Member Review

Asperfell was a wonderfully designed novel. Magic and murder all tangled up together had me turning the pages faster and faster. Our story opens up on the eve of a King's murder and the sentencing of his first born son, a mage no less, as the murderer. He is sentences to Asperfell, a prison for mages who have committed heinous crimes. Once they are sent through the Gates they can never return. Paranoid with the fear of those with any magic at all, the prince's brother, now king, creates a registry and so begins a magical purge.

Jamie Thomas crafted a world, and a main character that was believable and lovable. Finding ourselves mirrored in Briony Tenebrae. She is a wild creature, not meant for the preening masses that assemble at court, and we cheer her on in her quest from the moment she embarks upon it.

While I at first thought the novel began a bit slowly after the revelation of murder, I understand the necessity to create the tension and portray the deterioration of the world as we are originally introduced to it. We follow Briony through many twists and turns, and while some twists were entirely predictable, the craftsmanship and world building made those anticipated turns less shocking than I would normally find them to be.

This novel is a great addition to the New Adult category, and I highly recommend the read to anyone who has their imaginations deep in the magical recesses of murderers, thieves, and the wrongly accused.