Book Review : 'The Rashade" (Chronicles of the Coranydas : Book 1)' by Rebecca Tran

Mara Coranyada is a woman with a mission, and she will go through the determination and grit to accomplish, what she seeks to find. She could easily have not chosen this life, but it was seeing her father’s murder that set her off.

After an argument with her mother, Mara takes off on this journey. But she is not allowed to do it on her own; Mara has a few people, she trusts. But she does not want to want to take them along. Her mother, who is the high priestess does not allow for it either, and picks out one Kess and another person, not revealed yet, to take along.

They meet all kinds of people along the way. Some good, some evil and some, even unworthy of love. The first person, they meet is Wayette, who even offers them a place to stay, in exchange to be taught, how she could defend herself. Mara agrees, but soon discovers that Wayette also has magic tricks, with which she could defend herself, but they were not enough. She was to be the town’s mage. It’s a high position in a city founded on magic. 

She meets another young man on the way, who claims to know her and even takes out a letter proving that her mother sent him. Displeased, she reads the letter and tells him not to follow her but he still does.

Queens, princes, kings, magicians, palaces, horses, swords, love stories go on for a while. Here, death too catches them unawares. Then, we move on to another kingdom, quite opposite to the male dominating one, we have read about till now. So, opposite is this one. Here, we have a queen dominating. We have to read it to believe it. 

The characters were built wonderfully. I doubt if any of these characters and their behaviours, their dressing, or the way they act were ever seen before. The way they all talk was strange in its own way. But, though the story was built in this fashion, the strangeness caught my attention. 

I felt that the story could have been slightly better written, especially towards, the second half. It felt kind of cracked, and there was not much to add up the two of them. But I hope that this story can pick up, in the latter parts, because it has so much to offer.

Firstly, is the women domination; secondly is its swordplay and Mara

R Tran

winning them, with her subtle strength and combatting skills. I want to see, how it goes towards the end.

She has to find out when, where and how her father was murdered. She has to find out how various relics were used and the magic that was used to kill the man. Will she discover who, actually her father’s murderer was? Does she manage to bring the army together? Will she be able to find the people worthy enough? Will she discover who it was that planned to defeat the people in her homeland?

You can Buy the Book, right here.