<i> I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review. </i>

A dark and thrilling fantasy debut.

The Rarkyn's Familiar is a gripping adventure with two intriguing and engaging protagonists. I loved having a non-human perspective that really gave me insight into how another species might think and feel. The world building and magic system were unique and left me wanting more.

This is a must-read debut and I can't wait to see what comes next from Lee.

Excellent fantasy. The opening page caught my attention immediately and with few slower spots kept it throughout the book. Although the age given for Lyss is 14 this is not a book for younger teens. A lot of violense, blood and death occure. The main characters are Lyss, a young girl orphaned and without magic and Skaar, a creature from the wild who's very blood is magic. Skaar is captive to a magician who drinks his blood to gain power. During a landslide the magician is buried and Skaar, chained and caged, is starving to death. He is found by friends of Lyss who want to free him even though they fear him. During the process Lyss and Skaar are bonded, his magic shared with her. The book has a great story even as these two learn not to hate and fear each other.
I received this book from Netgalley. Thanks to the author and publisher for making it available.

Thanks, Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review! I totally loved the novel! The story strongly emphasizes on all the things that shape "a monster" and the true meaning behind that word. The novel explores beautifully the real birth of darkness inside each of us, and how there's no absolute evil. How there's good in every monster, and how there's a monster in every good person. Definitely recommend the book!

An enthralling new world awaits the reader in The Rarkyn’s Familiar by Nikki Lee. It really makes you ask: Who is the real monster, the human or the actual monster? It definitely makes you ask these questions and makes for a gripping YA read.

Lyssa becomes such a strong character in this book after she’s left reeling from her father’s death. Full of vengeful emotions, she begins to unravel her motivations that leading us to the rarkyn Skaar. Without giving away too many of the details, I’ll just say this was so good.

What makes a monster, a monster?

This is a super unique, incredible fantasy full of magic, strange creatures, friendship and violence. The worldbuilding in this story is top notch. The magical systems are well thought out and complex.

Humans vs Creatures. Creatures who run on the substance that fills the Otherworld and infuses otherworldly monsters who only exist to consume life. The rarkyn are creatures that live in both worlds. Creatures with a strange magic that allows them to slip between worlds – as long as they can control their power. Humans also have magic – a different kind of magic – one with complicated spells that are cast with runes and this magic is tightly controlled by the mage-run military. The military who are hell bent on keeping control. But regular townsfolk can use rune magic as well, it means control is a slippery slope, turning some members of the military violent. The need for control is absolute. Lyss, a human girl, has no magic but is forced to witness a horror that consumes her mind. She will learn to fight so that her all consuming desire to hunt down the one who killed her father is sated. When events cause one of the rarkyn to blood-bond with Lyss, both of their lives change forever. The rarkyn is being hunted. The blood-bond will destroy Lyss’s mind. So the race is on to sever the blood-bond so that Lyss will survive and the rarkyn can escape.

Lyss’s anger and heartache are palpable. The rarkyn’s desire for home and safety are also palpable. It puts them at odds but they are stuck together. And the longer the bond holds, the more of Lyss’s mind she will lose, turning her into the very monster she wants to slay. A killer.

This is a gripping story. A clever tale spun by a terrific writer of horror and high fantasy. Come for the world building, stay for the story of hope and loss, of family, and friendship and love. A story where the two main characters are connected through blood and a burgeoning if at times volatile friendship (not bound by a romantic love but one of family). This is a terrific story and I’m looking forward to continuing Lyss and Skaar’s journey in book two.

*** I received an ARC and I’m leaving a voluntary review ***

Conclusion

A great read for anyone seeking a unique from a debut author and a well-crafted epic fantasy. Highly recommended!


Review

The Rarkyn’s Familiar is the debut Fantasy novel by New Zealand author Nikky Lee.

The Rarkyn’s Familiar follows the protagonist Lyss, an orphan apprentice in a camp of lowly trained mancers. When hunting with two brothers from the camp, they come across a landslide in the mountain roads. A partially destroyed cart contains one of the kingdom’s most feared creatures trapped within a cage. A rarkyn. In a series of well-intended gestures, the three release the powerful sigils on the chains and free the rarkyn but not before it bonds itself as a familiar to Lyss.

Now bonded as familiars, Lyss and the rarkyn have a short amount of time to find someone in the capital capable of breaking their bond before the overwhelming magic of the rarkyn drives Lyss insane. Hunted by the Order mancers, soldiers and the rarkyn’s last captor, Lyss’s magic grows more powerful the more time she spends bonded to the rarkyn but so does her own dark potential. Time is running out for Lyss and the rarkyn if they want to survive the binding.

Final Thoughts

The Rarkyn’s Familiar is an engaging debut novel exploring a unique concept of familiar bonding; where a human becomes bonded to a fantastical creature. This adds a refreshing aspect to the storyline and complex world building that feels genuine for these characters and histories. The is a truly worthwhile read from a new voice in epic fantasy.

As I am not a native speaker the new words matching this fantasy world and a few words I just didn´t know confused me a bit, but after a little I became addicted to the story. There surely is a lot of thought and love in it.
The characters are believable and have their own history, troubles and motivations.
The story is well paced. I was sucked in and, like the Otherworld, it was reluctant to let me go.
I am definetly buying the book when it´s available and waiting the next one impatiently!

this was quite fun. i was immediately intrigued by the setting and magic system surrounding the rarkyns. i'm quite surprised this hasn't gained more traction!

Thank you to The Parliament House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Rarkyn's Familiar by Nikky Lee is an exciting YA fantasy adventure that will appeal to fans of The Golden Compass or Fantastic Beasts. The story revolves around Lyss, a human orphan seeking revenge for her father's death, and Skaar, a rarkyn, a magical creature. When unexpected circumstances result in a bond between Lyss and Skaar, the unlikely pair will need to team up to find a way to break the bond. Will the two succeed in their quest despite the dangers along the way?

Here is an exciting excerpt from Chapter 1, which introduces us to Skaar::

"That he’d survived the first slide at all was a miracle. Locked inside the wretched wagon, he’d bounced within its tumbling mass all the way to the bottom, the final impact turning his mind black. He was sure it had taken him at least a day just to summon the will to open his eyes again, skull throbbing as if someone had carved it open with a rusted knife. When he’d probed the raw lump on the back of his head, the world had swum, and he’d doubled over and retched into the dirt.
...
A breeze wafted the scent of musty earth over him, along with something else, a thick sour stench he knew too well. Death. Something—someone Skaar hoped—was rotting somewhere in the mound. Probably the horse. With any luck, Archer too. And good riddance. If Skaar never saw that accursed mancer again, he’d die a happy rarkyn."

Overall, The Rarkyn's Familiar is a stunning YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of fantastic creatures. One highlight of this book is the unique magical world that the author explores. The idea of rarkyns is very creative, and I found them very interesting to read about. Another highlight is how the chapters alternate between Lyss, a human, and Skaar, a rarkyn. I like how the book doesn't center human perspectives. I did take off 1 star, because I had trouble connecting with the main characters. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in April!