Magic. Sailing. A murderer among heroes.
Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.
So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.
In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.
A fast-paced flintlock fantasy for those who enjoy How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.
I outlined a fresh grave for the cemetery as bells rang from the isle’s tower, signifying the start of the celebrations. The soil reeked of ammonia and rot, but the crisp morning breeze washed the scent away, dispersing it over the ocean. I removed my shirt, allowing the wind to cool me while I worked.
Every ten years, the people on the Isle of Ruma gathered to watch the fledgling phoenixes bond with a few chosen mortals. Lamplighters did their duty despite the glorious sunshine, each lamp’s fire representing the flames of phoenixes. Merchants cleared their horses and carts from the main road in anticipation of the crowds.
This was my second Day of Phoenixes. A decade ago, on my fifth birthday, I missed the bonding ceremony to attend my father’s trial. He was convicted of murder, but because he hadn’t been born on the island, he was taken to the mainland for final judgement. That was the last time I saw him.
Although the last Day of Phoenixes had been inauspicious, I intended to change that. Once I had finished digging a shallow grave, I would make my way into town.
I slammed the shovel’s head into the dirt and scooped deep. The cemetery sat near the edge of the island, far from those gathering to observe the hopeful students trying to win the favor of the phoenixes.
Tradition stated that anyone who handled sewage, waste, and dead bodies wasn’t allowed to attend the bonding ceremony, which was just my luck. After my father was sent away, I could’ve been given to any profession for apprenticeship. I could’ve gone to the carpenter and learned the craft of woodworking, or I could’ve gone to the silversmith and learned the art of fine metal work, but misfortune hounded me like a shadow. I was given to the gravekeeper, slated to dig corpse-holes until the end of time, forever exiled from the festivities.
I still intended to go. Even if it meant ignoring the traditions of the isle—something unheard of on our tiny spit of land—no one could stop me from proving myself to a phoenix. No one.
Review
Without being a superhero novel, this ticked all the boxes for my slight superhero obsession. The vast array of mythical creatures and their magical abilities was fantastic. I loved the challenges the different characters faced (the main character, in particular). Combine that with some tight plot control, and you’ve got an action-packed tale of fantasy, mystery, and teen growth.
The first thing I noticed about this book was that it was a YA book with a male protagonist. I can count on one hand the number of YA (not middle grade with YA crossover) books I’ve seen with a male protagonist. Okay, slight exaggeration, perhaps, but the number of male protagonists compared to female protagonists is staggeringly low. Volke was someone worth cheering for. He is fiercely determined and will stop at nothing to better his situation. He doesn’t let the opinions of others stand in his way, especially when those opinions are about his family’s criminal history and how said history means Volke is worthless.
As often happens in life, though, Volke’s best qualities were sometimes his worst. There were points where I found Volke’s determination and doggedness a bit overwhelming. He jumped to conclusions about what people were implying and made rash choices, only to find out he was wrong and then have to furiously backpedal. His relationship with Zaxis, another arcanist from the same island, felt a bit like two teenage girls catfighting, which distracted me a lot. They didn’t “fight like boys,” If that makes sense. I did enjoy many of the secondary characters, both arcanist and creature. The tension between Volke and his practical-sister was cute. I did feel it came a bit out of nowhere—someone pointed out that there should be tension and suddenly there was. But once it got going, it was handled very well.
As far as the story itself, I got sucked in. I blew through this. It helps that there are superhero and magic school themes—two things I fall for. Add in a ride upon the back of a giant (giant!) sea turtle, a plague infecting mythical creatures, and uncertainty about mentors, and there’s so much going on in here. I never felt lost or confused. I just watched the story unfold and quite enjoyed myself while doing it.
Overall, though there were a few things that tripped me up, I really liked this book. Fans of the elements I’ve mentioned would be served by grabbing a copy. If you’re worried about the “teen tension,” I won’t tell you not to worry. It’s a YA book. There are teen issues, and some of them are more forefront than others. In the bigger scheme, the story is amazingly detailed. The world is diverse and described beautifully, and the magic is well-rounded. “Teen tension” aside, I recommend reading this book.
Shami Stovall relies on her BA in History and Juris Doctorate to make her living as an author and history professor in the central valley of California. She writes in a wide range of fiction, from crime thrillers to fantasy to science-fiction. Stovall loves reading, playing video games, entertaining others with stories, and writing about herself in the third person. Find her online at https://sastovallauthor.com/
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All the opinions expressed in this review are my own. Read the full disclosure here.