The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King
I was able to get this book before its release date through Amazon First. This book comes out June 1, 2017.
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
"As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her."
Review
This was a wonderful, fresh YA fantasy, set in a world influenced by Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. I didn't quite know what to expect when I picked it up, but I really enjoyed it.
The setting has a whole history and mythology to it, which really gives it weight. The details of the world are built in to the plot so that it unfolds before you as you read. The author makes it a point at the beginning to state that it is not based on any specific culture. The gods in the book were inspired by ancient Sumerian deities, so I thought that was cool! There are monastery/orphanages but with a whole new spin to them. Also, it's a woman's duty to learn to fight, because one of the female gods decreed it. It wasn't shown as female having to do something male, but rather as something that is feminine to begin with.
The magic was elemental-based but unique in the way it was presented. You have bhutas, who start off as the "bad guys", which are people who are able to control one of these elements. As the story progresses you know more about how the magic works and the history behind it
Kalinda, the main character, was well-done. She's young and naive, though not annoyingly so. She is a tough fighter, though not as skilled at blade weaponry as others, but she's clever and finds other ways around the situation. She also avoids the "self-depricating but we're still told how amazing she is but never shown" cliché that I see so often. She's fiery (literally) and often asks one too many questions that get her in tricky situations. She has a big heart and wants to help those she loves.
Kalinda falls for her guard, Deven (he's literally the first man she's ever seen in her life). The insta-love was a little... eh (there's instant attraction and they just can't stay away from each other), but I did like them together as a couple. Deven is a good man who is trying to figure out his path in life and do the right thing. He's sweet and tender, though he knows how to fight and protect. He has some biases that he has to face and overcome and I thought that was done well. Even though she's the king's promised wife and both of them will die if they're caught, they're also not very cautious with their relationship. That annoyed me a bit, but I guess it was needed for the plot development.
The rajah was a well-done villain. We get background as to why he does the bad things he does, broken by grief and hunger for power, rather than just "he's a bad guy". And there's more than one "bad guy" in this story, and some blur the line.
There are other secondary characters, like Jaya, Natesa, and some of the guards, who also are fleshed-out and bring more to the story. Also, strong female friendships, and a big theme of sisterhood and working together.
The writing is beautiful, with lush descriptive scenes, and the plot was well-paced. There are a few storylines going that tie around each other, and there was a nice enough mix of each of them to keep the book interesting and moving. Subtle hints are dropped for various reveals at the end, and the story of this book wraps up nicely but still leaves the larger story open for the sequel.
And the best part is, the sequel is due out in September, so I don't have to wait a whole year to find out what happens! A third book is planned for February 2018.
Overall, a fun, fast-paced story set in a fresh, intriguing world, about a young woman fighting for love and her place in the world.
Rating
I give this book 4.5 stars.
Details
Genre: YA, Fantasy.
Language: None, or minimal.
Sex: Sex is referred to, but never explicit. No actual sex scenes.
Violence: Some violence, a little graphic.
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
"As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her."
Review
This was a wonderful, fresh YA fantasy, set in a world influenced by Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. I didn't quite know what to expect when I picked it up, but I really enjoyed it.
The setting has a whole history and mythology to it, which really gives it weight. The details of the world are built in to the plot so that it unfolds before you as you read. The author makes it a point at the beginning to state that it is not based on any specific culture. The gods in the book were inspired by ancient Sumerian deities, so I thought that was cool! There are monastery/orphanages but with a whole new spin to them. Also, it's a woman's duty to learn to fight, because one of the female gods decreed it. It wasn't shown as female having to do something male, but rather as something that is feminine to begin with.
The magic was elemental-based but unique in the way it was presented. You have bhutas, who start off as the "bad guys", which are people who are able to control one of these elements. As the story progresses you know more about how the magic works and the history behind it
Kalinda, the main character, was well-done. She's young and naive, though not annoyingly so. She is a tough fighter, though not as skilled at blade weaponry as others, but she's clever and finds other ways around the situation. She also avoids the "self-depricating but we're still told how amazing she is but never shown" cliché that I see so often. She's fiery (literally) and often asks one too many questions that get her in tricky situations. She has a big heart and wants to help those she loves.
Kalinda falls for her guard, Deven (he's literally the first man she's ever seen in her life). The insta-love was a little... eh (there's instant attraction and they just can't stay away from each other), but I did like them together as a couple. Deven is a good man who is trying to figure out his path in life and do the right thing. He's sweet and tender, though he knows how to fight and protect. He has some biases that he has to face and overcome and I thought that was done well. Even though she's the king's promised wife and both of them will die if they're caught, they're also not very cautious with their relationship. That annoyed me a bit, but I guess it was needed for the plot development.
The rajah was a well-done villain. We get background as to why he does the bad things he does, broken by grief and hunger for power, rather than just "he's a bad guy". And there's more than one "bad guy" in this story, and some blur the line.
There are other secondary characters, like Jaya, Natesa, and some of the guards, who also are fleshed-out and bring more to the story. Also, strong female friendships, and a big theme of sisterhood and working together.
The writing is beautiful, with lush descriptive scenes, and the plot was well-paced. There are a few storylines going that tie around each other, and there was a nice enough mix of each of them to keep the book interesting and moving. Subtle hints are dropped for various reveals at the end, and the story of this book wraps up nicely but still leaves the larger story open for the sequel.
And the best part is, the sequel is due out in September, so I don't have to wait a whole year to find out what happens! A third book is planned for February 2018.
Overall, a fun, fast-paced story set in a fresh, intriguing world, about a young woman fighting for love and her place in the world.
Rating
I give this book 4.5 stars.
Details
Genre: YA, Fantasy.
Language: None, or minimal.
Sex: Sex is referred to, but never explicit. No actual sex scenes.
Violence: Some violence, a little graphic.
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