Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee

Untethered Sky

by Fonda Lee

Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family.

Ester’s path leads her to join the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4 of 5 stars

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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Untethered Sky is a beautifully lyrical and well written adventure fantasy novella by veteran fantasist Fonda Lee. Released 11th April 2023 by Macmillan on their Tor/Forge imprint, it's 160 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats. 

The pacing in this very pared-down story was odd and it wasn't always satisfyingly filled out. That being said, it's a short very well written story about a roc handler and her charge, Zahra. It's a traditional fantasy setting, and the characters are well rendered and believable (in context). I don't think the author has ever produced a bad piece of writing, and this is no exception. She's outstanding at character and setting and this short novel is enjoyable. 

Four stars. Odd pacing, short in stature, and spare, it's nonetheless worthwhile to seek out. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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Reading updates

  • 5 September, 2023: Started reading
  • 5 September, 2023: Finished reading
  • 5 September, 2023: Reviewed