Rating: 9/10
Synopsis:
A fast-paced, riveting read, with writing that leaps off the page and one of the most compelling magic systems I’ve encountered in years, this is a must for fantasy fans!’ Natasha Ngan, Girls of Paper and Fire
A MAN MARKED BY MAGIC. A WOMAN MARKED BY HER PAST.
On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities.
When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can’t remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn’t intend to give up now.
Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He’s never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar . . .
As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, an unlikely friendship forms between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.
Review:
The Collarbound is a mind-blowing book about magic, mental prisms and the spiritual side of what is deemed to be magic in my interpretation here. This is a novel with a solid concept and good world-building and it is a world built on lies – because people suffer under the abuse of power.
Working within the typical fantasy setting, does give the vibe of a unique world, sometimes scenes did feel stiff, and some aspects of the story didn’t feel that expanded to me. Some parts were too short for me. Without wishing to spoil too much, it has some great writing descriptions for describing some aspects of the world.
This world has vibrant characters and definitely makes me feel like this was a JRPG novel in some aspects. Tatters and Isha carry this story out, but the characters surrounding them hide further. That you will have to discover for yourself! I can’t wait to read book 2! Thank you to Gollancz, and Will for allowing me to participate!
Al-Alhambra Book Reviews 