Description
Krescent Dune is used to fighting monsters on her island, but she's unprepared for the monsters lurking in the deep in this new South Asian-inspired fantasy from the highly-acclaimed author of Monsters Born and Made.
Krescent Dune is buried under the weight of her dead parents' debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by fighting monstrous amphibians in underground fighting pits. She's never lost a match, until now.
Desperate, Krescent is offered a deal. Her debts will be erased if she joins a hunting party for a dangerous rescue mission deep beneath the island. With no other choice, Krescent is forced to play nice as the group's bodyguard, even though every step that brings them deeper underground means she must face the terrifying truth that she is trapped with her childhood enemy and people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were.
As the group journeys down beyond where their maps end with creatures never seen before, Krescent begins to suspect there's more to their rescue mission than first meets the eye. Soon enough, they are abandoned in the deep dark underground, with only monsters seen and unseen for company.
Review
Set on the island of Kar Artish, our main character, Krescent Dune, has the world against her. Her dead parents caused a mining explosion that killed many miners, and so it is better that most people don’t know her true identity. Those that do have her fighting, gladiatorial style, against all sorts of weird and ferocious monsters - and she is the best there is!
Krescent dreams of leaving the island one day. The oppressive conditions of the lower class is horrific, particularly the miners who toil endlessly for the rich zargunine, only to be rewarded with mere scraps to eat.
But when Kress throws a fight, the crowd turns against her and she is forced to lead the defence of an expedition way down underground - and possibly earn her freedom.
This is when things really heat up! Others on the expedition all have a different agenda and many would stop at nothing to have Kress killed. They also must face many very scary monsters making for lots of action-packed scenes and plot twists.
Kress also has to protect Rivan - who has joined the group totally uninvited because he can’t bear to have his best friend Kress risking her life without him. Could their friendship lead to more than just friends?
This is a great story with excellent world and full of action and adventure, with themes of class distinction, poverty, exploitation and fighting against oppression. Together with incredible monsters, crazy fighting scenes and the possibility of romance this will be loved by YA fantasy readers aged 12 to 16.
Reviewed by Rob
