#Review - The Crimson Fortress by Akshaya Raman #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Ivory Key Duology # 2
Format: Hardcover, 432 pages
Release Date: November 14, 2023
Publisher: Clarion Books
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

In this thrilling, action-packed sequel and conclusion to the critically acclaimed Ivory Key duology called “a dream”* (ALA Booklist, starred review), royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya battle vengeful enemies, centuries-old mysteries, and their own personal demons in order to save their country from ruin.

The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka. But despite finally getting their hands on the long-lost key, uncovering its cipher has proved more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected.

Their missions force them to split up and disperse across Ashoka and beyond. When a rash decision by the council strips Vira of her power, her journey to reclaim her throne takes on new meaning. Kaleb travels to the neighboring country of Lyria to uncover its emperor’s motives and meets a prince seeking answers of his own. Ronak’s efforts to escape his arranged marriage and exonerate his brother lead to a series of risky deals that only bring him closer to what he’s running from. And Riya’s newfound power has turned unpredictable, but her search for answers only raises more questions.

When their attempts at decoding the key release an ancient power, the siblings must align to face the past and save their future once and for all. In a quest that culminates in a deadly labyrinth, there’s only one way they will succeed: together. 

The Crimson Fortress, by Akshaya Raman, is the second and final installment in the authors The Ivory Key duology. In this action-packed sequel, royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya battle vengeful enemies, centuries-old mysteries, and their own personal demons in order to save their country from ruin. The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka.

But not everything is what Vira expected. Vira is Maharani of Ashoka. Ashoka has 3 weeks left before the countries defenses are weakened by the lack of magic in the land. Vira has been betrayed by the former Captain of her Guard, and will  also end up losing her title of Maharani in a coup staged by a Council that seeks to make a very bad treaty with their enemies in Lyria. Riya is the former Raven who left the family to go out on her own. Riya desperately wants to know more about her magic, or to get rid of it permanently. Riya's journey to peace of mind is as twisted as one can get without losing oneself. 

Until 2 weeks ago, Ronak thought everything was going well. He had planned on leaving Ashoka and boarding a ship. He gave up months of his life for Kaleb. Even worse, he made with Ekta turned out to be a really bad idea. Now she wants more from him. Kaleb, who was accused of killing his mother, has fled the country for Lyrian where he meets his cousin, Dayana. Kaleb soon finds himself working as a spy for the Heir to the throne, Lukas, while also trying not to let people know who his mother or father was for fear that he would become a liability.

Despite finally getting their hands on the long-lost key, uncovering its cipher has proved more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected. They have encountered not one, but two secret societies (Order of Remayura and The Kamala Society) that seem to be battling each other. When their attempts at decoding the key release an ancient power named Niveda, the siblings must align to face the past and save their future once and for all. In a quest that culminates in a deadly labyrinth, there’s only one way they will succeed: together. 

*Thoughts* Overall, this is definitely an action packed story that has betrayal after betrayal, and it is not often I say this but, thank goodness this is only a duology. The ending is done pretty well. Riya finds her happy ending, Riya wants to become a treasure hunter like her father and travel the globe, Kaleb has found his own happiness in Lyria where he can finally get to know his extended family, and maybe a bit of love while he is at it. Ronak ponders his future, but here's hoping he ends up on that ship he once wanted to escape on.

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#Review - The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Ivory Key Duology # 1
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Clarion Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Epic

In this epic YA fantasy debut, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology that’s perfect for fans of There Will Come a Darkness, The Gilded Wolves, and We Hunt the Flame.

Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya may be siblings, but they've never been close or even liked each other that much. Torn apart by the different paths their lives have taken, only one thing can bring them back together: the search for the Ivory Key, a thing of legend that will lead the way to a new source of magic. Magic is Ashoka's biggest export and the only thing standing between them and war with the neighboring kingdoms—as long as their enemies don't find out that the magic mines are nearly depleted.

The siblings all have something to gain from finding the Ivory Key, and even more to lose if they don't. For Vira, the Ivory Key is the only way to live up to the legacy of her mother, the beloved former maharani. Ronak plans to get out of his impending political marriage by selling the Ivory Key to the highest bidder. Kaleb has been falsely accused of assassinating the former maharani, and this is the only way to clear his name. And Riya needs to prove her loyalty to the Ravens, the group of rebels that wants to take control away from the maharani and give it to the people. With each sibling harboring secrets and conflicting agendas, figuring out a way to work together may be the most difficult task of all. And in a quest this dangerous, working together is the only way to survive.

 

The Ivory Key is the first of a two part duology by debut author Akshaya Raman. In this epic YA fantasy, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings (Vira, Riya, Ronak, and Kaleb) must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology that’s perfect for fans of There Will Come a Darkness, The Gilded Wolves, and We Hunt the Flame. Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya are all POV characters.

Vira is the newly crowned maharani of Ashoka after the murder of her mother 8 months ago. She's also had the unfortunate failure of losing a part of her country for the first time in 400 years and nobody is happy about it. Her only hope is to complete her father’s quest to find The Ivory Key and unlock the remaining magical mines of Ashoka. But to do so, she’ll need to get through the clues left behind by the ancient Kamala Society - a task her father had trained his kids for for their whole lives. But Vira is only one piece of the solution. Can she earn back the trust of her siblings in her quest to save the Ashokan people?

2 years ago, Riya had an argument with her mother which lead to her running away. Instead of admitting that she ran away, her mother let everyone know that she's dead. After seeing the poverty and suffering in the kingdom, she quickly became disillusioned with the monarchy and the excesses of the ruling class. Riya joined a rebel group known as Raven's that hates Vira and her rule, intent on toppling the monarchy they perceive as corrupt. Riya wants to prove to the Ravens that she's all in when it comes to removing Vira.

Ronak is the Maharani’s twin. Supposedly the most powerful man in the kingdom. So why does he feel so powerless? Living in a lonely tower far above the palace, he tries to live in as much isolation as his brother, trying to save the only family member who hasn’t yet abandoned him before running away, as far from his sister as possible. Ronak plans to sell the Ivory Key to the highest bidder in exchange for escape from his impending political marriage. He gets himself deeply involved with a mysterious woman who also wants the key and was working with Vira's betrothed to get the Ivory Key for herself. 

Kaleb needs it to clear his name. Kaleb, once on the fast path to being the most skilled mayankar in the kingdom and set to inherit his father’s position as Royal Mayaka. 8 months ago, he was arrested by his own sister at the behest of the Council for a crime he didn’t commit. He lives his life in isolation and declared a threat to the new Maharani of the kingdom. Of all the characters I lease hated, it is Kaleb because of his dual Lyrian heritage citizenship thanks to his mother and father being different from Vira, Riya, and Ronak's.

All 4 siblings have their own flaws and even their own motives by going on a journey to achieve an artifact called the Ivory Key. Each of them is inherently selfish in their own ways when it comes to what they each want to do with the Ivory Key, but all come to realize eventually that their bond as siblings and the greater good of their kingdom is more important than what they individually want. There is nothing easy about this quest even though at times it seems as though it is. You have betrayal, you have foreign enemies who also want the Key, you have a mysterious woman named Ekta who seems to know as much about the Key as the siblings themselves. You also have a distinct Indiana Jones feel about the quest itself which is why I ended up giving this story a 4 star rating.

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