Synopsis:
An orphan bent on revenge. A monster searching for freedom. A forbidden pact that binds their fates. Lyss had heard her father’s screams, smelled the iron-tang of his blood. She witnessed his execution. And plotted her revenge. Then, a violent encounter traps Lyss in a blood-pact with a rarkyn from the otherworld, imbuing her with the monster’s forbidden magic—a magic that will erode her sanity. To break the pact, she and the rarkyn must journey to the heart of the Empire. All that stands in their way are the mountains, the Empire’s soldiers, and Lyss’ uneasy alliance with the rarkyn. But horrors await them on the road—horrors even rarkyns fear. The most terrifying monster isn’t the one Lyss travels with. It’s the one that’s awoken inside her.
Monsters of a feather flock together.
Rating: 10/10
Review:
Rarkyn’s Familiar is a good novel, with great worldbuilding and excellent immersion into the world. I am impressed with the strength that this novel brings into the world. It felt like I was in a new universe of Elden Ring and Dark Souls. This is a grim-dark fantasy for me, and I like it. There are a lot of impressive characters in this novel, and each character feels alive. I really feel there’s lots of great stuff in this novel.
This is a world where magic is feared, powerful and dangerous at the same time. An Empire that wishes to eradicate such magic vs those who wish to preserve it. Institutions of holy power and mancers fight for the very power that is magic, while dealing with creatures and monsters for their own profit. There is a very good backstory dealing with Lyss’s Rarkyn that’s essential to the core of their relationship throughout the story.
And the story does have your typical political manovuering, high stakes and incredible tension. I can’t help but feel that this is a great book for adapation and they need to make a TV show already of this book. I loved it! I only wanted a glossary at the end!
Dates: May 19th – May 25th
Notes:
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Book Information:
The Rarkyn’s Familiar by Nikky Lee
Series: The Rarkyn Trilogy
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Intended Age Group: 16+
Pages: 452
Published: April 19, 2022
Publisher: Parliament House Press
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Book Blurb:
An orphan bent on revenge. A monster searching for freedom. A forbidden pact that binds their fates together.
Lyss has heard her father’s screams; smelled the iron-tang of his blood. She’s witnessed his execution.
And plotted her revenge.
Then a violent encounter traps Lyss in a blood-pact with a rarkyn from the otherworld and imbues her with the monster’s forbidden magic. A magic that will erode her sanity. To break the pact, she and the rarkyn must journey to the heart of the Empire. All that stands in their way are the mountains and the Empire’s soldiers—and each other.
But horrors await them on the road, horrors even rarkyns fear. The most terrifying monster isn’t the one Lyss travels with…
It’s the one that’s awoken inside her.
See Also:
(This is our attempt at a bit of fun. We ask our authors to come up with a few short, clever, possibly pop culture laden, descriptions of their books just to give a little taste of what’s to come for readers.)
Winter is Coming • Always on the Run (Lenny Kravitz) • You Shall Not Pass
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Book Links:
Escapist Book Tours
escapistbooktours@gmail.com
Main links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rarkyns-Familiar-Rarkyn-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B08L6YK3NP
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54704737-the-rarkyn-s-familiar
Other:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-rarkyn-s-familiar-the-rarkyn-trilogy-book-1-by-nikky-lee
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-rarkyns-familiar/id1574743724
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-rarkyn-s-familiar
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-rarkyns-familiar-nikky-lee/1138770192
Angus & Robertson: https://www.angusrobertson.com.au/ebooks/the-rarkyns-familiar-nikky-lee/p/9781953539946
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Author Bio & Information:
Nikky Lee is an award-winning author who grew up as a barefoot 90s kid in Perth, Western Australia on Whadjuk Noongar Country. She now lives in Aotearoa New Zealand with a husband, a dog and a couch potato cat. In her free time she writes speculative fiction, often burning the candle at both ends to explore fantastic worlds, mine asteroids and meet wizards. She’s had over two dozen stories published in magazines, anthologies and on radio. Her debut novel, The Rarkyn’s Familiar—an epic tale of a girl bonded to a monster—was published with Parliament House Press in April 2022.
Website: https://www.nikkythewriter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikkythewriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkyMLee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkymlee/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nikkymlee
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Escapist Book Tours
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Additional Information:
The author wanted to share this quiz with everyone, so feel free to add it to your posts if you want.
Which Rarkyn are you? Quiz: https://www.parliamenthousepress.com/post/the-rarkyn-s-familiar-by-nikky-lee
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