Starborn

by Lucy Hounsom

Overview

Kyndra's fate holds betrayal and salvation, but the journey starts in her small village. On the day she comes of age, she accidentally disrupts an ancient ceremony, ending centuries of tradition. So when an unnatural storm targets her superstitious community, Kyndra is blamed. She fears for her life until two strangers save her, by wielding powers not seen for an age—powers fuelled by the sun and the moon. Together, they flee to the hidden citadel of Naris. And here, Kyndra experiences disturbing visions of the past, showing war and one man's terrifying response. She'll learn more in the city's subterranean chambers, amongst fanatics and rebels. But first Kyndra will be brutally tested in a bid to unlock her own magic. If she survives the ordeal, she'll discover a force greater than she could ever have imagined. But could it create as well as destroy? And can she control it, to right an ancient wrong?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509841684
Publisher:	Pan Macmillan
Publication date:	01/01/2018
Series:	The Worldmaker Trilogy , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	512
Sales rank:	441,081
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Lucy Hounsom works for Waterstones, the biggest bookstore chain in Britain.

Editorial Reviews

"Evocative, original worldbuilding and a wonderfully feisty heroine: top marks to Lucy Hounsom." —Karen Miller, author, The Innocent Mage


"Hounsom's world-building and her 'cosmosethic' magic system have enjoyable charm." —Booklist

From the Publisher

09/12/2016
Hounsom’s debut has an interesting fantasy-world setting but a weak story. On the day of her inheritance ceremony, Kyndra Vale and her fellow adolescents are to receive their true names and callings. Tragedy strikes, disrupting the ceremony and drawing destruction down on the village. Kyndra is launched on an adventure to save her world, or rather, she is swept along in a series of events and coincidences. The themes of a closed system and predestination place harsh limitations on the character’s choices. Instead of making decisions, Kyndra gripes her way through a journey in which her role is to be present and do as she is told by authority figures (most of whom are male). The narrative lacks tension or mystery, and the conclusion is predicable and unsatisfying due to the low stakes and the absence of an interesting character to root for. Agent: Veronica Baxter, David Highams (U.K.). (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly