Abstract thought is required, and the story is full of intrigue, conspiracy, and deceit. The book employs alternating chapters to follow Mako and Arden, which forces readers to remember details from one story after switching to the other. It can be frustrating when more significant things start to happen in the separate plots. The two stories eventually merge, which makes it much easier to follow.
The final verdict:
The dual plots become page-turners, but for different reasons. Arden’s suspense comes from the treacherous situation she’s gotten herself into, but her role expands beyond what she imagines. Mako’s Accursed elevates his talents, but it creates new levels of questions. Mako’s guilt and internal struggles are always on his mind. I highly recommend upper middle-grade readers give this book a chance.
