Burn brightly. Love fiercely. For all else is dust.
BEASTS OF THE FROZEN SUN by JILL CRISWELL
Series: Frozen Sun Saga #1
Publication date: August 6, 2019
Publisher: Blackstone
Genre: YA fantasy
SYNOPSIS
Every child of Glasnith learns the last words of Aillira, the god-gifted mortal whose doomed love affair sparked a war of gods and men, and Lira of clan Stone knows the story better than most. As a descendant of Aillira and god-gifted in her own right, she has the power to read people’s souls, to see someone’s true essence with only a touch of her hand.
When a golden-haired warrior washes up on the shores of her homeland—one of the fearful marauders from the land of the Frozen Sun—Lira helps the wounded man instead of turning him in. After reading his soul, she realizes Reyker is different than his brethren who attack the coasts of Glasnith. He confides in her that he’s been cursed with what his people call battle-madness, forced to fight for the warlord known as the Dragon, a powerful tyrant determined to reignite the ancient war that Aillira started.
As Lira and Reyker form a bond forbidden by both their clans, the wrath of the Dragon falls upon them and all of Glasnith, and Lira finds herself facing the same tragic fate as her ancestor. The battle for Lira’s life, for Reyker’s soul, and for their peoples’ freedom has only just begun …
Purchase your copy now: When a golden-haired warrior washes up on the shores of her homeland—one of the fearful marauders from the land of the Frozen Sun—Lira helps the wounded man instead of turning him in. After reading his soul, she realizes Reyker is different than his brethren who attack the coasts of Glasnith. He confides in her that he’s been cursed with what his people call battle-madness, forced to fight for the warlord known as the Dragon, a powerful tyrant determined to reignite the ancient war that Aillira started.
As Lira and Reyker form a bond forbidden by both their clans, the wrath of the Dragon falls upon them and all of Glasnith, and Lira finds herself facing the same tragic fate as her ancestor. The battle for Lira’s life, for Reyker’s soul, and for their peoples’ freedom has only just begun …
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Praise for Beasts of the Frozen Sun:
“This intense, action-packed start to a series offers star-crossed lovers against a brutal backdrop and violent tests of loyalty. Criswell’s world-building is particularly noteworthy, and the mythology and reality of Lira and Reyker’s world are captivating. VERDICT Purchase for fans of Game of Thrones–inspired fantasy.” –School Library Journal
“Beasts of the Frozen Sun sweeps the reader into a lush and vivid world of magic and betrayal, crowned by a heroine who captivates from the first pages and a love story powerful enough to bring time to a standstill. An amazing debut.” –Erin Beaty, author of The Traitor’s Trilogy
“Beasts of the Frozen Sun is a fierce saga, beautifully told, that will transport readers to a time of magic and gods, battles and clan warfare. A totally engrossing and epic adventure—I couldn’t get enough of Lira and Reyker’s story.” –Jessica Leake, author of Through the White Wood and Beyond a Darkened Shore
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jill Criswell is a writer of Young Adult Historical Fantasy. She was born and raised in the swamps of northeastern Florida. She earned degrees in English and Psychology and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida. Her greatest passion, besides reading and writing, is traveling the world; she’s visited fifty countries across six continents, falling in love with places like Iceland, Namibia, and Cambodia. She works as a university English teacher and lives in South Carolina, near the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with her husband and daughter (who is named after a volcano in Iceland).
You can find her on:
Beasts of the Frozen Sun by Jill CriswellMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
You wield the lost sword of the Frozen Sun. A weapon of the Ice Gods in the hands of the Green Gods’ soul-reader. ’Tis a story poets will pen, a tale fit for the scriptures.”
Lira lives in Glasnith, a community composed of many clans. Her grandfather is the chieftan of clan Stone, and upon his death, it will pass on to another male in her family. There is a lot of speculation who that will be, but as a female, Lira has two "options." Marry a highborn man of her father's choosing, or pledge herself to Aillira's Temple, a sanctuary where god-gifted women could study and hone their abilities. So though many women were clearly honored by their gods, the men failed to do so. They were simply used for their own gain. Lira in particular is used cruelly by her father for her gift of reading souls. She's nothing more than a tool for him to ascertain whether an accused is guilty or innocent, and she feels tremendous guilt for her part in condemning people to death.
Reyker is a savage marauder who has taken part in raids along the coast of Lira's land. In the prologue you see the devastation he causes along with the other warriors fighting for "the Dragon." Right away you realize that he's there against his will, and there is a glimmer of good inside him. It's just been suppressed under years of death and darkness and he no longer knows how to find his way out. When he washes ashore after his ship is attacked by a sea creature, Lira recognizes him as the man who once helped her escape the Dragon. Out of obligation she reluctantly takes him to a secluded place to nurse him back to health. Theirs wasn't an instant friendship, there was naturally a lot of distrust and animosity on her part. Knowing he was a Westlander, or what her people call a beast of the frozen sun, his kind is reviled by her clans. Legends called them monsters birthed by leviathans, not even considered human.
As Drakon starts to infiltrate their land, pillaging with the intent to conquer, her clan is suddenly in need of a new chieftan. This is where everything starts to implode. The god they worship is summoned to choose a new leader, but with that choice, dissent and scheming runs rampant under the surface. The whole foundation of the gods they worship could be crumbling under their feet.
“You follow the Forbidden Scriptures. You worship the Fallen Ones. How do you know their version of the stories is true?” Were Aillira and Veronis heroes and Gwylor the villain, or was it the other way around?
Glasnith's only hope of protecting themselves is the man they call a Beast. A man who knows more about the enemy than anyone else and could help mobilize allies to come to their aid. I loved that he was a bit of an anti-hero. I think he was developed really well, and the author did a very good job of showing him in a way that draws your empathy. He's survived lots of tragedy, loss, and betrayal, and he was consumed with darkness because of it. Lira is a conduit back to the light. She digs through his layers and helps him to find the man he once was. Their faith and loyalty to each other in the face of her people's hatred was heartwarming.
This was more violent and bloody than I was expecting. The villain is a pretty chilling guy whom you can't wait to see brought down. As this is the first book in the series, of course we leave things at an unresolved place. It's a pretty strong cliffhanger, so be warned. Overall, there were a few things I loved, and some things that I felt could have used a better explanation or detail. However, the plot was fairly original and kept me guessing, so I really appreciated that. This was not a tame YA fantasy, so if you're looking for something a little grittier, this could be the book for you. Book two in the saga is set to release sometime next year.
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