3.5 Stars
As with almost any Orbit book, I was eager to get my hands on The Obsidian Tower. I was so excited to get an ARC. I was intrigued by the premise, and I loved the series title of Rooks and Ruin. And just look at that cover!

The story is about a young woman named Ryx whose family is tasked with guarding a dangerous, mysterious artifact locked in a tower. So naturally someone wants to steal it and use it for evil. Because, duh.

I enjoyed the story but wasn’t particularly wowed by it. The plot was entertaining but pretty standard. And the narrative does tend to hold the reader’s hand too much. I was expecting more action, but The Obsidian Tower is primarily about political struggles. Which boiled down to an awful lot of political dialogue while Ryx tried to avoid a diplomatic incident. Some political machinations are enjoyable, but they do need action to balance things out.

I was unaware that The Obsidian Tower was set in the same world as Caruso’s previous trilogy – which explains why I kept feeling like I was missing something. While this story apparently takes place over a century later and seems to be a new plot arc, I think I would have gotten much more out of this installment if I was already attached to the world. The Obsidian Tower did explain the world well enough that reading the first series is not necessary, but I’d say it’s a good guess that it would enhance the experience of reading the Rooks and Ruin series.

It was nice that The Obsidian Tower has a lot of diversity in it. Even better that all sexualities were accepted in their world with “casual queerness.” The great thing about creating a world is that you can create whatever equality you want. But can the English please, please, please follow in Sweden’s footsteps and just create a gender neutral pronoun? Then people could stop using plural pronouns to refer to a single person.

I was surprised that most of this book felt more YA than Adult. It was a fairly light story with very little violence or adult content. It’s almost too PG. And the writing did have a young feel to it. I think that was mostly due to Ryx’s voice since she was the first person narrator for the story. Because her magic killed anyone she touched, it left her extremely isolated and lacking in both friendships and relationships. So although her responsibilities made her mature in some ways, she was completely inept at anything relating to interpersonal conversations. Thus her conversations mostly sounded too young. I also wished Ryx had been less of a passive people-pleaser. I expected a guardian with deadly magical powers to be a bit more badass.

The rest cast of characters was good but all of them could have used more depth and development. Whisper the chimera was by far my favorite character, but he was barely in the book. Hopefully that added character development will come in the future installments of the series. Although The Obsidian Tower took a little while to fully capture my attention, by the end I was engrossed in it. And I do look forward to continuing with the series.

With this novel, Melissa Caruso solidifies herself as one of my favorite authors. The Obsidian Tower is a masterpiece of character driven fantasy. Set in the same world - but in a different time period than her Swords and Fire series, this story contains all the things we’ve come to love about Caruso’s writing. There are tense political machinations and negotiations. There is witty dialog. There’s magic! And, of course, a touch of romance. Couple all of this with a diverse cast of characters and you have a recipe for a magnificent fantasy novel.

It is difficult to know where to begin praising The Obsidian Tower. The story is set in Vaskandar, the erstwhile enemy of the Raverran Empire (her Swords and Fire series dealt with a different time period in the world from the Raverran perspective). The world building that Caruso does continues to be incredibly deep. But she communicates it with a light touch. The novel never lowers itself to info dumps or paragraphs of exposition. One part of the world building that continues to stand out above the rest is the political side of the world. Vaskandar is made up of a number of independent nations, each ruled by a Witch Lord. Witch Lords are incredibly powerful mages who have a connection to every living thing in their domain. This means that Ryx, our main character, who is trying to negotiate a settlement between one Witch Lord and the Raverran Empire, must do so while navigating not only the enmity between the two sides, but various other factions within her grandmother's domain as well as other Witch Lords. This alone would make for an entertaining read, but the situation is further complicated by Ryx’s charge as Warden of Gloamingard castle, wherein resides a sealed tower that hides a dark secret. Somehow Caruso keeps the reveals coming throughout the novel and each of the political factions feels important and like they are given their due in the story. The novel never feels bloated, however. I think what truly makes all of this work are the superb characters. Ryx is broken, but in ways that she has learned to accept and cope with in beautiful ways and she continues to learn about herself throughout the novel. Every single side character is beautifully written and feels real. Too often side characters can feel like exactly that, but in Caruso’s novel they feel like actual people with their own stories. There is also wonderful diversity amongst the cast, particularly as it regards sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression. These characters each play an integral role in a plot that is excellently paced and grips you from the very beginning.

There is almost nothing I disliked about this novel. I tend to like harder magic systems, and in this world Caruso has crafted a softer magic system. But I barely even noticed, to be frank, because everything else about the story works so well. I can heartily recommend this novel even to folks who might normally prefer harder magic systems.

I was enthralled from the first page. Caruso's unique and captivating mixture of excellent characters you instantly root for, mysterious and powerful magic, and deep world building were all in evidence from the opening moments of the story. The Obsidian Trilogy is excellently written. Read it.

I am so late and so sorry about being so late. I had put the release date for this into my calendar as the 24th and thought I still had a few days... then I saw a review pop up for this by someone I know doesn't get ARC's and was like OMGWOT?! 

What's made this even more terrible is that it's my first five-star review in... many months. It's a book that helped me get out of my reading slump. It's an amazing book I should have been yelling about... weeks ago. MEA CULPA

Ok, so, this ticked a lot of boxes. I love when magic takes a central role int the story, either as a part of the society or a major part of the main character's life. I also love it when magic becomes more of a curse than a boon and something the MC has to work hard to control. Ryx was born with a power of destruction. Things that she touches wither and dies and her whole life have been revolving around not touching people - going so far as to have her own "lane" in the hallways so to speak. Her areas are marked so everyone knows to avoid them, if she should collide with someone in the hallway it could kill them. 

Anyway, there's trouble brewing. There is a very tenuous peace between three nations that have been known to go to war, and it's her job to meet the dignitaries and work out some kind of long-lasting peace. Except one of those dignitaries dies. And it's sort of kind of her fault, but also not really. She didn't mean to kill this person, they were poking around where they didn't belong. There's a giant black door that her family is in charge of guarding. Even Ryx doesn't know what's behind it, it's her duty to keep it shut and make sure whatever is behind it doesn't get out. So, of course, this dignitary was like "lemme go open that door", and dies. So now she's got foreign nations at each other's throats and if she's found out to be responsible for the death it could mean her death or exile.  

I loved Ryx as a character, I got to know her very well and I found her relatable, easy to root for, and complex. For people who are looking for bisexual main characters, here's your book! I have come across a lot of gay characters recently, but not many bisexual characters. It didn't seem to be a big deal in the society at large, nothing she had to hide. It was treated like a nonissue.  

The world-building was pretty fascinating, you got to know a lot about how magic works and doesn't work because of Ryx teams up with a group that investigates magical anomalies and dangerous objects. 

I read through this in one sitting, the writing was crisp, fresh, and drove the story forward. There was always something going on and the world and characters got built up at the same time. There was very little in the way of info-dumping and it all felt very natural. The dialogue was smooth and fell into the background in a good kind of way. If I'm concentrating too hard on the dialogue because something feels off, it'll slow the story down substantially. 

I'd highly recommend this to a broad audience, it's got something for everyone. 

Ratings: 

Plot: 12.5/15
Characters: 13.5/15
World Building: 13.5/15
Writing: 13/15
Pacing: 13.5/15
Originality: 12/15
Personal Enjoyment: 9.5/10

Final Score: 87.5/100 = 5 stars on Goodreads!

This YA fantasy was slow starter for me, but it was probably more user error (due to timing and putting it down too much at first.) I didn't really warm to the story until Ryx meets The Rookery and then it all started coming together, making me read faster and faster. The world and the magic system are interesting and there are so many tantalizing secrets that we have yet to find out <spoiler> Ryx's power and Whisper among others </spoiler> that I can't wait for the next book!

Title: The Obsidian Tower
Series: Rooks and Ruin #1
Author: Melissa Caruso
Publisher & Release: Orbit Books, June 4th 2020
Length: 448 pages
Rate & Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ yes

Thank you so much to Orbit Books via NetGalley for my e ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own!

Normally I would give the summary from Amazon here but I really don’t like the published summary. Here is my own that I wrote!

Mages rule all powerful in the land of Vaskandar. The most powerful are the witch lords, exercising total control over their domains. As the granddaughter of the witch lord of Morgrain, Ryx would normally be in a position of high power, esteem, and social standing. The only problem is her magic is “broken”. Born into a family of Vivomancers who restore life, Ryx’s magic only seems to drain life from, therefore killing, anything or anyone she touches.

As the warden of Gloamingard, Ryx is responsible for the safety of all within. Her family has had one main responsibility throughout the generations: guarding the mysterious magical artifact within the Obsidian Tower at the center of the castle. All of the Gloaming Lore basically states to keep the door sealed.

Already at the brink of war with diplomatic tension ready to snap, it would be a total disaster if something pushed the neighboring nations over the edge. What happens if the gate is opened? Who are the spies in the castle? What happens when hell is unleashed? Ryx is about to find out. Can she find help in the most unlikely places?

I like my summary better than the published one😂

So to begin, it should be noted that these books take place in the same world as the author’s Swords and Fire trilogy, although one does not need to read that first.

I absolutely loved the world and world-building. The witch lords all have vastly different domains and I think Gloamingard castle is exquisitely well done. Each witch lord built a bit of castle into the mix, so the resulting architecture includes everything from a hall made of trees to an entry made of bones. I could ramble about Caruso’s architectural descriptions forever but to summarize: it’s magical and everything I ever wanted from a fantasy world. The political structure, mood, diplomatic relations, expectations, pertinent lore, and even the castle staff all fit into the story so perfectly that I give Caruso a solid A+ for world building. She even tackles smell, texture, temperature, and weather as well as the vivid visual descriptions.

As far as the magic system, land magic is one of my favorite types. The trees and animals and castle and land itself all respond to the witch lord’s magic and the cohesion (or discord) is felt throughout the pages. I like when a family’s magic is tied to their domain. The magic is well thought out, explained, explored, and thoughtful explanations are provided for when magical aspects hitch or go wrong.

Part of the mystery of the Obsidian Tower is: What’s inside? What IS it even? There is a neutral sect of magic specialists called the Rookery, who come in to help Ryx work through the disaster that fell upon the castle. I never expected these guys to become the focus but the characters are funny, thoughtful, stabby, studious, and…assassin-y? Who ARE these people? I loved finding out, seriously they are an amazing found-family type of crew and accept Ryx for who she is.

Who IS Ryx? She is a great main character. Smart, resourceful, careful not to touch anyone, and a little too trusting. Unfortunately I spotted the main double-crosser/spy in the story from a mile away but it was cute to watch. Ryx is trying to sooth diplomatic relations between neighboring countries and the entire Tower disaster sends the political intrigue and plotting through the ceiling, and everyone knows how I LOVE a good bit of intrigue. I also loved the witch lord, the Lady of Owls – Ryx’s grandmother. Caruso describes the grandmotherly bond and trust so well throughout the book that I almost teared up at one point when Ryx was trying to describe her feelings. There are also demon characters (!!!!!) and a snarky fox-cat-chimaera-magical familiar that reminded me of Mogget from the Old Kingdom series. With no spoilers I also was thrilled to see a possible enemies to lovers bit developing.

One other note on some of the content: I do tend to avoid a lot of the “other” that most people love reading about, but I pushed through this one because the content is done pretty seamlessly and is well integrated, and not too heavy. There is a bi character but all she does is think some women are cute before starting to form a bond with a male. There is also a same sex couple but all they do is stroke each other’s hair and blush, and I think one of the pair was supposed to be A-sexual which is also I believe where the author identifies. Additionally there is a “they” character which confuses the shit out of me because I always think it’s multiple people on the page. I did like the character though, super funny and bluntly honest to the point of being the comedic relief during tense situations. The point is that the content is there. I felt like a lot of boxes were being checked but as I said, it was done pretty seamlessly and not a big deal.

If you like a fantasy world with equal parts political intrigue and stabbing, banter and friendship, diverse casts, hell itself and a whole lot of cool magic – definitely pick up The Obsidian Tower. I ordered the hard copy already! I can’t say enough good things about the book and really do encourage all fans of fantasy to grab this immediately!

Blog link: https://onereadingnurse.com/2020/06/19/arc-review-the-obsidian-tower-by-melissa-caruso/

I really enjoyed reading this, the world is well built and the mystery kept me engaged. Ryx is a great main character, she's smart and takes her responsibilities very seriously. She will do anything to protect her home and family, even when they treat her poorly because of her powers. I don't think I would make it twenty years not being able to touch anyone without killing them, yet Ryx doesn't complain to others and just bears it.

The best part of this book is the mystery. What is the obsidian tower protecting? What happened to Ryx's grandmother and what does Whisper know but won't say? People were dying and almost dying, demons are on the loose, and I was totally invested. I needed to know who the traitor was and what could be done about the obelisk.

This was a bit slow at times, but that's my only complaint. I liked that there's just a bit of romance, but certainly not the main point of the story. There's a ton of LGBTQ and non binary representation, which I loved! It's always great when people just accept others for who they are with no judgement, unlike real life.

I'm so excited for book two already! I need to know what happens next :)

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

https://lynns-books.com/2020/06/15/th...
4 of 5 stars
My TL:DR Five Word Review : Dark Tower Keeps Darker Secret

The Obsidian Tower is a book that really surprised me. To begin with, I cannot deny, that this wasn’t working it’s magic and I had to stop reading about 25% in – to be honest though I think my own personal mood at the time was having an effect on my reading and making it difficult to concentrate. I left this to one side for a couple of weeks and then gave it another shot and I’m so pleased I decided to take that little book holiday because I ended up loving the Obsidian Tower.

Meet Ryx (Exalted Ryxander) Guardian of Gloaminguard Castle, Vivomancer, granddaughter of The Lady of Owls and quite possibly one of the loneliest people in the world of Eruvia. Ryx’s magical abilities were twisted beyond recognition following a childhood illness and left her with a unique magical talent that is little more than a curse. Ryx inadvertently kills everything she touches, well, there are a few exceptions, such as her grandmother, whose own power as a Witch Lord enables her to touch Ryx without death following on fleet feet. This is the foremost reason why Ryx was in fact moved to Gloaminguard to be raised by the Lady of Owls and to eventually become a guardian and advocate of peace between Vaskandar and the Raverran Serene Empire. In fact, as the story begins Ryx is about to host an envoy of diplomats in a bid to sign a peace agreement. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite according to plan and Ryx manages to kill one of her visitors and unlock the power of an ancient artefact that has long fallen under the protection of the Obsidian Tower. As you may imagine things spiral fairly quickly after that with the arrival of more guests, a murder, a shocking revelation and war threatening to break out at any moment.

What really worked well for me:

Firstly, I really liked a lot of the characters. Ryx is a young woman who has come to terms with her own strange life style. She has little, to no, human contact and constantly lives in fear of accidentally causing death or destruction. She has a ‘Midas’ touch of sorts but instead of turning those things she touches into gold, everything she comes into contact with dies, people, plants, animals. If she so much as brushes against a leaf it withers, she has never ridden a horse or shared a dance with someone. She lives in fear of causing death and the people around her are scared, they make the sign to ward off evil when she passes by and consequently friends are in short supply. Ryx is undoubtedly someone that you can enjoy reading about and more than that observing the way her character grows during the course of the book.

Ryx’s grandmother is a great character. She doesn’t play a huge role here, in fact she’s absent for a good portion of the story but you can still feel her influence and she’s really very intriguing, not to mention she really brings every scene that she enters to life – as does Whisper. Whisper is difficult to pin down. A creature of shadow who can move easily between places. Whisper knows things and keeps secrets. The Rookery is an organisation that investigate all sorts of things and provide answers and solutions. They’re neutral and their involvement helps to keep things a little more amicable. They’re a fun group of people, nerdy, fiercely loyal and with bags of tricks sitting in reserve which makes them surprisingly effective against the most difficult of odds. The Rookery definitely bring a ‘lighter’ element to the read which is very much welcome.

Now add in some of the darker characters of the story. Severin is brother to the Lord of Alevar whose fiance was killed at the start of the story when attempting to unlock the secrets of Gloaminguard and he is now hell bent on revenge. Severin is visiting the Castle as his brother’s agent to discover who the murderer is. I will add in a possible spoiler here so be aware – Severin and Ryx share some chemistry and I’m going to surprise you (and myself) by admitting that I really enjoyed this aspect of the story and would definitely like more. Yes, that’s right, I’m asking for more romance – yes indeedy. Severin and his brother have a difficult relationship and, lets just be honest, Severin is scared of the Wolf Lord, with good reason so it will be interesting to see how he develops.

On top of becoming invested in the characters I really enjoyed the world building. Gloaminguard is a fascinating castle full of twisted passages and dark mystery. The surrounding woods themselves answer to the magic of the Lady of Owls and lend her a lot of power, as do the surroundings that fall within the domain of the other Lords. There are politics at play here and the need to tread carefully in order to avoid an incident or, more to the point, a war.

Then finally, there’s the pacing, the ever increasing tension and the sensation of being flung from one crisis to the next whilst trying to undertake an investigation and make everywhere safe.

In terms of criticisms, I think one of my main issues when I started reading was that there was a certain degree of ‘telling’ not ‘showing’ particularly where Ryx was concerned. I also think I found myself angry on her behalf – she was blaming herself for a death that wasn’t really her fault. She had an awful childhood and very little family support and it turns out that the magic that kept everyone at bay could have been countered by wearing a Jess – a magic bracelet that holds the wearer’s own magic in check. As Ryx’s magic was not of any use to her family and she was foisted off on her grandmother as a last resort – then why not use the Jess? I don’t understand that aspect if I’m being totally honest. But, these things weren’t deal breakers for me and certainly didn’t spoilt the read and there might be more answers in the next book in the series.

A murder, an investigation, a secret and dangerous magical artefact. There is much here to love and on top of this a bunch of diverse characters that you can really develop feelings for. There’s a lot here to enjoy and it makes me very keen to see where the next instalment takes us.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

I’ve been interesting in Melissa Caruso’s books for quite some time, and I’ve had her debut trilogy recommended to me countless times. When I heard of this new series, my interest was immediately piqued. Taking place within the same universe as Caruso’s SWORDS AND FIRE trilogy, it’s not necessary to have read that previous to starting this one. Although I’m sure that certain characters, places, or things might tie in or overlap, you certainly won’t feel lost or like you’re missing something.

The action in THE OBSIDIAN TOWER starts almost immediately. Within the first 15 pages all hell breaks loose because of that pesky Obsidian door. The door stays locked and guarded for a reason, and now said reason is bringing terror to Ryx and her family. Though they still haven’t figured out what exactly they’re to be terrified of, because anyone who knows the secrets of the Obsidian Tower certainly aren’t being forthcoming with the information. The one thing Ryx is certain of is that this little predicament has brought loads of tension to her kingdom, and between politicking and working with a magical group of investigators, tension is the last thing Ryx needs right now.

I really really loved this book. I adored Caruso’s meticulous worldbuilding, I loved the magic system and the different titles given to various magic users within families, but most of all I loved the characters, particularly Ryx. Ryx has always believed that her magic was broken because her touch is deadly. Possessing no innate magical abilities like that of her grandmother and family members, she learns over the course of the book that she does indeed have abilities, though what exactly they are are still much a mystery. I also loved the way she’s navigating two worlds — the larger one where she has to keep the peace between kingdoms, and her own personal world where she’s trying to figure out her place and her identity and who she truly is.

Bottom line — THE OBSIDIAN TOWER was an amazing first installment in Melissa Caruso’s new ROOKS & RUIN trilogy. Highly recommended, especially for those who like character driven fantasies with loads of political intrigue. I’m so thrilled I’ve finally read something by a new favorite author, and I can’t wait to devour her previous trilogy.

*eARC received courtesy of NetGalley.

Where do I even begin? This was an exceptionally well-written, exciting, dramatic and heart-wrenching tour de force. The characters are rich in depth, even the nasty ones. I've never felt so bad about a character I hated getting killed! With just enough sarcasm and razor-sharp wit to keep you smirking (and downright chuckling at times...thank you Ashe), this book will leave you breathless and starving for the sequel.

This is the 89th book I've read this year (I"m spending my quarantine working from home and reading, apparently) and quite simply, it's the best book of the 89!

Once I opened it and started reading, I blazed through it, almost missing a zoom bookclub because I just needed to read a bit more, a bit more.

Ryx and her magical band are incredible. I love the world building, the mix of magic, politics and supernatural is blended just deliciously. There is so little I can say without spoilers, so I'll say -- it has the political intrigue and skuldullgery of Robin Hobb's Farseer books; the rich tapestry of a world and history from moment one; incredible visuals and a protagonist that you connect to and want to see win. Rounded out by a cast of Scooby gang magical investigators; some pretty interesting villains and possibly the Cheshire Cat and it's a fun and fantastic read. I can't wait for the next story and may read this again right now...or just go find everything else she's written.

For the first of a series, I would put this up with Trail of Lightning; Empire of Sand; the Farseer's Apprentice and Red Sister as epic starts!

I received an advance copy from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I must say Orbit has yet again published a wonderful fantasy series to enjoy. This is my first foray into Melissa Caruso's Swords and Fire world. It is no problem to begin here and jump into the Vaskandar Empire with its political intrigue and magic gone awry. There is even a sealed portal to the Gates of Hell, which must be guarded at all costs. Of course this would be where things go very wrong. As far a characterizations, they are well developed and interesting. The main character, Ryx tells the story from her POV. She’s smart, kind and used to being marginalized so you really want life to go her way. In the end this is also about family, duty and human connections. My only complaint is I want to continue reading how Ryx and her magical group complete the enormous task before them and I must wait for the next book. Thank you to Orbit Publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

When outside forces begin investigating the ominous obsidian tower guarded carefully by the people of Gloamingard, Ryxander must decide whether to go against the strict rules passed down from Warden to Warden of Gloamingard or risk the inhalation of her people. Throughout The Obsidian Tower, Caruso keeps her readers on their toes as they uncover the secrets and deception of her world.

While The Obsidian Tower promises an entertaining story full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers on their toes, it is hard to dive into Caruso's world as a catalog of characters are introduced too quickly, expecting the reader to be able to remember each and every character and how they fit into the story. With so many characters introduced in a short amount of time, I found myself having a hard time keeping track of whom I was supposed to care about and why I should care about them. I may have enjoyed the plot itself of the novel, but could not find myself becoming attached to any of the characters or caring about whether or not they would survive the events of the novel.

Having greatly enjoyed Melissa Caruso’s Swords and Fire trilogy, I was quite eager to sample her new work, and also curious to see her world from the point of view of the Raverran Serene Empire’s adversaries from previous books. Where the magic present in Raverra is controlled by placing jesses - i.e. restraining bracelets - on people endowed with magical powers, in Vaskandar mages are free to exert their powers, and the strongest among them rule over the realms to which they are intimately connected, engaging in endless strife for supremacy with their neighbors. In Swords and Fire, looking at Vaskandar through Raverran eyes, this country seemed to pose a constant threat: military aggression against diplomacy; undisciplined magic against tight control of powers; authoritarian rule against the compromise of politics. The Obsidian Tower looks on Vaskandar from the inside, and shows us that it’s indeed all a matter of perspective…

For four thousand years, the castle of Gloaminguard stood as protection over a magically sealed black tower: the family’s lore stresses emphatically that its door must remain closed at all costs. Ryx is the latest descendant of the family holding Gloaminguard, appointed warden of the castle by her grandmother, a powerful Witch Lord called the Lady of Owls. Ryx is however burdened by the impossibility of wielding her magic: in a family of vivomancers, mages with the ability to interact with the flora and fauna of their territories, the young woman is cursed by a killing touch - every living thing that comes into close contact with her is doomed to wither and die. As Gloaminguard is getting ready to host a meeting between Raverran and Vaskandran emissaries for the peaceful solution of a controversy, one of the envoys tries to circumvent the tower’s safeguards and is accidentally killed by Ryx as she tries to stop the ill-advised attempt of her guest.

Faced with the intricate task of juggling the consequences of the accident, the volatile political situation and the survival of her grandmother’s realm, Ryx finds herself enmeshed in a progressively dangerous game in which every new discovery leads to unexpected pitfalls and impossible choices, as the old menace from the newly-awakened Tower looms closer and threatens to plunge the whole world in a maelstrom of destruction.

The Obsidian Tower is a thoroughly captivating read, where the constantly raising stakes keep increasing the pressure, which at times becomes unbearable, because we see the situation unfold from Ryx’s point of view, so that the concatenation of events and the discoveries she makes along the way put her in an untenable position better described as “damned if I do, damned if I don’t”, and make the possible outcome quite unpredictable. Ryx is a brilliantly designed character, one that makes it easy to root for her: a mysterious childhood illness caused her blossoming vivomancy powers to deteriorate, turning into a life-sucking force that prevents her from any contact with living creatures - only a powerful mage, preparing for the onslaught of her magic, can survive her touch and so Ryx grew up in physical isolation, feared by everyone and needing to be on constant alert against any kind of proximity.

The sympathy Ryx engenders in the readers does not come from compassion for her plight, but from admiration for her inner strength and for her will to still be an effective member of her family despite the lethal handicap she suffers. As the situation in Gloaminguard becomes more and more complicated, she draws from the well of strength and wisdom she built over the years and shows her worth as a balancing element despite the opposing political plays of the two nations and the unhelpful interference from some of her family members. The only moments when she succumbs to wistfulness are those in which she observes the interactions between the members of the Rookery - a sort of super partes agency dealing with magical phenomena - and sees the easy camaraderie, the subliminal understanding born of shared experiences, and realizes how empty and bleak her existence has been, but still she refuses to let such feelings dominate her.

As for the Rookery, they represent the lighter side of the story: a combination of magical investigators and spies wielding gadgets that would be the envy of 007, they are a team composed by disparate individuals whose peculiarities contribute to the success of the group. We have a leader who is both bookish and action-oriented; a science enthusiast saddled with a terrible past; an infiltration agent gifted by a delightfully roguish personality; and a warrior who at times needs to be told that her sword is not necessarily the only answer. The Rookery’s easy acceptance of Ryx, despite the danger she poses, is a breath of fresh air not only for the young woman herself, but for the reader as well, because it’s painful to see how she’s feared and shunned even by people who saw her grow up and seem unable to avoid the automatic warding sign they make at her passage. Since the series’ title mentions Rooks, it is my strong hope that I will see much more of the Rookery’s antics in the next books.

Story-wise this novel is the intriguing introduction to a further exploration of the world created by Melissa Caruso: much as I enjoyed visiting Raverra and its Venice Republic-like world of politics and compromise, this glimpse of Vaskandar is even more appealing thanks to the unruly quality of its magic, the constant warfare (declared or not) between realms and the fascinating concept of connection between mages and their territory, so that nature itself, when necessary, can intervene over humans, either helping or hindering them. Or worse - there is a scene in The Obsidian Tower, involving a mad Witch Lord and thorny bushes, that had me wincing in sympathetic pain…

On this background are set interesting issues as friendship and trust, responsibility and duty, all rolled up with enigmatic prophecies from the past which can still have impact on the present - and probably the future, since this story is only at its beginning. And with such a strong beginning, we can only predict that the best is still to come.

Really good beginning to sophomore series. Very excited to explore this part of the world in the series.

When I saw the cover art for The Obsidian Tower, I knew I needed to learn more about this book. I'm definitely a reader who is drawn to a good cover, and this one hit the mark. Cue an awesome synopsis, and I had to request a copy. Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Melissa Caruso for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Another thing that intrigued me is that one of the tags this book has been given is the LGBT tag on Goodreads. I so appreciated the inclusion of queer characters in this book - and in a world where it seems to be just accepted that this is the way people are. There is bisexuality, gender non-conforming, asexuality... and nobody bats an eye. What a great world to live in! I mean, except for the obvious bit where other things are falling apart in a big way.

The magic system in this world is very interesting, and I want to know a lot more about it. Ryx, our protagonist, has a broken version of this magic that kills everything she touches, but the rest of her family is able to heal, and grow things at will. Their magic is related to living things, but that's most of what you find out. I hope that we get to hear more about this system in the coming novels!

I learned after I had already read the book that Caruso has already written three other books in the same world. A separate trilogy entirely, but I feel like I must have missed out. There are some big info dumps in the first half of this novel that may have made more sense if I had. I spent a lot of time feeling like I needed to catch up. which made it a lot harder to relate to the characters. I missed out on a lot of beautiful prose this way, too - Caruso has a lovely way with words that would sometimes sneak up on me. I'm happy I kept it up though, because the last few chapters of The Obsidian Tower are when things go down and get exciting. I found myself speed reading in the best way possible.

This book is likely for you if you like a new kind of magic system, complex family relationships, and slow burn plot development. I'll likely check out Caruso's previous trilogy to help center this one, but if you don't mind a whole lot of info in the first bit of a book, you can just jump in here.

I went into this book with high hopes; unfortunately, I was a little let down. I was expecting a story that was action packed and magic filled. I got quite the opposite. The main character doesn’t use magic and the book is filled with straight politics. Way too much politics.

Events were way to repetitive. In all honesty, the first half of the book could have been swished into a hand full of chapters. It didn’t start really picking up and get interesting until the last 15% of the book. The characters ultimately would speak in circles, never really making hard decisions, and nothing would get accomplished.

One thing that was odd was while I was reading I felt compelled to keep reading. I think that was mainly to see if something major would happen. I was driven by curiosity. However, if I stopped reading, it took everything in me to start reading again.

I will say I love the sexual identity representation! Non-binary, lesbian, and bi-sexual identities were all represented. It was a breath of fresh air to come across that in a novel.

This novel has potential if majority of the politics were removed. More action is needed. More investigating, more questioning, more sneaking, more twists/surprises.

The Obsidian Tower is the first book in Melissa Caruso’s Rooks and Ruin series. The story is set in the same universe as Caruso’s Sword and Fire series. However, you don’t need to read that series to become fully immersed in this series.

The story focuses on Ryx, a royal-born with magical powers. Unfortunately for her, her magic doesn’t work in the effective, life-giving way that the rest of her family's does. Her magic and her touch harms. Because of this, she is a pariah in her own kingdom, feared and avoided by all but a small group of people. She, too, is afraid. She fears hurting people and hates the magic that she’s been cursed with.

However, as the story progresses, Ryx learns to use and control her power. As like most coming-of-age fantasies, as Ryx matures she learns more about herself, becomes more in control of herself, and develops more confidence and sense of self. It helps that her power might just save the kingdom. Ryx gains purpose which adds to her maturation and growth.

Much of the story is a struggle for power. As delegations from other kingdoms come to engage in peace talks, Ryx finds a spy in their midst. Courtly intrigue ensues, as Ryx also realizes that some of their “allies” are a little too interested in the tower that her family guards.

“Guard the tower, ward the stone…Nothing must unseal the door.”

Ryx knows that guarding the tower is of supreme importance. After all, this has been ingrained in her since childhood. When the tower is breached early in the story, Ryx and others have to deal with the ramifications of letting something evil into their midst.

Ryx is an amazingly well-developed character. Smart, caring, and determined, she is just what the kingdom needs. She has a strong and interesting group of friends and allies that support and complement each other.

I also loved her complex relationship with her enigmatic and powerful grandmother. From humorous banter to manipulative and mysterious conversation, their interactions captivated me from the start. I don’t want to give away too much here, but I’m curious to see what happens between Ryx and her grandmother in future books.

Finally, I love the messages presented in the novel. At the forefront are themes of self-worth, believing in yourself, and how corrosive power can be when selfishly gained.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The Obsidian Tower (Rooks and Ruin, #1) by Melissa Caruso

**I have received this eARC from NetGalley and Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank You!**

Description

Our main character is Ryx, a warden of Gloaminguard Castle. Her magic doesn't work like the rest of the families. Hers takes the life of everyone that touches her, rather then helping to give life. Regardless she is a determined girl wanting to protect her people.

Review

This is the first book in a new fantasy series filled with magic, dark mystery, power and politics. It slowly builds tension and intrigue before giving it all to you in an epic cliffhager setting you up for the next installment.

I enjoyed The Obsidian Tower enough to recommend and tell others about it. This is my first book by this Author and I found myself loving Caruso's writing style. The story's forward movement kept me engaged and interested in the next page. I am a fan of Ryx's character. She went from being a reclusive girl who thinks she's a monster and isolates herself to becoming the person she always wanted to be. Someone who is loved and accepted. The Obsidian Tower is a fast-paced, decent fantasy that is full of dark magic and political intrigue.


More that I liked abut the book was was the plot and the world building, as these were both intriguing and amazing. These two paired together made for a really interesting story. The Gloaminguard Castle had dark mystery helping to build up the tension. It reminded me of those giant spooky mansions that you see every so often on T.V. Definitely a place that would be amazing to explore.



This was a decent Fantasy full or awe and wonder. If you enjoy a good Fantasy world you will enjoy The Obsidian Tower.

4 star Review because although I really enjoyed visiting this world I was not blow away. Know what I mean?

I loved the first two books in this series. This one introduces a new set of characters but doesn't quite manage to tie in the plot from the previous books, even though the setting of the story remains the same. I was not quite as invested in the story of the new main character. Maybe the next book will develop a more interesting aspect of this new set of characters.

An enjoyable read overall. The story itself is not to simple or overly complicated. Didn't really like or dislike the characters but how will they will change and grow could be interesting. The magic system was sort of cool but needed to some detail to really get a grasp for understanding it. Did find it very easy to keep reading once I started and can see how people will really like this book.