In the middle of the dangerous wild stands a cluster of villages, and the people living there are forced to pay regular tribute to a vicious god. In the village of Seravin, 18-year-old Rasmira prepares to become a warrior and, one day, to follow in her father's footsteps as Seravin's leader. Though Rasmira is the only female warrior-in-training, her father has made sure she's the most skilled, a fact that's made her few friends among her fellow trainees. To become adults, the trainees must pass a trial il, and they will be banished, tasked with an impossible challenge before they can be welcomed back into their village or the afterlife. When Rasmira is sabotaged at her trial, her father charges her to kill the immortal, unbeatable god who terrorizes the villages. Much like she did in Daughter of the Pirate King (2017), Levenseller presents a fully rounded portrait of a girl whose strength in battle is tempered by her very human anxieties. Rasmira's quest is thrilling, her emotional journey compelling; this adventure sings.

Exiled after a cruel betrayal causes her to fail her coming-of-age trial, Rasmira leaves her village for the treacherous wilds, where she meets fellow exiles Iric and Soren. Working together, they can accomplish their "mattugrs"--impossible tasks--and return to their villages, but Rasmira's mattugr is daunting: she must assassinate a god whose supernatural powers kill at a gesture. Growing self-confidence, humorous banter, and an incipient romance distinguish this fantasy adventure.