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In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.
A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON
Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.
A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET
Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.
A DANGEROUS QUEST
When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.
Review:
Author Danielle L. Jensen has another fun, entertaining novel on her hands with Dark Shores. With a kick-ass female pirate as the main character, and a universe inspired by the Roman Empire, this novel is a fantastic action adventure story that explores the complexities of imperialism. Would you sell out your people to protect the ones you love? Are invading soldiers any freer than those they conquer? This was a page-turner!
What I Liked:
World-building:
Both the worlds of the East and the West were fascinating, and fun. In the East the world is definitely inspired by the Roman Empire. There is a complex system of government in place, as well as a society hell-bent on conquest. In the West, where gods and demi-gods still roam, an equally intricate society has evolved. I loved the magic inherent to the West, as well as the societies the legion must deal with.
Diversity:
It was refreshing to not see a default white European description of the appearance of any of the characters.
The main character, Teriana is a curvy woman of color with long black braids. In fact, characters come in all descriptions in this book. Besides many different skin colors, there are several gay characters, and people who are (gasp) older than teenagers! This diversity is exactly what one would see in a vast empire.
Characters:
I really liked Teriana. She is a person grappling with enormous guilt for cooperating with an invading enemy. She certainly has her reasons. But things get even more complicated when she starts to fall for Marcus, the commanding officer of the Legion assigned to conquer the West. Her religion also plays a role in her feelings. Has her soul been damned for helping the East meet West?
Marcus is the commander of the Roman Empire-inspired Legion. Over the course of his career, he has killed and enslaved thousands of people. But did he have any choice in the matter? He will do whatever it takes to protect his family, and his men, from danger. His nightmares are just one indication of the gnawing anguish he feels over the atrocities he has committed in the name of the Empire.
Romance:
With so much angst in common, is it any wonder that Teriana and Marcus will fall in love? Although it is inevitable, I like that they are not instantly in love. Both have misconceptions about each other, plus must overcome the inherent power dynamic between warrior and prisoner.
Themes:
One of the things I love about fantasy novels is that the genre allows for deeper discussions that relate to "real life". This book has so much to say about how nations force their ideas on other cultures. The real world is struggling with questions of how we value people who have different traditions and values than ourselves.
Ending:
Often with books in a series, nothing is wrapped up in the ending. It's just a massive cliffhanger. This can be so frustrating for the reader. The main plot points are resolved by the ending of the book, but there is also a small cliffhanger. That's fine. I loved how the characters point out what some of their future issues will be. Rather than balking at this, it made me excited for the future books in this universe!
Rating:
Release Date: May 7th, 2019
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Length: 368 Pages
Source: Public Library
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: If you enjoy action, adventure, and fantasy, you will love this book!
