The Rite of Radnick (The Rite of Radnick Duology, #1)
Tara O’Toole
The theocratic state of Argacia offers Braya a choice: sacrifice or banishment. But even a repressive regime cannot quell her desire for something more — neither Braya’s nor the two men on whom her destiny depends. *** In the theocratic state of Argacia, where ears listen behind closed doors and the watchful eye of the Sect sees all, Braya Farroe is one of Gaia’s Chosen. Braya can harness the immense energy trapped within sylla crystals. But oftentimes, her power feels less like a blessing and more like a curse. CHOSEN TO KEEP THE DARKNESS AT BAY The Sect Elders have spent years preparing Braya to enter an endless sleep wherein her body will be used as a vessel to extract the syllan flames that fuel Argacia’s forges. But Braya is secretly sceptical about the rhetoric the Sect spews. She wants more than a life of service and solitude. She wants to be free. And when two masked men from the dreaded Mollakai arrive early to perform the sacrificial ceremony, Braya strikes a bargain with an underground resistance movement to escape. However, when she places her faith in the wrong person, someone close to her is captured. NO ONE CAN OUTRUN THEIR DESTINY Grief-stricken and alone, Braya jumps at an offer to save her loved ones, but there’s a catch. She must win the Rite of Radnick, a once-in-a-generation quest to discover a new deposit of sylla. And when she finds herself thrust into a sacred land surrounded by competitors more vicious than the mythical creatures trying to kill her, Braya must discover who is worthy of her trust and her heart. Because once you enter the Rite of Radnick, there are only two choices: RISE OR DIE The Rite of Radnick is the first book in a new adrenaline-fuelled, epic fantasy romance series, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, The Serpent and the Wings of Night and A Fate Inked in Blood.
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This book had such a strong setup which some really interesting lore, an oppressive magical system, and the promise of revolution wrapped in a deadly competition. Braya, born as one of Gaia’s “chosen,” is expected to sacrifice herself for the good of her people. But instead of going quietly, she fights back, gets caught up in political schemes, and enters a cutthroat contest with the country’s elite. The class tensions, the religious manipulation, the themes of power and agency, it’s all really intriguing and a solid foundation. There’s also a great cast of characters (Daemon, Heyden, Marissa and btw I've never read a book who has a character that shares my name!) and a found family-team dynamic that really grew on me. I’m a sucker for unlikely friendships and tense alliances, and this book delivered on that front. The magic system and political world feel like they’re just starting to unfold, and I definitely got the sense there’s a lot more beneath the surface we’ll get in book two. That said, the first half was pretty slow for me. The plot takes a while to pick up speed, and a lot of the early tension gets lost in Braya reacting to things rather than making active choices. There are also some relationship moments that I wish were fleshed out a bit more. I do think this would have benefitted from having romance as a minor plot point just because of the topic. Some of the romantic moments, felt a bit oddly placed given the amount of trauma and chaos happening around them. I definitely get that fantasy often leans into that kind of drama, even if it doesn’t totally work for me haha. Overall, The Rite of Radnick has some seriously interesting bones. If the second book tightens up the pacing and keeps digging into the darker themes, I think the duology could be something great. Definitely worth picking up if you like high-stakes fantasy with political intrigue and a heroine trying to reclaim her own story. *Thanks so much to the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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