Markswoman

Format:

Book

Title:

Markswoman

Author:

Mehrotra, Rati author

ISBN:

9780062564542

Edition:

First edition.

Publication:

New York, NY : Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2018]

Physical Description:

vi, 368 pages : map ; 21 cm

Series title(s):

Asiana ;

Number in series:

BK. I.

Summary:

"An order of magical-knife wielding female assassins brings both peace and chaos to their post-apocalyptic world in this bewitching blend of science fiction and epic fantasy--the first entry in a debut duology that displays the inventiveness of the works of Sarah Beth Durst, Marie Lu, and S.J. Kincaid. Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a highly trained sisterhood of elite warriors armed with telepathic blades. Guided by a strict code of conduct, Kyra and the other Orders are sworn to protect the people of Asiana. But to be a Markswoman, an acolyte must repudiate her former life completely. Kyra has pledged to do so, yet she secretly harbors a fierce desire to avenge her dead family. When Kyra's beloved mentor dies in mysterious circumstances, and Tamsyn, the powerful, dangerous Mistress of Mental Arts, assumes control of the Order, Kyra is forced on the run. Using one of the strange Transport Hubs that are remnants of Asiana's long-lost past, she finds herself in the unforgiving wilderness of desert that is home to the Order of Khur, the only Order composed of men. Among them is Rustan, a young, disillusioned Marksman whom she soon befriends. Kyra is certain that Tamsyn committed murder in a twisted bid for power, but she has no proof. And if she fails to find it, fails in her quest to keep her beloved Order from following Tamsyn down a dark path, it could spell the beginning of the end for Kyra--and for Asiana. But what she doesn't realize is that the line between justice and vengeance is razor thin. thin as the blade of a knife"-- Provided by publisher.

"A fantastic blend of science fiction and fantasy, Markswoman is the first in a duology about a female order of magical-knife wielding assassins who bring both peace and chaos to Asiana, a post-apocalyptic version of Asia. Perfect for readers of Sarah Beth Durst, Marie Lu, and Sabaa Tahir"-- Provided by publisher.

Subject(s):

Secret societies -- Fiction.

Assassins -- Fiction.

Genre:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Silver Falls Library	SF MEHROTRA	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Monmouth Public Library	Fic (sf) Mehrotra, R. 2018	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

An order of magical-knife wielding female assassins brings both peace and chaos to their post-apocalyptic world in this bewitching blend of science fiction and epic fantasy--the first entry in a debut duology that displays the inventiveness of the works of Sarah Beth Durst and Marie Lu.

Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, one of a handful of sisterhoods of highly trained elite warriors. Armed with blades whose metal is imbued with magic and guided by a strict code of conduct, the Orders are sworn to keep the peace and protect the people of Asiana. Kyra has pledged to do so--yet she secretly harbors a fierce desire to avenge her murdered family.

When Tamsyn, the powerful and dangerous Mistress of Mental Arts, assumes control of the Order, Kyra is forced on the run. She is certain that Tamsyn committed murder in a twisted bid for power, but she has no proof.

Kyra escapes through one of the strange Transport Hubs that are the remnants of Asiana's long-lost past and finds herself in the unforgiving wilderness of a desert that is home to the Order of Khur, the only Order composed of men. Among them is Rustan, a disillusioned Marksman whose skill with a blade is unmatched. He understands the desperation of Kyra's quest to prove Tamsyn's guilt, and as the two grow closer, training daily on the windswept dunes of Khur, both begin to question their commitment to their Orders. But what they don't yet realize is that the line between justice and vengeance is thin . . . as thin as the blade of a knife.

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

This enjoyably melodramatic science fiction and fantasy blend rings familiar sounds from slightly unusual bells. In a vastly depopulated Asia (here called Asiana) recovering from a long-past Great War that set civilization back to a medieval state, judicial executions are carried out by orders of trained, ascetic Marks-women who can read minds and are armed with psychically aware daggers. The blades, along with teleportation hubs, are gifts from mysterious visitors who "had come down from the stars." Kyra, newly elevated to Markswoman status, makes her first kill, taking out a captured member of the outlaw gang that wiped out her village and left her to be raised by the Order of Kali. Fearing the order's new headwoman, Kyra escapes and finds refuge with the shunned Order of Khur, the only all-male order. She plans to return and take command of the Order of Kali once she's strong enough to duel the headwoman, a legendary fighter. One of the Khur members, Rustan, helps prepare Kyra for the duel despite his qualms over her moral stances. The setting is lightly sketched; though the Hindu goddess Kali is depicted with her typical attributes, the Order of Kali has few relevant rituals or observances, relegating a real-world religion to window dressing. Debut novelist Mehrotra ably paces her story, giving just enough hints and revealing just enough secrets, but the revelations won't surprise any reader who's familiar with fantasies with strong romance elements. Agent: Mary C. Moore, Kimberley Cameron & Associates. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

Having just killed her first mark, Kyra is now a Markswoman in the Order of Kali. The oldest Order in Asiana, the Order of Kali is known for their great fighting skills and their wise Mahimata, Shirin Mam. All of the Markswomen fight with their katari, a telepathic dagger to which they are psychically linked. When Kyra discovers the body of Shirin Mam, she strongly suspects that Tamsyn, the Mistress of Mental Arts, had something to do with the death. Her suspicions put her in danger, and Kyra flees to the camp of the Order of Khur. Unlike other Orders, which are all female, this Order is all male. Kyra trains with them so she can challenge Tamsyn for the leadership of the Order of Kali. The author hits all the familiar beats of the chosen-one narrative as well as the romantic antagonists-turned-allies plot. Nevertheless, Mehrota's page-turning debut concocts a solid fantasy world with a strong heroine. Readers will look forward to the next in the series.--Pearson, Lynnanne Copyright 2018 Booklist

Library Journal Review

Kyra is the youngest full Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a sisterhood of magic knife-wielding assassins. The story focuses on her path of revenge, with a love interest/triangle thrown in along the way. The premise has promise, but the title is unevenly paced and at times predictable, with not very believable characters overall. Emily Woo Zeller provides a pleasant reading, modulating her voice to heighten the tension VERDICT Of interest to fans of fantasy and sf tales with a female protagonist. ["Well-developed characters and intriguing worldbuilding that mixes remnants of technological transportation with magical elements will keep readers engrossed in this fast-paced, enchanting postapocalyptic fantasy debut": LJ 12/17 review of the Harper Voyager hc.]-Denise Garofalo, Mount Saint Mary Coll. Lib., Newburgh, NY © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.