Series Review by Kayla Laine, Staff Writer
As an avid fan of fantasy, I'm always looking for the next great adventure, so when I stumbled upon a pristine copy of Realm Breaker in my favorite used book store it was a no questions asked purchase. Victoria Aveyard was a name I recognized thanks to the popularity of her Red Queen series across the bookish spaces of the internet, but I'd not yet had the opportunity to dive into any of her written works. The Realm Breaker cover caught my eye for it's exceptional art work, and I made my way merrily home without even reading the synopsis of the story. A true for the cover purchase if ever I made one. I was not quite prepared at that time for the emotional journey I was about to embark upon.
As an avid fan of fantasy, I'm always looking for the next great adventure, so when I stumbled upon a pristine copy of Realm Breaker in my favorite used book store it was a no questions asked purchase. Victoria Aveyard was a name I recognized thanks to the popularity of her Red Queen series across the bookish spaces of the internet, but I'd not yet had the opportunity to dive into any of her written works. The Realm Breaker cover caught my eye for it's exceptional art work, and I made my way merrily home without even reading the synopsis of the story. A true for the cover purchase if ever I made one. I was not quite prepared at that time for the emotional journey I was about to embark upon.
Series Summary
What happens when the heroes of the realm have all but perished, and the villain prevails? Set in an intricately woven fantasy world, Realm Breaker tells the story of Corayne an-Amarat, a pirate's daughter with a quick wit and a mysterious origin story who has been raised in seclusion in a cottage by the sea, watching her mother chase the horizon while she's been tucked safely away longing for adventure of her own.
Adventure comes in many forms, and with darkness spreading across Allward as the villain of our story, Taristan of Old Cor, sets out to rip the realm apart, Corayne is in for more adventure than she bargained for. Corayne quickly discovers the truth that her mother had hoped to hide her from- she is the last hope of the realm, a descendant of an ancient lineage with the power to tear (or repair) spindles through space, opening the realm of Allward up to realms long lost, monsters that seek to destroy, and What Waits, a god-like demon bent on the destruction of Allward and all the realms beyond.
Corayne is not alone in her task as she is soon joined by a band of unlikely heroes, each with their own unique and compelling stories. An immortal Elder, courageous and timeless, with a score to settle. A skilled assassin, heartless with a bounty on her head. An ancient sorceress, keeping secrets and speaking in riddles that hint at foresight the others have not. An honorable squire, one of the sole survivors of a failed quest, who would follow Corayne into the fire and beyond.
The Realm Breaker series is a daring coming of age adventure, with twists and turns you never see coming, a villainous love story you can't help but root for, and heart wrenching examples of the power of friendship.
My Thoughts
The Realm Breaker series is a YA adventure that anyone can find themselves fully immersed in. A surprisingly easy read for such an intricately built world, this story grabbed me by the throat and never let go. The story is told from multiple points of view that offer a unique and descriptive telling of each scene, sometimes viewing the same scenes from more than one angle or back tracking in the timeline to reveal pieces of the tale at exactly the right moment. Aveyard does a wonderful job of creating compelling characters, each with a unique personality and backstory that ensures a favorite for any reader to relate to. This story is full of suspense, never falling into a lull or dull moment, and each of the sequels picks up right where the previous book left off, creating an action packed adventure that you won't want to put down.
I enjoyed the unique take on a multiverse, the realm of Allward is full of characters that have travelled through portals from their own realms, creating an eclectic mesh of characters and a world that speaks to diversity. It utilizes conflict between different sects of Allward's citizens to speak over real world issues in an entertaining and compelling way that adds emotional intrigue and substantial impact at the conclusion of the epic adventure. This story is a coming of age adventure first and foremost, with strong themes such as the power of friendship, the turmoil of personal inner struggles for multiple characters, and what happens when you choose to believe in yourself and your own power. The main characters each go through their own personal development as you turn the pages, and there is a duality in witnessing one characters rise to greatness, and another's descent into madness as the story progresses that is reminiscent of big fantasy titles like Game of Thrones or The Fellowship of the Ring.
While I would not classify this story as a romance, there are romantic elements woven throughout that burn so slowly and tug at your heart in a strong but subtle way. I must commend Aveyard on her ability to tell not just one, but multiple epic love stories through nothing but subtle touches and glances that manage to feel as powerful as the steamiest of romance novels. The development of each of these relationships is woven across all three books, with conclusions that I found extremely satisfying given the understanding that romance was not the authors primary objective. Most notably- the epic, selfish love between the villains of the story. It's not the love story you typically find in a YA fantasy novel, but a refreshing and compelling take that humanizes the villains in such a way that you catch yourself almost rooting for them in the end.
In all, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will not hesitate to pick up other titles from Victoria Aveyard in the future. I found her storytelling very compelling and enjoy the representation she weaves into her tales. Her pacing is fantastic, giving the reader plenty of detail and all the critical information to the story without ever falling into a sluggish information dump. This is a great series for teenage readers and adult readers alike.
I enjoyed the unique take on a multiverse, the realm of Allward is full of characters that have travelled through portals from their own realms, creating an eclectic mesh of characters and a world that speaks to diversity. It utilizes conflict between different sects of Allward's citizens to speak over real world issues in an entertaining and compelling way that adds emotional intrigue and substantial impact at the conclusion of the epic adventure. This story is a coming of age adventure first and foremost, with strong themes such as the power of friendship, the turmoil of personal inner struggles for multiple characters, and what happens when you choose to believe in yourself and your own power. The main characters each go through their own personal development as you turn the pages, and there is a duality in witnessing one characters rise to greatness, and another's descent into madness as the story progresses that is reminiscent of big fantasy titles like Game of Thrones or The Fellowship of the Ring.
While I would not classify this story as a romance, there are romantic elements woven throughout that burn so slowly and tug at your heart in a strong but subtle way. I must commend Aveyard on her ability to tell not just one, but multiple epic love stories through nothing but subtle touches and glances that manage to feel as powerful as the steamiest of romance novels. The development of each of these relationships is woven across all three books, with conclusions that I found extremely satisfying given the understanding that romance was not the authors primary objective. Most notably- the epic, selfish love between the villains of the story. It's not the love story you typically find in a YA fantasy novel, but a refreshing and compelling take that humanizes the villains in such a way that you catch yourself almost rooting for them in the end.
In all, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will not hesitate to pick up other titles from Victoria Aveyard in the future. I found her storytelling very compelling and enjoy the representation she weaves into her tales. Her pacing is fantastic, giving the reader plenty of detail and all the critical information to the story without ever falling into a sluggish information dump. This is a great series for teenage readers and adult readers alike.
I'd recommend this series to...
This series is perfect for fans of The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and more. If action, adventure, and magic are your jam this is right up your alley. With fantastical magic and creatures such as the Kraken, Dragons, and magic wielding wizards and gods, there is no lack of imagination to be found in these pages. Appropriate for advanced readers of all ages, there are some small closed door sexual references but nothing vulgar or explicit. It is not a book I would recommend if you're looking for obvious romance or a hero to save the girl. In this tale the girl saves herself. It is absolutely something I would recommend if you want a story that surprises you, keeps you in it's grips and then shuts the door in a satisfying way that will keep you thinking about the realm of Allward long after you're done reading.