Skullsworn

February 27, 2017
In this dramatic epic fantasy set in the same world as the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Staveley (The Last Mortal Bond) explores the relationship between love and death. Acolyte Pyrre is determined to pass her trial and become a full-fledged priestess of Ananshael, the god of death. To do this, she has to kill seven people in 14 days, including “the one who made your mind and body sing with love.” Since Pyrre has never experienced love, she returns to the city of her birth to foment rebellion and reconnect with an old companion in hopes of finding a romantic spark. As she delves into the Shirvian delta and its myriad dangers alongside the handsome Ruc Lan Lac, investigating the mystery of long-forgotten gods and hidden peoples, Pyrre struggles to define love and understand what it means to serve her god. Lush, evocative descriptions sharpen the setting, which recalls Southeast Asia. Visceral action scenes and memorable characters bring this tale to life. Despite the outsize aspects of this adventure, it still feels remarkably intimate, right up to an epilogue that casts the book’s events in a whole new light.

March 1, 2017
The beautiful, enigmatic assassin Pyrre, a supporting character in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (The Last Mortal Bond, 2016, etc.), takes center stage in this prequel to the series.Pyrre is an acolyte of Ananshael, the god of death. To become full priestess, she must kill seven specific types of people, one of whom must be someone "who made [her] mind and body sing with love." Trouble is, Pyrre's never been in love. Her quandary brings her to the conquered city of Dombang, place of her birth and her desperate, miserable childhood. She hopes that her former lover Ruc Lan Lac, now the commander of the military police known as the Greenshirts, is someone she can truly love and then kill, in accordance with her Trial. But to catch his attention, she'll have to start a revolution. Falling in love isn't easy for Pyrre, but stirring up Dombang's unrest is surprisingly so. Insurrection is always close to the surface of the barely pacified city, where hidden priests and secret worshippers seek to rouse the Three, the original, deadly gods of the delta who thrive upon blood and sacrifice and who may not be quite as mythical as many think. Pyrre, with her unusual attitude toward life and death, was always one of the most colorful and confusing characters in the original series, and it's both enjoyable and illuminating to observe the development of her personality as the bodies pile higher. Lacking the grand heft of the trilogy, this is a pleasantly grim and emotionally complex divertissement that will give pleasure to fans and tie up some loose ends--and can also be an accessible entree for new readers, who will undoubtedly go on to consume the rest of the series.

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April 15, 2017

Pyrre Lakatur doesn't consider herself an assassin but rather a priestess devoted to Ananshael, God of Death. In order to realize her position among the Skullsworn, she must pass the Trial by killing seven people over 14 days. The killing is not the problem; it's love. To succeed, all Skullsworn must offer their partner to Ananshael. But what if you've never been in love? Still, Pyree proceeds with the Trial, until she is arrested by the mysterious Commander Ruc Lan Lac. Could he be her last chance at love? Keeping her religion a secret from Ruc is a must, for he holds no fondness for Skullsworn. In the end, will she be able to murder him? If she's unable to give him to her god, then death will come for them both in a most horrific way. VERDICT This origin story of this famous priestess from Staveley's "Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne" series will delight fans of those books; it will also introduce new readers to the complex world of the Annurian Empire. Gods and mortals clash once again in another satisfying epic fantasy.--KC

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2017
Pyrrhe, an acolyte of the god of death, tells the tale of her trial to become a full-fledged priestess. There is a song outlining the seven people one must deliver to the god to prove one's faith. The first six, she knows, present no problem. The seventh requires falling in love, which she doesn't believe she can do. Her faith is strong, though, so she resolves to make the attempt. There is a man she once knew in Dombang, Ruc Lan Lac, whom she might be able to love. When she and her witnesses arrive in the city, she begins by faking the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy to attract Ruc's attention. She is wildly successful and reunites with Ruc in an uneasy partnership as the fragile peace of Dombang collapses. Ultimately, it leads them to the swamps surrounding the city and to secrets about the forbidden gods as well as unexpected revelations about the nature of love. Pyrrhe is a surprisingly charming narrator, and Kossal and Ela, her traveling companions, are an excellent pair of foils for her in this entertaining and well-told story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)