Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This promising first book in Armstrong's Age of Legends fantasy series introduces a sinister empire populated by spirits, anthropomorphic animals, and preternaturally talented humans. Chosen in a brutal ritual as infants and assigned to control the spirits that haunt the land, twin sisters Ashyn and Moria are the Seeker and Keeper of Edgewood. Their village borders the Forest of the Dead, where the Empire sends its criminals to die; venturing into the woods to purify the dead, the girls are separated by a nefarious paranormal force. When Moria and her wildcat, Daigo, find the inhabitants of Edgewood slaughtered, their children missing, and mercenaries on the march, she and Gavril Kitsune, an aristocratic warrior of a disgraced family, trek across the Wastes to find Ashyn and warn the Empire. While the narrative is at times overstuffed, resulting in sluggish pacing in the first half of the book, the antagonistic romance between the girls and their unlikely companions is sweetly tantalizing. A startling betrayal provides momentum for a sequel. Ages 13-up. Agent: Helen Heller Agency, Inc. (Apr.)

ALA Booklist

In Armstrong's Age of Legends trilogy starter, twin sisters Ashyn and Moria were fated from birth to be Keeper and Seeker of Edgewood, the "most spiritually dangerous place in the empire." Their calling means they are to soothe the restless souls in the nearby Forest of the Dead. When they head to the forest for an annual ritual, the 16-year-old girls instead are thrown for a loop when things go wildly awry and they are separated. Accompanied by their bonded animals nine Tova for Ashyn and feline Daigo for Moria d two particular boys who have each caught the eye of a twin, the girls must venture deeper into the forest on a long journey with an uncertain outcome. Although the horror elements that crop up here and there enliven the story, the plot's overall plodding effect slows down the pace, as do the uninspiring personalities of the main characters. Still, this will likely find an audience among Armstrong's strong following. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Armstrong is a New York Times best-seller, and the national marketing plan cluding a five-city author tour flects this.

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Twins are exceedingly rare and often destined for brutal death in the Empire. Luckily, 17-year-old Moria and Ashyn have sacred powers and are revered instead. Fierce, knife-wielding Moria, along with the help of her spirit beast (a large catlike creature named Daigo), is the "Keeper"guardian of the village of Edgewood. Quiet and peaceful Ashyn, with her mystical canine Tova, assists the spirits of the dead in her role as "Seeker." The girls are still in training when Edgewood is invaded by an army of the undead. They get separated, leaving Moria paired with Gavril (a surly but attractive young guard) and Ashyn with Ronan (a prisoner sentenced to exile in the bordering Forest of the Dead). The vicious zombielike shadow stalkers kill nearly every adult in the village, turning them into undead creatures like themselvesincluding the sisters' father. As Ashyn and Moira continue their separate but long and dangerous treks through "the Wastes" to the nearest village of Fairview, their journeys are wrought with terrifying and legendary beasts; their loyalties are constantly tested. The first book in a series, Armstrong's tale offers a fascinating mythical world filled with danger, monsters, and betrayal at every turn. The bulk of the narrative includes quests and emerging relationships—the most exciting of which is that between Moria and Gavril. But the more subtly developed relationships—such as the bond between the sisters and the relationship they share with their respective spirit animals—are just as intriguing. Fantasy fans will enjoy the complex world but the ending may feel too abrupt considering the time spent reading this long tale.— Tara Kehoe, New Jersey State Library Talking Book and Braille Center, Trenton

Horn Book

Every year, the Seeker, currently teen Ashyn, enters the Forest of the Dead to quiet damned spirits. The Keeper, Ashyn's twin Moria, remains in the village as a protector. But things go terribly awry, and the sisters are forced to travel across the Wastes to save their kingdom from the undead. Armstrong's elaborate world is populated with complex characters in this series-opener.

Kirkus Reviews

Magic-wielding twins and their romantic interests fight monsters and mercenaries in this overlong but exciting series opener. Ashyn and Moria, 16, may defy tradition at every turn, beginning with their shared birth and continuing with their unauthorized weapons training, but they intend to fulfill their roles as Seeker and Keeper for the small town of Edgewood. With execution outlawed in the empire, guards regularly maroon exiles in the Forest of the Dead; the Seeker retrieves their corpses and lays their angry spirits to rest while the Keeper protects the village during the Seeking. But when Ashyn enters the forest and finds a few survivors, she also discovers monstrous creatures straight out of Moria's favorite legends. After a long—and vividly described—massacre, Ashyn and Moria flee Edgewood, trek across treacherous wastes and seek an audience with the emperor, accompanied by con man Ronan, scorned warrior Gavril Kitsune, and the girls' bonded animal companions, Daigo, a wildcat, and Tova, a Hound of the Immortals. Armstrong (The Rising, 2013, etc.) smoothly switches from her customary modern paranormal setting to a high-fantasy adventure, but she still favors relationship drama and reversals of fortune. Strong female protagonists make this trilogy opener a standout, if not a stand-alone read. (Fantasy. 14 & up)