Wicked Saints – Emily A. Duncan
Emily A. Duncan’s debut novel, Wicked Saints, is the first in a highly anticipated young adult fantasy trilogy called Something Dark and Holy. The book has received plenty of attention—and a few glowing reviews—over the past few months, despite the fact that it doesn’t hit stores until April 2.
Wicked Saints is a gothic, multi-perspective tale taking place in the midst of a centuries-old war between two nations: Kalyazin and Tranavia. The people of Kalyazin are devout worshipers of the gods, while they believe the people of Travania to be heretics. Of course, the heretics have access to magic, while only one Kalyazin “cleric” is currently capable of drawing powers from the gods.
We follow that cleric—a young girl named Nadya—as she escapes her childhood home, which has been invaded and destroyed by Tranavian armies. While she’s fleeing for her safety, she falls in with a band of characters looking to end the war by assassinating the prince. To her chagrin, one of these refugees just happens to be a Tranavian who defected from his nation’s army.
On top of Nadya’s perspective, we also get Serefin’s story. Serefin is the Tranavian prince and a blood mage. He’s spent most of his time on the front lines of the war, and he was supposed to be tracking Nadya down—at least until his father called him home to attend more pressing matters.
Political and full of action, Wicked Saints is a must read for anyone looking for a dark, character-driven fantasy novel. It asks questions about religious beliefs and centuries-old prejudices, and its characters are as flawed as they are compelling. The worldbuilding is also stellar, with plenty of allusions to both Russia and Poland. As the first book in a series, it’ll definitely give readers something to look forward to, especially with so many series ending this month.