Title: Onyx and Ivory
Author: Mindee Arnett
Series: Rime Chronicles #1
Pages: 500
4.5 Stars
From Goodreads:
They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.
The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumours of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.
With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.
My Thoughts:
I received this book in my Fairyloot subscription box, with its beautifully black sprayed pages it went on my shelf, like most of my Fairyloot books do patiently waiting for me to get around to reading it. I honestly love my subscription as it has made me pick up books I probably wouldn’t have reached for. I have found some new favourite authors and new series to dive into and Onyx and Ivory defiantly joins the ranks of “awesome surprises” I have received. I really enjoyed this book, it keeps a fast paced story going while building the backstory efficiently.
This is truly an epic fantasy I cant wait to read more of. I am a sucker for magic systems and this one is fantastic with both legal and illegal forms that interplay in such an interesting way. On top of that we have deadly dragons and political intrigue.
Both the perspectives of Kate and Corwin are great to read and I really didn’t find myself favouring one over the other they blended nicely into each other and moved the story on. Both perspectives give such insight into the world and how it functions. I have to admit the side characters were some of my favourites, they added such colour and excitement into the story, adding lighter moments to the story.
Its hard to say more and stay spoiler free but I loved the twists and turns, the romance was genuine and a nice undercurrent to the main tale that wove together many tales into a coherent and enjoyable world.
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