The Rundown
“Scholar. Slave. Warrior. Wizard.”
Vic is the youngest log keeper in generations. This means that she memorizes the last recordings of the spaceship Elesendar, a craft from Earth that was stranded on her planet thousands of years ago. The people of this planet have descended from those left on the surface. What survives is a diverse culture spread across the surface of Knownearth.
But when Vic is captured and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is the mistress of the Remlord, Lornk Korng, held against her will and abused at his hand. He strips her of her name, her clothes, and her dignity. But when the brutal master leaves, his son flips the script, allowing Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He shows her a portal that eventually saves her life. But the life on the other side of the world, won’t be so easy either. In the new city and culture, Vic will once again remake herself and become the warrior that can take on her former master.
The Recommendation
This book has to be one of the best books I’ve read in the genre in a long time. The author is extremely skilled in all areas that make for a compelling story. The characters are realistic, likable (except for the evil Korng which is the point) and sympathetic. The plot is fast-paced, with no lag where I wanted to stop reading. The world building is very well done, coloring in all the areas that make each new setting feel real. Finally, her craft is excellent. Justice is obviously a skilled master with many years of writing under her belt and a good editor. Anyone who likes reading in the adult fantasy genre will appreciate this book. I do want to warn readers, however: anyone sensitive to sexual abuse should avoid reading this book. They might find Vic’s treatment very disturbing and upsetting. The situation doesn’t last that long and is necessary to build the character, but could upset some readers who find that sort of thing unreadable.
The Rating
5 Stars (out of 5): Highly recommended. This book did exactly what it set out to do, with originality, style, and maybe even a twist. It stands out next to popular, traditionally published novels in its genre.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Characterization, Emotional, Strong World-BuildingCons: Extreme Violence
