Realm Breaker

Only descendants of Old Cor, an ancient fallen empire, can manipulate the Spindle gates that connect Allward to other worlds. One such individual, Cortael, believes the Spindles should stay shut, as they have for centuries—not all realms are friendly, after all, and some contain monsters. Cortael’s twin, Taristan, however, aims to open as many Spindles as he can find, destabilizing Allward so that the evil entity he worships, What Waits, can take over. When Taristan kills Cortael during a battle for control of a Spindle, Cortael’s ally Domacridhan—an immortal “Elder” whose ancestors hail from another land—tracks down Corayne an-Amarat, the 17-year-old daughter of Cortael and a notorious pirate queen, and persuades her to help stop her uncle. Aiding their quest are 17-year-old squire Andry Trelland and 30-year-old assassin Sorasa Sarn, among others. Insufficiently elucidated worldbuilding and late-defined stakes hinder this expansive, action-packed series launch from Aveyard (the Red Queen series). Some point-of view characters lack depth, but the ensemble cast, whose skin tones range from golden to dark brown, features several fierce females whose uncertain fates may lure readers back for the sequel. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. (May) [/em]