Reign of the Fallen

October 30, 2017
Marsh (Fear the Drowning Deep) takes readers on a journey through a grim world where magic is commonplace, the dead are regularly resurrected, and change
has been outlawed by an undead king. Necromancers such as Odessa are beloved for their ability to reunite the living with dead loved ones, but the emergence of a powerful Shade—one of the undead turned feral and bloodthirsty—changes that. As more Shades manifest, necromancers are blamed, and it’s up to Odessa to determine who is responsible. However, she is incapacitated by grief over the recent death of Evander, her love and fellow necromancer, as well as an addiction to a calming tonic that those close to her don’t fully address until a virtual stranger intervenes. Between Odessa’s rapid attraction to a female childhood friend who resurfaces and the murky reasons for change being outlawed, the pieces of Marsh’s story don’t entirely come together. But with a sexually fluid society, an intriguing land in which the living and the dead coexist, and an underworld reminiscent of Greek myths, Marsh’s world is one readers will enjoy exploring. Ages 12–up. Agent: Christa Heschke, McIntosh & Otis.

November 15, 2017
A necromancer must overcome grief and protect the kingdom of Karthia from monstrous Shades.Brown-skinned Odessa of Grenwyr travels to the Deadlands to retrieve spirits of the recently deceased and raise them. These spirits become Dead--ordinary members of society but for the protective shrouds they wear. Any Dead glimpsed even in part by the living become predatory creatures called Shades. When a Shade kills a master necromancer, Odessa and four others--including her boyfriend, ivory-skinned Evander--enter the Deadlands to avenge him. Instead, the Shade kills Evander. The previously rollicking pace of the first-person, present-tense narration stagnates as Odessa turns to mind-numbing potions to cope with her grief, picking up steam again only many chapters later. Odessa and her fellow necromancers must discover who is behind the sudden disappearance of Dead royalty and an influx of new Shades. She is bolstered by Evander's sister, Meredy, for whom she develops romantic feelings. Beyond the uneven pacing, other details interrupt the otherwise smooth flow of the story. For a trained necromancer, Odessa has little strategy when it comes to fighting Shades--many of her successes feel lucky or inevitable--and most of the action scenes are disappointingly brief and undetailed.Readers who can overlook the hiccups will be rewarded by an intriguing world, a dynamic cast of characters, and a well-handled exploration of grief in a fantasy setting. (Fantasy. 13-adult)

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December 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-In the land of Karthia, the dead rarely stay dead, thanks to the highly respected and talented necromancers who are responsible for bringing them back to life. But there are drawbacks. Though the reanimated dead are completely lucid and capable of interacting with the living, they must remain totally shrouded. If any part of their skin is exposed, they immediately turn into mindless shades who will attack anyone in their way. After many years of successful reanimations, the necromancers are dismayed to discover that the incidences of attacks by shades is on the rise and it appears to be intentional. Someone may be deliberately destabilizing Karthia's government by forcibly exposing the reanimated aristocracy. Odessa, a master necromancer, becomes the focal point of the shades' attacks after the murder of her beloved partner, Evander. Accompanied by his sister Meredy, Odessa ventures into the deadlands in an attempt to uncover the truth behind the shades and save the kingdom. This is a well-done fantasy that will appeal to adults as well as its intended teen audience. The relationship that slowly develops between Odessa and Meredy is completely realistic. Inspired by her grandmother's hospitalization and the myth of Orpheus, Marsh has created a compelling novel of death, life, and letting go. VERDICT A strong choice for all YA fantasy shelves.-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

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