Of Silver and Beasts (Goddess Wars #1)
by Trisha Wolfe
Genre: New Adult Dark Fantasy
Published: April 19th 2013
Source: ARC from the author
GoodReads / Author's website
In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.
When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.
Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.
New Adult Dark Fantasy: Intended for readers 17 years of age and older.
Kaliope has been chosen to become the leader of the Nactue, a group of female soldiers entasked to protect the Empress of the City of Cavan. A neighboring kingdom falls under the force of the Otherworlders and Kaliope becomes the reluctant protector of Caben, a rebellious prince who is heir to the throne and the last of his line. The Otherworlders attacks the City of Cavan and kidnaps Kaliope and Caben, taking them to their underground realm and forcing them to fight other contenders in a battle to the death in hopes of reclaiminng their freedom. There is more to this barbaric game than what the contenders realize and Kaliope's secret is the only thing that can save them all.
Let me just go straight to the point and tell you that Of Silver and Beasts is one of the best books I've read this year. I haven't had much luck with liking the fantasy books I've been reading these days but this book got me out of my slump. The book introduced me to different worlds that had me instantly intrigued and there was enough action, drama, and romance to keep me turning the pages.
Kaliope was an all-around kick-ass heroine. She placed her duty and the safety of the people she loved over her own well being. Kaliope's not one of those stoic and emotionless heroines, no. She defines the true meaning of fearless- to accept that you are afraid, but to have the courage to overcome it. Kaliope's been through a lot- her father stole mercury and injected it into her system to hide it from authorities. Her mother took her to the temple of a healer goddess and had a priestess pray over her while a doctor placed a clamp to stop the mercury from coming into contact with her heart. Her father's wrongdoings has led her to have a slight distrust towards men, but she still respects them to a certain point. Kaliope was a concrete character but Trisha Wolfe makes her transparent to the reader. Kaliope's emotions of compassion, bravery, loyalty, sense of duty, anger, frustration, and desire practically radiated from the pages.
I couldn't stand Caben when he first appeared in the book. He was reckless, stubborn, and placed too much value on his princely pride. I started to like him when I found out his back story and the reasons for his demeanor were explained. Caben and Kaliope are alike in so many ways, but Caben is the more sensible one. He keeps Kaliope in place and stops her when Kaliope acts before thinking about the consequences of her actions. A few days after I finished the book, I still couldn't stop thinking about Caben.
Of Silver and Beasts mainly focuses on the dark fantasy aspect and introduces us to a world of kingdoms and underground communities with their own set of goddesses, both good and bad. The world building was astounding and I understood every bit of the realm that was shown to me. Trisha Wolfe's writing makes it as if the events in the book unfold before your very eyes. It has some similarities to Battle Royale- like a darker and less forgiving Hunger Games. Of Silver and Beasts doesn't sugarcoat the evil and terror in the book. It doesn't mince on the vivid descriptions of the brutally high-adrenaline fight scenes and bloodshed. There is also romance in the book, but it isn't rushed and annoying. The developments and relationships develop in their own pace and aren't overdone.
Trisha Wolfe did not just create a book, she created a whole new world. Of Silver and Beasts finds strength in it's superb world building, comparable to the realm of A Song of Ice and Fire. The book and it's uniquely intriguing plot wouldn't have been the same if it wasn't as highly detailed. The ending completely took me by surprise and I love and hate Trisha Wolfe for it. Kaliope and Caben's story inspires and gives strength, telling us that there is a reason behind every bad experience- sometimes a curse is a blessing in disguise.
THE NUB AND GIST: 5 STARS
