The Nixian Chronicles
The Awakening
The Nixian Chronicles is a dynamic, series-opening fantasy novel in which making use of magic has high costs.
Wielding magic requires sacrifices in C. S. Evermore’s lyrical fantasy novel The Nixian Chronicles, in which a woman with a dangerous heritage confronts a provocative prophecy.
The ruthless Veiled Dominion, whose warriors rely on spells that weaken their morals, succeeded at erasing a race of beings of immeasurable power. They also enslaved the city of Eldoria. In this environment, Lyara lives a life of silence with her bloodline hidden from her, her magic suppressed, and most of the city unaware of her presence.
When a powerful storm shatters the sky and awakens the volatile magic trapped within Lyara, she learns that she’s the final element of a broken prophecy. She is to be either the savior or the destroyer of the world. Her powers grow while the city begins to question the Veiled Dominion’s so-called divine right to rule.
Lyara’s characterization is defined by self-doubt, suppressed rage, and tension between her impulses toward control and surrender. She surrounds herself with people including a morally compromised mentor who’s willing to train her in secret and a Veiled Dominion mercenary with shifting allegiances. Though she cannot trust anyone, she needs others to help her achieve her destiny.
The story moves at a fast clip, building tension and proffering new revelations as it goes. Its prose is concise and clear, though its details about the environment and people are sparse. Indeed, at times the book is too swift, as with fight scenes that conclude in a single sentence.
Still, the worldbuilding is immersive. Eldoria is established as an ancient and dynamic place whose magic system has high costs: Every spell and artifact pulls from its user, warping memories or leading to the complete loss of self. The prophecy, while it leaves Lyara feeling chained, also forces her to grow. Indeed, the ways in which she responds to the limitations forced upon her makes her story interesting. She knows that she’s on a path toward saving or destroying the world, but she resists apathy and fights to make her own choices.
This series-opening novel ends with the fate of Eldoria still in doubt. Lyara’s growth is its primary concern: She masters her powers, attempts to discover the truth, and fights to survive the high cost of using magic. The book’s tense conclusion generates interest in her story’s continuation.
In the dark, mythic fantasy novel The Nixian Chronicles, a woman struggling with the weight of her destiny subverts expectations around fate, power, and identity.
Reviewed by
John M. Murray
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
