Genre: Sci-Fantasy, Romance Sub-Arc
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Non-Binary, Transgender
Reviewer: Estora
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About The Book
Aik will never be the same … and neither will his world.
War is coming. Aik has become the Progenitor, and the Seed Mother has released him to transform the world for her alien brood. Silya and Raven, Aik’s former friends, are the only ones who can save him and the world. But what if the cure is worse than the invasion?
As Silya rushes to prepare Gullton for the battle to come, she’s determined to save as many people as she can. But new crises emerge that demand her attention.
Raven has his own hands full, keeping the dragon-like verent in line, while helping Silya to save the world. But what if the only way to do so is to sacrifice Aik, the man that he loves?
It’s the end of the world … or could it be the start of something new?
The Review
This review contains spoilers for Books 1, 2 and 3 of the Tharassas Cycle (The Dragon Eater, The Gauntlet Runner,and The Hencha Queen respectively), so if you haven’t read the first three books in the series, go and read them now!
The Hencha Queen left us on a thrilling and heart-stopping ending – and needless to say, I was relieved that the series was already completed, lest I’d have to wait in anxiety for the conclusion with The Death Bringer.
Aik, former guard turned thrall of the ominous spore mother, is trapped in what I consider to be a fate worse than death. He is spreading the threat of the spore mother across Tharassas, while his friend Silya, the Hencha Queen, and his love interest Raven, a former thief turned verent-rider, are leading the effort to protect the city from this apocalyptic threat.
Silya, as always, is the standout character for me. Which isn’t to say that I don’t love the other characters in Coatsworth’s colourful and loveable cast – Triya, Desla, Kerrick to name just a few – but it’s Silya’s journey I was most invested in. It’s all too common in M/M romances to completely sideline or diminish female characters, so it’s a credit to Coatsworth that Silya’s journey and presence was so powerful and driving. I especially appreciated the attention given to her complicated relationship with her mother.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that my favourite part of the series is the worldbuilding. Coatsworth seamlessly integrates science fiction and fantasy, and the blend results in a world that is incredibly alien and yet hauntingly familiar. The truth of Tharassas’s cyclical history throughout the books, often intertwined with AI companion Spin’s hidden past, is a masterclass in slow revelation, which makes each morsel of information all that more satisfying.
So much happens in this thrilling conclusion to the series – but I don’t dare spoil the fun or surprise. Needless to say, I was almost afraid to finish reading – because once I got to the end, I knew there’d be no more story. And that’s the mark of a fantastic series for me, when you’re so invested that you’re afraid of it ending. So if you’re seeking a unique sci-fi/fantasy fusion with a cast full of intriguing characters and a heart-pumping plot, look no further than the excellent and heart-warming Tharassas Cycle by J. Scott Coatsworth.
The Reviewer
Estora is a long-time reader and writer of LGBT+ speculative fiction.