This novel, graphically demonstrating the ills of imperialism, made me dream of the Amritsar Massacre and the Sepoy Rebellion (which is the name given back when I first learned of it) when I was in the midst of it, not sure which way the story was going. However, there are little frills of French, so I probably should have been thinking the Battle of Algiers. C.L. Clark’s book is that vivid, thrusting you into the point of view of what it would be like to feel trapped between a world that had trained you and an unremembered land that gave you birth.

Touraine has long been caught between her ambition to make something of herself in the Baladaire empire for which she has fought in many wars and her desire to protect her fellow Sands, other conscripts from her homeland. That tension is pulled to its utmost when her unit is deployed to the land of their birth, Qazal. No one wants her—not the country she’s bled for or the country she was pulled from with no say in the matter. Sometimes you just want to shake her to see things as they are, but you can’t help feeling for her predicament.

Luca, princess and arguably rightful ruler of the empire, has been sent to deal with local disturbances. I had less sympathy for her and her inability, at times, to empathize with the colony she’d come to. Having a disabled protagonist who was quite functional despite the condition that made walking or dancing difficult was a plus, but her self-centeredness was a bit off-putting. She can dress it up as beneficial to all her subjects, but those claims felt hollow.

It’s an absorbing story, full of devious actors. There’s a lot of emotion packed into this, and the otherness that Touraine always feels is convincing and heart-rending. The book is paced fairly steadily, and the outlook is grim most of the time.

As well as the unusual storyline, The Unbroken features a cast that’s overwhelmingly female. They all have their own quirks and personalities, and almost all of them are strong (and fragile) in unique ways. Lesbian relationships are taken as a matter of course, a pleasant feature in an alternate reality.

Another interesting feature is that Balladaire has eliminated religion, if not by law, by a pervasive social view that it is “uncivilized.” The imperial view is in opposition to the religious nature of most of the subject countries, although the religions portrayed remind me more of the contractual types of religion (do this for me and I’ll do that for you) rather than any mystical-type connection.

It takes a while for any fantasy aspect (other than an imagined reality) to appear, and it may be too limited for some fantasy junkies. But I found it a compelling, if at times disturbing, read.

(Post will go live 2/24/2021

Rating: 9.0/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of The Unbroken (Magic of the Lost #1) for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

The Unbroken is a utterly remarkable fantasy debut. A heart-rending, unflinching tale of love, loyalty, and making the right choices despite the repercussions. Clark had me completely engrossed in her prose, her world, and her characters from beginning to end. I loved this sky-falling book.

You know I am a cover snob, and I am always down a Tommy Arnold original. They are just captivating to look at and clearly belong on permanent display on a bookshelf. This one is no different. Just look at how gorgeous it is :’).

As for what is inside, it is always up in the air, especially with debuts. Knowing just how many Orbit debuts I have read and thoroughly enjoyed, I really wasn’t too worried and figured I would at least enjoy the ride.

I didn’t expect to just tear through it.

Whether I was supposed to or not, I had female Torgo Nudho (Grey Worm in A Song of Ice and Fire) in vibes with the main character, Touraine. I think that, along with Arnold’s rendering, helped me to quickly ally myself with her and understand her motivations. While some of the decisions she makes throughout the story can be head scratchers, it is easy to see exactly where her true loyalties lie. True, love makes things complicated, but nine times out of ten, family always comes first.

I feel like Luca’s character was a bit outshined, though she still played a very significant role considering her chapters were nearly half the book. Her love for Touraine feels natural, and the tensions that arise between the two as the book progresses feels exactly as you would expect.

What starts as a rather fast-paced introduction slows down a bit to engage the reader with the characters and the world, attempting to pull you into the dirt laden streets and beautifully tapestried rooms of the Empire. Thing is, before you know it, the intensity swells into a crescendo, leaving the reader out of breath by the time the epilogue hits. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for books that never let off the accelerator, but the intricacy with which Clark keeps this story going and introduces a little more weight to the pedal as the chapters progress kept me all-in.

This isn’t a story for those looking for massive battles, tons of bloodshed, or dragons swooping in to lay fire to an empire. It is about political machinations, love and loss, rebellion, and finding what is worth saving, with a teensy bit of magic thrown in.

I enjoyed the world-building a lot and I think the setting was one of the most memorable elements of this book. I do wish the magic system would have been explained more. The characters were all very believable to me, but at times I felt disconnected from them and did not understand their motivations.

C. L. Clark's The Unbroken is the first in the new series, Magic of the Lost. In it, we follow the perspectives of two characters - Touraine, a soldier, raised in Belladaire and returning to her homeland with a contingent of soldiers; and Luca, a princess vying for her rightful throne - who make decisions to stop a rebellion and build a nation.

I really liked the author's world-building for this North African-inspired fantasy. I really liked the setting, and the descriptions of the architecture (especially of the Grand Temple) and culture was very well done. The only thing I would have liked more of was the magic system, though I have a feeling this will be described further in future books.

I was also a big fan of the characters, even if they didn't always do what I wanted them to do... There was a great amount of representation, with queer main characters as well as other lesbian, gay, and bi characters; there is also a non binary character and a trans character. The characters themselves were complex and, at times, morally gray with questionable motives; even then, their actions were done for what they considered to be the "right" reasons (it reminded me a little of Rin in R. F. Kuang's The Poppy War trilogy, though Rin was more ruthless). There was a lot of betrayal and calculated moves and plotting, and I was there for it.

I can't wait to read more about these characters (and their political machinations) in the rest of this trilogy!

I was not the ideal reader for this book. Don't get me wrong--there is a lot to like here. I appreciated the themes of colonialism, racism, and forced acculturation that the author addresses. The setting was richly developed, and the pace moved along quickly. However, I am not a fan of military fiction, and I could not identify with the main character, the soldier Touraine. I just could not understand many of Touraine's motivations, and her actions often baffled me. Without giving anything away, there is a major plot point in the middle of the book caused by a decision by Touraine, and I could not believe she would make this decision. Because of this, the rest of the book unraveled, and the other characters made decisions that were increasingly confusing for me. Other readers likely won't have this problem, and I hope those readers will take more from this read than I could.

My thanks to Orbit books, C.L. Clark and Netgalley.
I hated this story. Actually despised it! Yet, I kept thinking that as bleak as it was, maybe somewhere? Well, that somewhere took me to the 55% mark. Up until then? Hints. Maybe, just a few promises of what may come.
I would usually quit a book at 30%. That's my bullshit line.
This story took way too long to come into its own. Still, I realize that it's Fantasy. That's the only genre I'll spend this much time getting to know. Just because it's not just one book, but at least 3. However C.L. Clark and his or her editor's should get a move on. Most people aren't going to stick around this long!
I'll admit that I spent half of this book tense. I mean, really tense! I didn't like it! But, I still had to keep reading.
I was finally happy when things went haywire! It is what I wanted. I do wish that there were a few lighthearted moment's. Humor does tend to loosen up the butt clenching parts. Seriously. Humor should always be a given.
Much as I've moaned, I will say that I eventually loved this book. Touraine and the rebels own me.
3 1/2 stars because of the beginning. 4* because of the end! I wouldn't have said this 24 hours ago, but now? I'm ready to read the next book!

The Unbroken by C.L Clark, A good book with a good premise, I struggled a little to get into it but eventually was able to do so, thank you for giving me a chance with this book.

Well, this was and wasn't what I was expecting. I loved almost everything about this and had trouble putting this down. This pretty much hit all my buttons for a fantasy/scifi read: political machinations, action scenes, well drawn characters, interpersonal drama, great worldbuilding, and good pacing. This has representation galore, with it being inspired by North Africa, and queer normal world. There are also multiple differently abled characters here too. Our leads are a blonde bisexual princess, and lesbian person of color who try to navigate their way through the volatile politics of a colonized planet on the brink of a disaster.

I think what works for me is that the politics of the world are intensely personal for both our leads. Touraine is a conscripted soldier stolen from her home planet and finds herself caught between her desires to move impress her captures to improve her and her unit's station, and the people that she thought gave up on her. Princess Luca is desperately trying to wrestle the throne from her harsher Uncle, and comes to the planet to try to foster peace and find a rare resource that could stop the people in her empire from dying. When the women's paths cross, they don't realize what they start when they work toward a different kind of peace than either the colonialists or rebels think of.

There's a lot of stuff to set up and it is done very well, even though it is a slower pace than what a military fantasy would seem to be. I think it is because, between following Luca and Touraine, we are given enough personal stakes to want to keep seeing what these two are up to. Touraine is an amazing chaotic lead, where I couldn't figure out whether to hug her or smack her. Luca is smart but a little over her head, a little to idealistic, yet seemingly earnest.

I'd say this is a rare start of a series that I know is a slower paced book, but doesn't really feel like it. It draws on fictional inspirations and real world influences. I had a lot of fun watching Luca's and Touraine's relationship evolve over time and how messy they are. The political aspects are frustrating but satisfying, because it is so easy to hope for Luca's vision, even as it seems to slip away at each turn of the page. I can't wait to see what these characters do.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A gritty, fast paced, sapphic North African inspired fantasy, which I think fans of The Poppy War and The Priory of the Orange Tree will really enjoy. Trigger warnings for violence, mentions of sexual assault, colonization, and war. As far as representation, a majority of the characters are black, (the conscripts from Qazāl and other colonies are referred to as "sands"), Luca has experienced attraction to and had relationships with both men and women, is disabled due to a leg injury as a child, and uses a cane. Touraine is most likely a lesbian, and there is another wlw couple, Aranen and Djasha, a past mlm couple, Gil and the dead king, as well as another side character who uses they/them pronouns, and no homophobia or transphobia is present, which is something I prefer in fantasy books. Both of the main characters were fun to read, and I didn't prefer either's POV over the other, which I find is usually the case. It is quite plot heavy and fast paced, with some time skips, which makes the book confusing at times, and I had to reread passages to understand what was going on, and I really prefer character heavy books so I wish more attention was paid to the characters and their development and relationships. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, I had very little trouble getting through it, I will almost certainly be purchasing a copy when it comes out, and I can't wait for the sequel.
Arc provided from Netgalley

The Unbroken is a book, the review of which I have been unable to write for over a month. Even now, sitting to write this, I have no idea what I’m going to say. It is probably one of my favourite books of this year. It is definitely one of the best fantasies I’ve read this year. If you enjoy in-depth, political high fantasy (think The Traitor Baru Cormorant), then this book is for you.

The Unbroken follows two POVs: Touraine, a soldier in an empire’s army, returning to a homeland from which she was kidnapped as a child along with the rest of her company, and Luca, the princess who should be on the throne but for her uncle and who has been sent to quell a rebellion. Together, they have to find a way to broker peace.

Like I said at the start, this is a political fantasy, and it’s a fascinating one at that. It’s a look at empire and the damage it does — it is very much along the lines of The Traitor in that respect (also The Jasmine Throne, which is coming later in the year). What makes all these books stand out, I think, is that, after a while reading fantasy, you see that there’s a lot of books about the conquerors, or the rebels/resistance, but not so many that look at the people in between. The people who have complicated feelings about the empire are, I think, a more interesting exploration than those who fully believe in it (and this is perhaps what contributed to my liking Touraine’s POV more than I did Luca’s).

And then there’s the world! I loved how, in this, there are different types of magic, how some countries have magic and some don’t. Because then you can look at the lengths Luca will go to to claim that magic (which parallels the empire, I suppose, ransacking countries because it thinks it’s entitled to something from them. Luca feeling she is somehow entitled to the magic just because she is seeking it). And it’s going to add an interesting dimension to the sequel (especially given what Touraine did at the end of this one).

It is, though, a fairly slow book, punctuated by moments of action (which is no bad thing! I actually enjoy that about most adult fantasy, where I don’t with YA fantasy. I just wanted to let you know, in case you weren’t expecting it). It’s a definite slowburn, but done so well, you can just feel the tension that builds in the city over time. It’s one to savour as you read so you can catch everything that’s happening as well.

All of which to say: if you don’t pick this book up come March, I may never forgive it.

A complex fantasy surrounding colonialism, racism, and war with heavy military and political themes. There are multiple queer characters,, and many of the characters are morally grey and stuck between cultures, expectations, and difficult decisions. While this was a heavier book to get into, the writing and complexities of the world-building were very well done. There were some gorgeous descriptions!! I wish the magic had more of a place within the story as it is alluded to quite a bit at the beginning, and I’m hoping in the next book it’ll be more present. I very much enjoyed this ARC, thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley. I am looking forward to reading more from C.L. Clark!

Came for the Tommy Arnold art, stayed for the story.

I enjoy political intrigue, revenge stories, and fighting off colonizers, so I marked out a bit. I appreciated the foreshadowing and the pay-offs that were set up and am looking forward to book 2 in the series.

This is the first ARC I have gotten so I was a little thrown by not having a map and final marks to denotate when the POV changes. That was a little jarring at first, but once I got the author's style down it flowed well.

Wow! More please! An unforgettable world and story. Every page I just wanted more of this incredible world. I felt like I was walking through a museum of French colonialism, north African culture, war history, saphhic fantasy and while I was trying to take it all in the tour guide kept encouraging me to go to the next room! Cannot WAIT for the next book in the series! Officially a C.L Clark superfan.

I was so excited for this book, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy it very much. This book is a mostly military-centered fantasy, and one of the main characters, Touraine, is a lieutenant, and the other, Luca, is a princess. Although Luca's motivation throughout the book is keeping her uncle from taking the throne, we never even see the uncle and there is very little said about this situation. Touraine, on the other hand, almost immediately starts helping the rebels, and while that was the right choice, I didn't feel like she thought about it carefully. It was almost like one chapter she was loyal to Balladaire, and the next she was helping out the rebels. I also didn't really understand the magic system, as it was barely mentioned throughout the entire book and then used as a plot device towards the end of the book.

This upcoming fantasy deals directly with colonialism, religion, and racism along with featuring queer characters of all kinds. On one hand, this premise (and that cover! heart eyes) are everything I want in a novel, but on the other it felt less action-y than I had anticipated. This is a slow-burn political drama basically, and I think I was expecting a bit more swords and sorcery. But that's not a knock against the book at all, it's just not what I was looking for at the moment. I highly recommend checking this one out if you're interested in political or philosophical fantasy!

Oh. My. God.
First, let me start out with the necessary thanks and assurances of second-born children that will be delivered to NetGalley, Orbit, and now C.L. Clark for the copy of the ARC.

I was approved yesterday. It is the avalanche sections of the semester: I have two overdue papers, one due Wednesday, two final projects that I need to be working on, and two other papers due before next week. And a lot of other, overdue assignments. Technically those are all more important, but the first six words of this book ("A sandstorm brewed dark and menacing") caught my eye, and I had to finish the sentence. Then the chapter, as the first sentence gripped me so tightly. Then seventy percent of the book until words started mushing in my head.

This book is a fantastic, heavy book. Touraine is a conscripted soldier from a colonialized country, and has risen in the ranks high enough to be a lieutenant, but not enough, never enough to be respected. She is aware of this, aware that it is her friends, her family of other stolen children grown to soldiers, who pay the heaviest tolls in skirmishes and more. They're first out on the battle lines, first to die, and the most to die. They're her family, far more than the names and faces she barely and cannot let herself remember, the people she loves most in the empire she serves.

When Touraine and her family are sent back to the country of their birth to settle and quell the rebellions of the people still living them, there are those who are torn between the country of their birth and the country they have been raised to serve. Touraine can't let herself be. The country that raised her is hers, and her regiment her family-- not the whispers of the mother who gave her birth, not the uprisings.

Complex and gorgeously written-- all of Touraine's choices, all her decisions, all the actions she takes as she's dragged to discover herself and who she is in the best and worst of circumstances. Set alongside her is the empire's "rightful" queen and heir, Luca. Luca means to prove herself as a capable ruler so that she might take the throne her uncle sits on in "temporary" keeping. She might desire peace, but there's an important question raised throughout the first section of the book: who's right is it to provide peace? who has the right for peace? how is arranging peace a privilege? what does a peace say, a peace mean?

Touraine faces racism through the book, mostly from those who serve the same empire she has. That she might be higher-ranked than them, that she is trusted by the princess makes no difference: she isn't Balladairan, for all that she has lived there for far more of her life, had a Balladairan educate, and lost her birth name to acquire a Balladairan name. Expansionism and colonialism feature heavily as well, shown to us in multiple perspective's: Touraine's, the princess's, those who still live in Qazāl, and those who fight for Qazāli freedom.

Neither woman has exactly the same agenda, nor the same goals. Still, they're pressed together, and attraction sparks, one that neither lets herself act upon yet speaks so clearly throughout the entire book. Their relationship, while not the total of the book, might actually pale in comparison to one of the others written, perhaps specifically: Touraine and one of the rebels. Touraine has other significant relationships throughout the book: her mentor the general she greatly respects, her close friends among the conscripts, Touraine, a priestess, and the priestess's wife, Luca and one of her bodyguards, and most especially, Touraine and herself.

This book is fantastic. I would scream about it more, but I'm trying so hard not to spoil anything. Complex and devastating and beautiful and emotional and achingly full, it is a stunning work and series I'll probably be yelling about for days. My greatest disappointment is that I have to wait for this book to come out so i can read a preview of the next!

Wow - I need a moment to process. This was a kicka** novel filled to the brim with solid and diverse character creation, nuanced and intricate power dynamics, and fully-realized world-building.

The book essentially chronicles the life of Touraine, protagonist and deeply flawed conscript soldier. I can't really tell you how I feel about Touraine; I like her, but she was complex and made some difficult choices that were hard to read. She was so real and well-written, but her character arc was volatile and often misguided. Through various tense plot points, some with considerable consequences, we see Touraine as an amalgam of uncaring, selfish, ill-informed, brave, loving, broken, harsh, and determined actions. She was so real, but painfully so.

Touraine engages in a romantic relationship with Luca, arguably the deuteragonist. Their connection is engrossing but, at times, difficult to read. C.L. Clark doesn't pull any punches or protect her characters; they are fully influenced and shaped by their environments, which were rough and excruciating. Her characters make tough choices and hurt others. Yes, there is love, but there is also pain.

I think the story's most affecting element is Clark's skillfully interwoven critique and subtle observations of the effects of expansionism, colonialism, xenophobia, and racism in this book. The main protagonist's life is shaped by the effects of these insidious social conditions. Salient topics these are, considering the reckoning happening across the world. Even through narrative, we can find meaning and ways to analyze and reconsider the world around us, and Clark's novel provides a fresh and gritty perspective.

This was such a complex, engrossing, and devastating book; it is well written and constructed. I would recommend it to anyone, but be prepared for a painful read.


ARC copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. [Full review to be posted to social and Goodreads closer to release date per publisher request]

Clark's "The Unbroken" is an epic fantasy about loyalty and picking sides. The main character Tourraine is a soldier off to help the Queen-to-be put down a rebellious colony. Like many other "Sands," Tourraine is returning to her birthplace from whence she was stolen as a child and trained to be a so,diet for the Empire. Here, her loyalties are tested as she struggles with whether her loyalty lies with the Empire, her fellow indentured soldiers, or her birth people who she barely remembers. Her loyalties are further tested as she becomes the Princess' assistant, confidant, and lover. In this novel, their tragic romance seems natural as part of the story. Is her loyalty to the rebels, to her former fellow soldiers, or to the Princess?

The Empire feels like the French Empire, particularly the names and the manner of address. The colony feels much like North Africa, particularly the desert climate and the Magic practiced by an unknown culture in the hills. But it is no more France he Morroco than Robert Howard's Stygia was Egypt or Aquilonia was medieval England.

This is a novel that becomes more intense as it goes on with the stakes becoming higher and higher. And, there is at least a sequel in the works.

This was by far a fast and fun read. I’m not 100% sure if this is the first one by the author, but holy cow check this one out. No spoilers, but hurry and read and let’s chat!

A very original piece of fantasy that delivers in every aspect of it. The story, the characters, the world building. it felt great, original and entirely satisfying. If you love fantasy, this is a new title totally worth your time! I highly recommend it!