Synopsis:
In the Sundered world, there are two options: ride the dawn, or face what rises in the night.
Twenty years ago, Lirien’s magic fractured the world and unleashed nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Amidst the carnage came salvation: the most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that will deliver those aboard into a new era.
The rest of humanity was left to die.
Instead, a king rose from the darkness to lead them.
In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider while secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrant who rules the rig with an iron fist. But just as Lirien is ready to strike against him, she is violently abducted by Vox―the king of the feralists.
The mercurial Vox gives her two choices: Fight the creatures that hunt the night or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks but embarks on a strategy of seduction that will return her to Dawnrider.
Yet as Vox pushes the limits of her magic, Lirien begins to question whether defying the dusk is the true path to salvation. Intoxicated by both Vox and his war against the night, Lirien must decide where her loyalties truly lie―and how far she’s willing to go for redemption.
Review:
Post-apocalyptic fantasy is back!
Humanity survives by endlessly outrunning nocturnal, flesh-eating monsters.
20 years after Lirien’s magic fractured the world and awakened the straxi, she plots to overthrow the cruel tyrant ruling her rig. However, she is kidnapped by the enemy: Vox—the king of the “feralists”.
Vox poses an ultimatum: help fight the monsters of the night, or be fed to them.
This was a lot of fun. It’s Mad Max with elements of The Handmaid’s Tale and, what felt like, Jurassic Park.
Lirien, like all of Jensen’s heroines, is stubborn, brave, and very powerful.
The love interest is older, a realist, and has the weight of the world on his shoulders – apt for someone trying to outplay Lirien, the literal Worldbreaker.
“For what it’s worth, I think she’s good for you, Vox. I didn’t think there was anyone alive who could match your intensity, but Lirien meets your bet, then raises the stakes even higher. You’ll probably get each other killed, but you’ll die happy.“
The weakest point of this book was the lacking descriptions. I pictured the straxi as dinosaurs and the rigs from those out of Mortal Engines. Who knows? There is very little description or details.
Secondly, this book was sooo long. Despite that, the pacing is good and the tension kept high, but it felt like a marathon to get through.
Finally, I have some very mixed feelings about relationship at the end. It felt like a lot of the relationship development went down the drain. Without spoilers, I was left very annoyed.
“On the top of a rig. In a burrow. Beneath a mountain.”
“Are we still talking about fighting straxi?”
Despite that, the tension, the fun world-building, and the epic stakes made this a very refreshing romantasy-esque read that would make a killer movie.
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