Raybearer
2020 • 14 pages
Ratings40
Average rating4.3
15
Ratings40
Average rating4.3
Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you've sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince's Council of 11. If she’s picked, she'll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won't stand by and become someone’s pawn--but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we're willing to go for the ones we love.
source: https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/raybearer_9781683357193/
Series
2 primary booksRaybearer is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Jordan Ifueko. The next book is scheduled for release on 8/13/2024.
Reviews with the most likes.
Rich, powerful emotions, detailed characters and descriptions, and a powerful journey & struggle with oneself. I love the innate queerness and closeness of the Council system, I love our main characters, I love all of the small details about the world and cultures and people. The details about hair are such a joy to read. I wanted to pick up the sequel immediately!
4.5 A fully realized world, complex characters, great writing, and even included a list of character name pronunciations and a glossary of in-world terms for readers. I appreciated the themes of toppling patriarchy and the freedom/power of finding your purpose and using your voice. Really great first book, will definitely be looking out for more from Ifueko. This book is fully contained, but I can definitely see her building this world out in sequels. The audio by Joniece Abbott-Pratt was very well down (she also killed it reading Grown). A strong recommend if you like fantasy that rises about clichés!
minor pacing issues and i want more of the anointed sibs (mayazatyl ctfu) BUT what a wonderful and rich world. so glad to see this is the first book in a series as it beautifully establishes this world, its unique magic, and complicated politics. can't wait for the rest of this series!!!!!!!
also, you're lying if you say you're not soft for sanjeet.
At the beginning of the book reveals were peppered in, constantly giving me answers to some of my questions while delivering more things for me to question. It think this really kept the energy high while reading and contributed to how quickly I devoured the book. Information was dropped along the way and without the necessary context I couldn???t solve the puzzle.
I particularly loved the ending. At this point a lot of the questions raised are answered and it feels like a arc of plot and characterisation has been completed. But Ifueko drops in just the hint of an opening for a sequel without needing to rely on a cliffhanger. It???s left me dying for more.
Monsters were nothing. The true terrors were people like me ??? the ones who saw suffering, who heard the screams of a hundred generations echoing for miles around them ??? and still did nothing.
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