Quickbane: Part One

by Chelsea Starling

[inlibrisveritas]

Quickbane Part One is a short book packed with rich lore and some great foreshadowing. It is a story of courage, love and inner strength.

Our main character Jesobel, the future Royal Starkeeper of Pyxis and as she finds out she is also the Heart of Azimuth as well. She is not only a future leader but now she has the pressure of leading her people back to their lost homeland. It’s a dangerous goal and one that Jesobel struggles to find the will to do. Her magic studies are difficult for her and it isn’t until it’s too late to turn back from her fate that shes truly grows to accept what she has to do. I love her attitude even when it gets her in trouble. She’s a wild girl, who prefers to ride her horse, run barefoot, and shoot her bow…and she is hesitant to part with that side of herself in favor of the girl her people need her to be. I can see how Jesobel is going to grow and it makes me excited to see what she is capable of. There is a touch of romance but it is relevant to the story and is incredibly sweet.

Quickbane Part One is a quick read, but that doesn’t stop it from pulling you in and immersing you in the story. Chelsea manages to pack plenty of interesting lore and a new magic system into the story without loading it down and making it feel sluggish. In fact the farther you go into the story the quicker the story seems to flow (or maybe I was just reading it faster because I couldn’t put it down). And that ending! I can’t wait for Part Two to come out, because I NEED to know what is going to happen to Jesobel.

This is perfect for fantasy lovers who don’t want to wade through 600 pages of world-building. Sterling manages all of that and still leaves you thirsty for more in less than 200. Not to mention a great main character and some awesome foreshadowing involving a rather nefarious character.