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When he was a boy, Razvan trained as a translator for the hated Keda, the mute enslavers of his city, Val Kedić. They are a cruel race who are quick to anger. They keep a tight hold on the citizens of Val Kedić by forcing their children to be sent to work in the dangerous mines of the city from the age of eleven until eighteen. By learning fingerspeak – the Keda's touch language – Razvan was able to avoid such a punishment for himself and live a life outside the harsh climate of the slums. But the same could not be said for his son...
Now a man, Razvan has etched out a quiet life for himself as an interpreter for the Keda court. He does not enjoy his work, but keeps his head down to protect his son, held hostage in the Keda’s mines. The Keda reward any parental misdemeanors with extra lashings for their children. Now the city is under siege by a new army who are perhaps even more cruel than their current enslavers. At the same time, a mysterious rebellion force has reached out to Razvan with a plan to utilize the incoming attack to defeat the Keda once and for all. Razvan must decide which side to fight on, who can be trusted, and what truly deserves to be saved.
File Under: Fantasy [ Linguistical Nightmare | Camun Willing | Knuckle Up | Silence isn’t Golden ]
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
December 14, 2021 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780857669612
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780857669612
- File size: 2626 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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August 9, 2021
Thomson (Death of a Clone) tells the story of a quiet man driven to take a stand in a medieval city teetering on the brink of war in this fast-paced epic fantasy. Val Kedić is ruled by the ruthless Keda, a voiceless race who hold the city hostage by sending its children to work in the mines of Riona at age 11. Razvan, whose son is among the stolen children, works as a translator of the Keda’s touch-based language, alternately called Fingerspeak and Spidertouch. Razvan’s policy is to keep his head down and work hard; provoking the Keda’s ire will only earn his child worse treatment at the mine. But outside forces bring unwanted change: as diplomatic talks with an infamous warlord fail and the city prepares for siege, a band of rebel citizens decide it’s time to strike back at the Keda—and they want Razvan’s help. Thomson builds a fascinating world of competing forces and political motivations. The Keda blend aggressive ambition with backstabbing for memorable villainy, while Razvan proves a complex protagonist, revealing the potential for violence in a smart man pushed too far. Action-adventure fans will enjoy this brisk story of revolution, revenge, and justice—and look forward to the sequel hinted at the end. Agent: Jennie Goloboy, Donald Maass Literary. -
October 15, 2021
The Keda have figured out the perfect way to subjugate an entire population: take their children away from the ages of 11 to 18 to go to work in a mine. The children work to get an important substance out of the planet; but no one cares about them, just the product. The only way to get some kind of clout as a subjugated person is to work directly for the Keda. After being found at an early age to have an aptitude for the Keda's touch language, fingerspeak, Razvan works as a translator. This does not spare his son a childhood in the mines, though. When a force stronger than the Keda threatens their city and their society, Razvan sees this as a good time to join a known, but small, group of rebels. Thomson has set up a difficult and heartbreaking situation, and watching the characters attempt to change it and find justice is key to the story's appeal; readers will get lost in the action of the book.COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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