Reviewer: Ryan O’Boyle
Book: Raybearer
Author: Jordan Ifueko
Being a great monarch is a tall task. One person is unlikely to be able to make the correct decision without input from others. Even Kings have a council. In Raybearer, by Jordan Ifueko, that council is made up of eleven members that all love and serve their king. Bonded to their ruler through a magic connection called a Ray, each bonded council member grants the king one immunity to death in addition to the one they are born with. Once the council is fully formed, The Raybearer cannot be killed by anyone except his council or old age. Only a man can be a Raybearer and pass down his lineage, though not all male children of a Raybearer will be born with the gift of immunity. The current ruler of Aritsar has a Crown Prince who is ready to select his council. Tarisai, a young girl raised to carry out another’s wish, must grapple with the magic inside her, compelling her to kill the Crown Prince while she grows ever fonder of him. In a deft tale, this story follows the account of Tarisai as she grows up and learns the dark secrets that haunt the kingdom.
This non-stop, pulse pounding, action packed epic will keep your mind occupied and the pages turning. Different forms of magic oscillate in strength and present a unique challenge to the mind. I was enthralled by page one. It is as engaging as it is unique. Barreling through difficulties, Tarisai grows and becomes a woman as strong and virtuous as an empress despite her dueling fealty. Her mission gains traction when she almost succeeds in her mother’s wish one fateful day. The escape that ensues plunges her into a race against time to save everyone she cares about. With detailed writing, Ifueko crafts a story of tragedy, betrayal, trust and love. Raybearer stands above the rest with its fascinating magic and descriptive narrative.