Book Review: Raybearer

Nothing is more important than loyalty. But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Raybearer
Jordan Ifueko

I was hemming and hawing about starting this book (as I find myself wont to do lately), but from the first chapter, Raybearer kept a grip on my attention and imagination as the world of Aritsar came to life.

This is also one of my rarer 5 star reads! Maybe even the first of the year? Tarisai’s story is complex, at times an odyssey, and at others an introspection, but entirely compelling.

The plot and the craft alone that Ifueko uses to tell this story is absolutely beautiful, and there is little that has not been taken into consideration when it comes to how the world and the magic works. The biggest stumbling block for readers will likely be the first few pages, as Ifueko does a careful job immersing readers in the lore, as new terminology (to this reader at least) is introduced.

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? 

Goodreads

The blurb, for once, absolutely nails the premise, and grants the right amount of accessibility to the story without giving too much away. I do wish it didn’t sound as cliche as the last line makes Raybearer seem though. Because while, yes, Fate is a weighty theme in the book, it seems almost trivialized here to sound like boilerplate YA. Whereas the book does an excellent job of creating emotionally charged high stakes, the way those kinds of stakes are spoken of in other blurbs for other books, I’m usually left wanting emotional weight. I’m not saying this to knock other YA novels either; Raybearer just stands out as a title that puts in the work to make that last sentence mean something.

It’s easy to root for a protagonist; especially in YA, but Tarisai truly feels like she earns the adulation of the reader as the story progresses. She is complex and while her motivations are easy to understand, that does not detract from the depth Ifueko explores them and uses them to create emotionally impactful moments. Her character development is nuanced, as are the rest of the ensemble’s development. Thankfully, despite the possibility for a larger cast of side characters (there are 11 children on the council after all), Ifueko does an excellent job of not overwhelming the reader with unnecessary or hollow sounding dialog from characters that don’t have much impact on the story. So, while we learn who Tarisai’s council siblings are, it never becomes too much. I do hope that we will see more of her relationships with them, as well as get to know their personalities.

Of the side characters mentioned in the book; everyone gets some meaningful emotional weight and development that has an impact on their relationship with Tarisai. Most importantly, is The Lady. Never named, she functions as a non traditional anti-hero rather than outright villain; and the nuance of love Tarisai feels for her despite her emotionally and physically distant upbringing by her grants a tragic tint without being melodramatic. Out of all the characters, she is probably the most complex and has the most agency which she wields to her advantage.

There are no wasted words in Raybearer, and Ifueko does a wonderful job placing innocuous breadcrumbs through the book that build into beautiful revelations later. I absolutely understand why my Sanderson-loving friend fell over himself urging me to finally read this despite it sitting on my TBR for a few months. The passage of time is also treated incredibly well, and Ifueko doesn’t get bogged down by describing anything that doesn’t merit being known. Tarisai starts as a child, about 7 years old, and the book quickly progresses without feeling forced or like I missed anything to her being 17 or so. The age change doesn’t make the book less appealing for me either; and I found it refreshing to have an author take their time with a protagonist’s internal and interpersonal development. It makes the relationships Tarisai builds with others that much more believable because there is time behind them, making the emotions there ring truer though still intense (as teenage emotions tend to be).

The magic system, while not wholly unique, functions incredibly well within the lore. The use of Hallows, or innate magical abilities, has definitely been used before in fantasy, but the concept of the Ray and the council is where the story does great work with establishing something new. The bonds that are created, while referenced by the blurb, are shown incredibly well throughout the story, and the sense of family is overwhelming without stealing the limelight from the main themes of fate and destiny as it ties to ourselves, and as it ties to others, especially as we experience different modicums of power.

The world in Aritsar and the surrounding countries have a history, cultures, and values tied to religions, not to mention magical creatures (though not as many as I imagined). I hope this is expanded upon more in the sequel, and given the set up for it, I think it will definitely happen without feeling like a wholly different story. The government, ruled by the Council, may seem a little flawed when you consider that they all were selected as children, but the selection process isn’t without incredible training either. Thankfully, Ifueko doesn’t spend inordinate amounts of time discussing the training, which rules this book out for readers looking for a competition based fantasy.

I also understand the choice to split Tarisai’s tale into a duology. It would be too long for a single YA novel, and this story fits exceedingly well into this first book. I hope more and more authors take the time to make duologies; too often the 2nd book in a trilogy just doesn’t hold up on its own. I am absolutely planning on reading the sequel when it comes out later this year, and in the mean time will be handing this book out to as many of my fantasy loving teens as I can, and maybe some coworkers who I know are in a similar camp as me to their fantasy novel preferences.

The last thing I want to glow about is the cover. The illustration is gorgeous; and it’s definitely made by someone who read the book (or at least spoke with the author) as elements of it are highlighted in the book. It’s a wonderful visual representation overall, and definitely on trend with its illustrated style (a trend I hope stays in fashion for a while).

I heartily recommend this for grades 8+, only due to the fact that it is a high fantasy setting with a decent threshold of terminology to understand, and some mild representations of sex (other characters are having) that a younger reader might not understand or feel comfortable with despite the respectful and non-graphic nature of those moments. Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, or those looking for another Afro-inspired fantasy setting like in Nnendi Okorafor’s Akata Witch, or readers looking for a fantasy without a strong romantic subplot influence. This story feels wholly authentic, and well worth adding to your TBR pile (if not shifting it to the top if it’s already there).