The Nightward

Luka is a bodyguard in the matriarchal, magical Gailand, named after goddess-founder Gaiea. His charge is nine-year-old Viella, princess and heir to Gaiea’s abilities and memories. When the queen is killed and the capital is raided by shadow mages, Luka flees with Viella across the allied queendoms to keep her safe. But why can’t Viella use her Gaiea powers yet, and who within the capital let the magicians in? This novel from Garcia (Lex Talionis), the first in a duology, is styled like a retro high fantasy. Character names include both Mordoch and Gretchen, there’s a nebulous source of all evil, and the background is vaguely Middle Ages—this time with more Caribbean and West African stylings, featuring a woman warrior caste named after the Dahomey Amazons. Fresh and inventive takes come through glimpses of the origins of Gailand: the evil might be an eldritch space god, magic is fueled by nanobots, and magic portals have brand names. The balance leans heavily high fantasy, but the possibility of breaking out of genre standards might keep readers hooked for the sequel.