Format: EBook, 432 pages
Release Date: December 6, 2022
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Magical Realism
Unearth the bones in the thrilling sequel to AK Wilder’s sweeping and romantic fantasy, sure to delight readers with magic and adventure.
Ash’s life turns upside down as she and Marcus’s company flee Aku,
racing against time to warn their realm of imminent attack. But upon
reaching Baiseen, they find they have more to worry about than warships,
catapults, and rogue phantoms. As battle rages around them, they are
sent on a secret quest to unearth the twelve original whistle bones that
will protect their realm from annihilation.
When Ash becomes
the target of an unseen assassin, Kaylin, the boson’s mate, risks his
deepest secret to save her life. The weight of the world tips as the
once-heir, a young sailor, and the recorder who loves them both are
forced to make choices that may sunder them forever…but maybe, just
maybe, save the world.
Curse of Shadows is the second installment in author A.K. Wilder's The Amassia Series. The story takes place on a world known as Amassia. Much like our Earth, is the third planet from the Sun. Like our Earth, there were once 7 continents that have, over millennia, formed a single landmass surrounded by the sea. As the story begins, it appears that the prophecy of the Great Dying is here. Amassia teeters on the brink of the next Great Dying. There is now a second Sun in the Sky which will eventually kill everyone and everything on the planet unless it can be stopped.
This is a world that is broken into Potentials and Non-savants. Potentials are children whom the Bone Throwers deem worthy to try to raise a phantom. They are sent to the sanctuaries at eight years of age. The brown-robes receive intensive training to see if they are indeed savant. Most will fail and go back to their families, declared non-savant. Those who do raise their phantom will stay on as blue-robes and train up through the ranks, as far as they can go.
Key Characters:
Ash
orphaned at age eight; she's best friends with Prince Marcus Adicio; she's a 17-year-old
non-savant wordsmith whose dream is to set foot in every realm of Amassia. For some reason, her memories are fractured, and her connection to Kaylin has been blocked. Though she hasn't raised a phantom of her own, the voices in her head may the biggest mystery of this entire series. Ash's story gets much more intriguing when her real identity is revealed later in the book. I put Ash first, because she's seriously the most interesting character in this series which the cliffhanger ending will lay out for you.
Marcus Adicio is the yellow robed third son of Jacas Adicio of Baiseen who raises a warrior phantom known as De'Ral. After his father dies, and his brother Peten is named Magistrate. Marcus, who doesn't have full control over De'Ral, is named Bone Gatherer by Master Brogal. He is ordered to travel to all 7 realms and retrieve what's called whistle bones. There are 12 of them. The hope is to reform the crown of bones and protect allies from the Great Dying. He, along with Ash, Piper, Samsen, Kaylin, Tyche, and Belair must battle the elements, as well as two dangerous men; Tann, and Atikis (red-rob of the Sanctuary of Goll who raises monstrous alter phantoms) who are both seeking the mythical whistle bones.
Kaylin is a Mar posing as a bosun’s mate. He volunteers to go on the quest of the Bone Gatherer. He was ordered to kill Marcus but has since been told to save Ash for Teern and been more than helpful in fights against a variety of forces. The more we learn about Kaylin and his "sisters" Dreaded Rosie and Salila, as well as his "father" Teern, the more intriguing he gets. The author hits on the Dreaded, a clan of Mar so dangerous that Teern himself put them down. Hopefully we will learn more next time out.
Secondary Characters:
Belair Duquan is a warrior savant from Tangeen; Piper is an orange robed healer of Baiseen Sanctuary. Samsen is a yellow robe savant who raises a par caller/part alter phantom that is confined to various birds. Tyche (12) is the granddaughter of Yuki. She's a savant who raises a caller phantom in the form of an impala. She is along for the ride because she can call the various bones. Rhiannon is Baiseen's treasurer's daugher who has not only married the new Magistrate, but has desires on becoming the most dangerous and powerful Magistrate in all the lands even if that means stopping Marcus. Salila is a Mar woman with extreme appetites. She is able to walk on land if she has human blood in her system. Her only fear is Teern, known to all Mar as Father, and King of the Sea.
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