Starred review from July 7, 2014
Across the realms of the Dhai and beyond, people’s lives are ruled by the changing stars; those whose star is ascendant gain grand powers and prosper, while those whose stars are in decline are consigned to more humble roles. When the star Oma returns to the sky after two millennia, it brings calamity, death, and the fall of civilizations. As baleful Oma rises, raiders search for forgotten knowledge, assassins strike down rulers, and entire cultures are coldly targeted for genocide in the name of realpolitik. Young Lilia, orphan of a slain blood witch, makes the disquieting discovery that the attackers and victims are reflections of each other, seen through a glass darkly. Hurley (Rapture) reuses old tropes to excellent effect, interweaving them with original elements to create a world that will fascinate and delight her established fans and appeal to newcomers. Readers will blaze through this opening installment and eagerly await the promised sequel.
Starred review from August 1, 2014
It begins with young Lilia, who grew up under one sky and was forced through a rip in the world to a place with a different sky: a mirror universe. Her mother sent her there as soldiers overran their village, and for years Lilia lived a hidden life as a scullery maid in an unfamiliar realm. She and others like her are now being sought because of their ability to call on the power of Oma, a star that has not been seen for 2,000 years. The blood of thousands of the dead will be used to bridge the worlds and allow invaders to cross over. VERDICT This is a hugely ambitious work, bloody and violent, with interestingly gender-flipped politics and a host of factions to keep straight, as points of view switch often. Although it is a challenging read, the strong narrative thread in this new series from Hurley (God's War) pulls readers through the imaginative tangle of multiple worlds and histories colliding.
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