I thought this would be one novel, but it turned out to be a series of short Light Novels, roughly the length of a novella, marketed as Dark Fantasy but which I’d say blends High Fantasy with Steampunk and Gothic romance.
At a glance, it looks like it’s going to be one of those stories about fearful damsels whose father sells them into marriage to some dangerous lord to secure a political treaty, in which the damsel arrives at the castle of her unseen husband and meets a brusque sourpuss who speaks to her rudely (in this case, he calls her a “blood bag with a pulse.” the prick!), and leaves her to fend for herself after simply telling her to lock herself in her room and not open the door to anyone. Then he has to somehow run back to rescue her from some attack or mistake of her own doing.
In such stories, some old servant always gives the damsel instructions like, “Don’t touch such-and-such,” “Don’t go into such-and-such room,” and “Don’t go out during such-and-such time.” Instructions that, of course, the damsel disobeys and is nearly killed for it. But, surprise, it turns out she has a special power. Here, it’s that she is a Null, an extraordinary human of a sort that hasn’t been born in millennia, that absorbs and nullifies magic. So convenient for a King of Beasts that possesses the magic of the Abyss, an ungovernable and chaotic force he can barely control. With this special characteristic in her favour, Elara becomes a true queen consort with power and authority overnight, accompanying Kaelen everywhere, participating in battles, and earning the respect of his Beastkin generals. All very well and good.
Continue reading
