The Water Crown

The Water Crown is inviting and inventive. I enjoyed entering this science fiction world, and I love the ideas the author puts in place, along with the characters that populate this unique story.

I found the synopsis for this book very intriguing
A WORLD RUNNING OUT OF WATER, KINGS AND QUEENS STRUGGLING TO CONTROL WHAT IS LEFT, AND A DIASPORA TRYING TO STOP THEM.
I loved the world building, especially jades home with her concoction of animals which she can speak to (and in one case “Gwevlyn.” the pangolin works for her in the house making tea etc..) I also loved Zyan and following him and his family as they move through their desert home.

I did find the writing style a little overdone which took me out of the story at times . “The early-evening sun sat just above the Moroccan horizon, still draping a heavy heat across the windblown mountains of the mustard seed-colored landscape”
I had to google some of the animals jade interacted with -( pangolin is an anteater!? - just say anteater? ) Which In my opinion made the story feel a little pretentious?

Overall I enjoyed once I got into the bulk of the story and got used to the writing style.

The tagline for this book immediately caught my eye: “A world running out of water, kings and queens struggling to control what is left, and a diaspora trying to stop them.”

Sci-fi is not generally a reading genre I gravitate towards, but I couldn’t resist giving The Water Crown by James Suriano a chance. It is an intriguing and fast-paced novel that I struggled to put down. I found this to be a highly enjoyable book and definitely recommend this to both sci-fi fans and those who are not avid readers of this genre.

The story bounces between the perspectives of two very different characters. Zyan is a 10 year-old Bedouin boy in the deserts of Morocco, who is learning the ways of his nomadic people through his father’s actions and stories. Jade St. John is a woman known as an “unconventional,” or person with magical talents, who splits her time between her family estate in South Africa, protected by enchantments set in place by her grandmother, and her secure apartment in Tel Aviv, when she isn’t on assignment for her mysterious employer. Their paths cross when Zyan sees a vision of Jade while he is drawing water at a well one day, thinking that she is a jinn. As the world is drawn into a drought and a crisis over control of dwindling water supplies ensues, the thread connecting Jade and Zyan pulls them closer, while her responsibilities pull her in a different directions. Jade and Zyan realize that the only way they can survive is by working together.

The author has a beautiful way of using description, making me feel as though I could see places I’ve never been to in my life. His descriptions of Africa are lush and picturesque, but I feel that the most vivid descriptions are of the desert scenery in Morocco:

“The night brightened, with a dense layers of stars backlighting the sky while the moon took front stage, turning the browns and oranges of the Sahara into a palate of many grays. Zyan felt reinvigorated by the cool air and the sugary fragrance of a far-off tree or flower that had opened in the welcoming light of the moon and released its sweetness.”

I like reading about the characters as well. Much of Jade’s character development is presented through flashbacks to her childhood, while Zyan’s growth happens throughout the book. He flashes to stories that his father has told him as morals and lessons, and then is presented with choices in the present. I find it especially fascinating to compare how mature Zyan is at 10 years old compared to children in more “advanced” societies. Even as a comparatively responsible and mature 10 year-old, he shows considerable growth throughout the book.

At times, I would get a bit lost in the more sci-fi type descriptions of situations, and would find myself having to go back and read a passage two or three times to get a sense of what the author was trying to convey. Some of the concepts are a bit difficult for me, but as I’ve mentioned, I’m less oriented to sci-fi than other sorts of books. However, I did find this book to be fascinating. The complicated passages aren’t a turn-off in the least. I wanted to grasp the ideas, which is why I went back and re-read them until I understood.

The plot itself is a little complicated, with a lot of moving parts, but it did come together in a way that I didn’t quite see coming. The ending is amazing. I won’t say more than that, other than you should definitely read this book. It is an enthralling novel, with emotional aspects that I definitely did not expect, since the few sci-fi books I have read have been somewhat clinical and detached (think Brave New World). I give this book a resounding five out of five stars.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. It was fresh and unique! Just what I needed!
I absolutely loved the world building!
The main character is a sorceress, known as as Jade or by her code name Africa, she travels between locations by grasping filaments no one else sees and swinging through space like an acrobat in a circus.
Overall, a beautifully written, fun book! Can't wait to read more from this author!

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

The world faces a terrible drought and a secret group of supernatural beings and the royal heads of state in Europe engage a sorceress to discover hidden underground water sources before the Earth becomes a dustbowl of death. Traveling by “filaments” only she can see, Jade will use her abilities and the companionship of a young Bedouin boy to discover where water exists.

THE WATER CROWN by James Suriano begins as a wonderfully rich fantasy tale, yet becomes weighted down with over descriptions that, while eloquent, make the reading a little difficult at times. As with many fantasies, politics play a large part of this tale and sometimes interrupt the flow further.

All told, this is a daring fantasy that seems to cross genres without hesitation but gets bogged down in just a little too much creative writing. Tightened up, this would make a fabulously told tale.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Weaving Genesis Publications! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Publisher: Weaving Genesis Publications; 1 edition (August 31, 2019)
Publication Date: August 31, 2019
Genre: Paranormal and Urban Fantasy
Print Length: 498 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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An interesting fantasy/mystery creatively told. I enjoyed this even though fantasy is not my favorite genre. It gets bogged down occasionally with too much detail/creativity, but the author is very talented. Lots of creative ideas here. Recommended.

I really appreciate the copy for review!!

I really enjoyed reading this book, the plot was what drew me in and it kept getting better as I continued reading.

ade St. John splits her time between her isolated estate in South Africa, protected by an enchantment her grandmother concocted more than a decade ago, and a basement apartment in Tel Aviv, with a door full of more levers and pulleys than a bank vault. Worldly and confident, she stands out in any crowd.

Zyan, a Bedouin boy learning the ways of the desert from his father’s stories, has accepted a humble path in order to learn the secrets of the nomadic life and establish his roots in the shifting sand.At the well one day, Zyan catches a wavy vision of Jade—whom he believes is a jinn—which tugs the magical thread connecting them while simultaneously drawing them into a global crisis.

As they’re pulled closer, their lives become more imperiled, until it becomes apparent that only together can they stay alive.

Interesting and creative story. Loved it.