FF Friday

The year's still young, yes, but this is my favorite fantasy novel of the year so far! A young orc priestess runs away from her cult shortly before she was planning to offer herself up as a sacrifice to her god. Under the patronage of the mysterious, manipulative wizard who helped her flee to another world, she becomes a fighter and his loyal red right hand. However, her unthinking loyalty is challenged when she meets a frighteningly talented magical adept on one of her missions.

It's a story about breaking free of indoctrination on multiple levels, and I really liked the romance. Fire metaphors are apt here: it's a slow burn to start, but they'll set the world on fire to keep each other safe. For those who didn't click with Gideon the Ninth because GtN was more about gonzo flair than careful worldbuilding, TUN is very strong on the worldbuilding front!

Further thoughts on my journal.