September 13, 2021
Daley debuts with a surprising, adrenaline-charged fantasy adventure set in a postapocalyptic wasteland. The citizens of Malavita are safeguarded from the harsh environment by the Veil, a magical dome maintained by a corrupt, exploitative brotherhood of priests. Now wizard warrior Shade Nox, aka the Black Witch, aims to raise a new Veil that will protect her clan and all people as the land hurtles toward another disaster: the Unseen, ancient demons who turned the land inhospitable in a prehistoric war, are gathering their strength anew. But when Shade sets her plans in motion, she learns a dark secret about the magic required to raise a Veil, and she’ll have to find a new way. And with the Unseen hiding in plain sight, Shade is running out of time. As Shade falls down a rabbit hole of revelations, Daley rivets readers with a high-stakes thrill ride through Malavita’s farthest reaches. Electric character relationships and masterful worldbuilding—encompassing a spectacular magic system, mystical urban legend, and profound mystery—are sure to impress. Those looking for fantasy with a dystopian flair should snap this up.
Starred review from October 15, 2021
A brash and powerful young bloodwizard goes up against the mafia-like Brotherhood to create a magically protected haven in this entertaining if uneven debut fantasy. Shade Nox, known to her many enemies as the Black Witch, is determined to use her powerful elemental magic to raise a new Veil and break the Brotherhood's control over these protective barriers that allow people to safely occupy the dangerous Wastes as well as mine the valuable gemstones needed to create the blades bloodwizards use to draw their own blood and call on their elemental magic. However, there is a reason no new Veil has been raised in Malavita for over a hundred years, and even if Shade can marshal enough allies to overcome those who would go to great lengths to stop her, she will need to pay a steeper price than she realizes. The novel's intriguing premise is hindered by some confusing world building. Nevertheless, this will satisfy many readers looking for fast-paced fantasy and kickass protagonists in the vein of Empire of Sand (2018) by Tasha Suri and The Assassin's Curse (2013) by Cassandra Rose Clarke.
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