Synopsis
Nearly a decade under the empire’s grip has left Burunt a troubled land.
Kyndel Heim knows the truth behind the Viceroy’s rise to power. After years of torture, his only goal is vengeance, but to master his powers he needs a mentor, one that won’t kill him first.
Major Jelert Egarro came to Burunt to build something better. Instead, his talents have become weapons in the wrong hands-and those hands are everywhere. He must choose between his ideals or survival.
Lady Amara Khar must renew her family’s legacy. Sharp and ruthless, she’s kept her house alive through smuggling and shadow deals, but reclaiming power means making allies as dangerous as her enemies.
In the struggle for power, justice, and survival, each of them must decide who they’re willing to become.
Quick Thoughts
Modern fantasy is filled with stories that defy genre norms and do new and interesting things with the medium. Crownfall by Michael Vadney is a tale in this vein, the kind of spin on classic fantasy that has just enough elements to feel familiar for genre faithful while also innovating enough to be something new and compelling. The story blends well-worn tropes like a scheming dark lord and a revenge driven young protagonist with more unique elements like a pacifist magical engineer and a young woman sidled with caring for her family’s legacy and her aging, sick mother. When paired with the magi-tech that feels almost as sci-fi as it does fantasy and a setting characterized by colonialism, you are presented with something truly original.
Alongside it’s very intriguing premise, Crownfall’s story is well paced, tightly plotted, and uses all its character POV’s to deliver an extremely efficient story that offers a glimpse into what feels like a much bigger universe. While this, at times, can leave the reader with unanswered questions and under explored avenues, it reads like something written by a seasoned author, rather than a fresh debut. The action moves quickly, telling an emotional, hope-filled story which leaves the reader feeling deeply satisfied, while also creating more than enough potential for a series or further installments in this world. A perfect pick up for fans those looking for a book with vibes similar to Netflix’s Arcane or Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn.
Full Review
If I had to pick one word to describe the kind of fantasy Crownfall is, it would be modern. The setting, character work, magic system, and style make that all but unavoidable. But if I had to pick a second, I would pick efficient. It is one of those books that feels like it was made to be adapted into a film, and I mean that in the best possible way. It takes a world with layered magic systems, complex politics, and an interesting history and conveys all of them through a tightly focused story in a single location. The characters all have well paced, tidy arcs that culminate in a Brandon Sanderson style conclusion where everything comes to a head in one epic conflict. It is a confident, compelling, and extremely competently told story which could have easily been churned out by an author with ten years of experience in publishing, making the fact that it is a debut all the more impressive.
It is from that efficiency that Crownfall’s strongest points can be conveyed. The writing is technically superb and consistently clear, while the world feels like it has depth without ever becoming mired in it. In fact, the story conveys a complex history and political background through snippets of lore and bits of conversation that are easily digestible and readily understood without ever feeling overwhelming. It seems like Vadney could write a whole series of stories in this same universe, visiting locales and characters that are only ever giving a passing mention in this book, diving deeper into this magic system and the implications of the events of our main story line.
I for one certainly hope there are more entries in this universe, because despite the positives, there is a price to be paid for extremely high efficiency storytelling like this. There are questions set up that don’t get resolved in this story. Questions about the magic system and the world and the history of the overarching conflict. Moreover, there are lingering questions about what will happen with the central characters and the consequences of their actions. While not every question in every book needs an answer, certain readers might be left feeling wanting. If this turns out to be the first in a series, those points might be totally moot. But as it stands, this standalone offers a snapshot of a world that some readers might rather be fully immersed in.
However, none of this is detracts from what Vadney is able to accomplish with Crownfall. His story delivers a strong central story with a compelling cast of characters, as well as build a world and magic system that feels fun, unique, and interesting. The central narrative moves well, builds to a strong conclusion, and sets up some very intriguing things in future installments. For readers who are looking for a new fantasy with pacing like a great movie, especially if you’re a fan of magi-tech driven worlds or a sucker for hopeful stories of revolution and underdogs, this a surefire winner for you.
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