Gathering of the Four - bookrastinating.com

No cover — A. E. Bennett: Gathering of the Four (2021, Independently Published)

English language

Published Dec. 17, 2021 by Independently Published.

ISBN:: 979-8-7249-3761-0

(1 review)

"In the Realm, every citizen knows their place."

Leora of Mae is a young woman orphaned at birth and raised on a remote farm. As a wielder of Xanthcraft, her abilities set her apart from her adoptive family and the other villagers.

Shortly before her twentieth birthday, she learns of her family’s plot to sell her into servitude. Fearing for her life, she flees from the only home she’s ever known—defying societal conventions and breaking the edicts of the Realm.

As she runs, Leora meets Roland Shallowbrook, a traveler on the Thieves’ Road; Lady Aurora Verte, daughter of a powerful member of the gentry; and the White Rider Leopold, a soldier with a secret.

Together, this found family will have to band together to survive.

Set in the far distant future, Gathering of the Four is the first book in The Serrulata Saga.

1 edition

Elise (they/them) reviewed Gathering of the Four by A. E. Bennett

Review of 'Gathering of the Four' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

A gripping, multi pov fantasy. I wasn't expecting a novel set in the fifth milenium to be feudal, and inherently sexist and misogynistic, though the existence of a 'border', beyond which lies some fearful thing had me thinking some great cataclysm had struck Earth, and driven it far back into a dark age.

In this distant future, the nobility appear to have come to power by virtue of their houses funding and maintaining the power stations that power the protective border. The monarch is a self indulgent man-child hunting young Leroa like an animal, because she dares to use her illegal Xanthe powers (only the king's White Knights and advisor are allowed to use such powers, and all other Xanthe are feared and hated.)

But the king's advisor has ambitions to control the White Knights and their powers for his own ends. Meanwhile, Leora and three similarly fully rounded characters, …

A gripping, multi pov fantasy. I wasn't expecting a novel set in the fifth milenium to be feudal, and inherently sexist and misogynistic, though the existence of a 'border', beyond which lies some fearful thing had me thinking some great cataclysm had struck Earth, and driven it far back into a dark age.

In this distant future, the nobility appear to have come to power by virtue of their houses funding and maintaining the power stations that power the protective border. The monarch is a self indulgent man-child hunting young Leroa like an animal, because she dares to use her illegal Xanthe powers (only the king's White Knights and advisor are allowed to use such powers, and all other Xanthe are feared and hated.)

But the king's advisor has ambitions to control the White Knights and their powers for his own ends. Meanwhile, Leora and three similarly fully rounded characters, each with agendas of their own, are about by chance to be united.

This was an immersive read, set in a grim, backwards future world. The writing style had me afraid alongside characters, or flinching as their armour failed to completely deter weapon blows and cheering them on. The pacing was perfect to hook and keep me engaged. I've purchased book 2 and can't wait to continue reading.