#Review - The Archer at Dawn by Swati Teerdhala #YA #Fantasy

Series: Tiger at Midnight # 2
Format: Hardcover, 464 pages
Release Date: May 26, 2020
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

Dangerous romances and royal intrigue pulse through the second book of Swati Teerdhala’s South Indian–inspired teen fantasy trilogy, as rebels infiltrate the royal court to rescue a long-lost princess hidden away by a tyrannical king.

The Sun Mela is many things: a call for peace, a cause for celebration, and, above all, a deadly competition. For Kunal and Esha, finally working together as rebel spies, it provides the perfect guise to infiltrate King Vardaan’s vicious court.

Kunal will return to his role as dedicated Senap soldier, at the Sun Mela to provide extra security for the palace during the peace summit for the divided nations of Jansa and Dharka. Meanwhile, Esha will use her new role as adviser to Prince Harun to keep a pulse on shifting political parties and seek out allies for their rebel cause. A radical plan is underfoot to rescue Jansa’s long-lost Princess Reha—the key to the stolen throne.

But amid the Mela games and glittering festivities, much more dangerous forces lie in wait. With the rebel Blades’ entry into Vardaan’s court, a match has been lit, and long-held secrets will force Kunal and Esha to reconsider their loyalties—to their country and to each other. Getting into the palace was the easy task; coming out together will be a battle for their lives.

The Archer at Dawn is the second installment in author Swati Teerdhala's The Tiger at Midnight trilogy drawing inspiration from ancient Indian history and Hindu mythology. The story takes place in the lands of Jansa and Dharka, two lands bound together by magic that descended from twins Naria and Narian. The land requires a blood ritual from their bloodline, but thanks to a coup by the pretender King, Dharka is suffering. A Princess who might be able to save the land, is missing. 

As the janma bond unravels, increasing natural disasters are happening more frequently. While one land, Dharka, seems to have survived and thrived, Jansa is in the middle of dark days. The story alternates between Esha and Kunal. Esha is a legend, but no one knows who she is except for her best friend Prince Harun. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup.

Esha is a co-leader of a group called Crescent Blades. They all have the same goal: remove the pretender King and install him with the lost princess Reha if they can find her before she is lost to them. Esha wants to final the long lost princess and bring peace to this ancient world but she still holds tightly to her need for revenge. She has learned that Kunal was her childhood friend before the coup, but there's so much more to who he really is which I won't spoil. 

Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan and to become one of the Senap. When Esha and Kunal first met, it was under different circumstances. She was set up as the murderer of Kunal's uncle General Hotha. He was tasked to bring her in at all costs. When Esha learns who Kunal is, there seems to be an immediate freeze in hostilities. After all, Kunal has more than a few surprises of his own that he is trying to work through.

For Esha, not only does she get to play the role as the formidable Viper, but as a Lady in Prince Harun's court and his adviser. Meanwhile, Kunal is being pulled in by emotions, loyalty, and new avenues which leads to a stunning ending. He becomes a participant in the Sun Mela and ends up with the moniker The Archer. Kunal and Esha’s relationship is as passionate as it is secret. The two must hide their relationship from everyone at court, forcing them to find creative ways to communicate and finally meet among the palace shadows.

On the flip side, Esha must also deal with new threats and new feelings especially when it comes to her best friend Prince Harun. The story has all the beats of a classic heist, with our protagonists making elaborate plans to sneak through the palace, break into the citadel for reconnaissance, and use the ongoing celebrations as cover for their daring exploits to find their nation’s missing treasure: Princess Reha.  

King Vardaan’s court is resplendent with glittering jewels and decorated pavilions at every turn, providing the perfect backdrop for political maneuvering filled with secrets and deception. The destroyed janma bond, an essential element of the land that was broken by the division of the regions during the violence, creates a countdown for Esha and Kunal, who must find the princess and re-create the bond before the countries’ droughts and famines make it impossible for civilians to survive.

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