|
|
Title | Crown of Feathers
| |
Author | Nicki Pau Preto
| |
Cover Art | ---
| |
Publisher | Simon Pulse - 2019
| |
First Printing | Simon Pulse - 2019
|
|
|
|
Title | Heart of Flames
| |
Author | Nicki Pau Preto
| |
Cover Art | ---
| |
Publisher | ---
| |
First Printing | ---
|
| |
|
|
Title | Wings of Shadow
| |
Author | Nicki Pau Preto
| |
Cover Art | ---
| |
Publisher | ---
| |
First Printing | ---
|
| |
|
Category | Young Adult
| |
Warnings | None
| |
Main Characters | Veronyka, Val, Tristan, Sev
| |
Main Elements | Wizards, Phoenix
| |
Website | nickipaupreto.com
|
|
 Crown of Feathers
I had a sister, once…
In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.
I promised her the throne would not come between us.
Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.
But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.
Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.
Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.
You don't get to see the Phoenix in fantasy novels very often, especially not ones you can ride (fortunately if you bond with one you become immune to its fire!) so I was happy to see this available for free on rivetedlit.com where I could read it online.
It was pretty good, we start with Veronyka and Val seeking phoenix eggs, hoping to become riders though the riders have since been overthrown and scattered about the lands, they aren't even sure if any of them survived. But the eggs can remain dormant a long time and they were hidden about the realm.
We also join Sev, a young man with the ability to communicate with animals, but that is a magic that allows for bonding with the phoenix and is outlawed, those with the power are enslaved. Thus Sev is in the army, serving the empire that killed his family, but at this point he doesn't really care anymore, he just wants to keep his head down and survive, his parents were heroes and that just got them killed.
There is pretty good worldbuilding, what with the animal magic, and the history of the empire, how the phoenix riders came to be and how they came to be overthrown (we learn this through letters between the last queen and her magic-less sister)
However, my reaction to it, while I enjoyed it still, was that it was long. Veronyka spends a lot of time wandering about (Sev too), and then training when she stumbles upon the last sanctuary for the phoenix riders. On the other hand, there were some pretty interesting twists, including you must keep in mind, the fact that the phoenix can die, but be reborn in fire (riders of course are not usually so lucky). A surprising number of people are not who they seem to be.
And yet those surprises as to who people really are kind of also drag the tale down. Everyone lies ALL THE TIME. Even when it is clear that coming clean is probably the right thing to do the characters chicken out. So much that happens only happen because people can't be honest with each other, making additional hassle where it was unnecessary. And of course those oh so horrible secrets that would leave you as an outcast forever and nobody would ever forgive you and you'd rather die than reveal? Well, there were maybe a few raised eyebrows when the truth came out, then people shrugged and went whatever. So yeah, all that angst over absolutely nothing. Guess it's a young adult thing to make mountains out of molehills and overreact whenever people's acceptance of you is at stake.
I will continue with this series, after all, who wouldn't want to imagine being able to sit upon a giant flaming bird and soar through the skies, pretty decent competition for all those dragon riders out there.
| 
