Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Lacuna
AUTHOR: N.R. Walker
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 10 hours and 25 minutes
RELEASE DATE: March 22, 2021
BLURB:
Twenty-five years ago, the hand of fate marked four newborns and sent them to the four corners of the Great Kingdoms. They were schooled and trained as rulers of their lands in preparation for the Golden Eclipse ceremony: a festival to celebrate a thousand years of peace and prosperity since the Great War.
Crow, ruler of Northlands, a skilled swordsman and expert tactician, is as reclusive and stoic as the mountains that surround him. Tancho has spent his life in strict discipline, governing the Westlands with a fair mind and gentle hand. Quiet and unassuming, yet lethal in combat, he is the embodiment of the waters he lives by.
Yet the same hand of fate unknowingly linked Tancho to Crow in ways they cannot comprehend. Ruled by the stars, the brother sun and the two sister moons above them, and marked by an alchemical sorcery as old as time, their destinies were never their own.
As the eclipse draws near and the festival begins, word comes of another threat. Invaders from unknown lands bring a war no one was prepared for, and Crow and Tancho must decide on which side of the battle line they stand.
In life or death, their destinies will see them joined either way.
Lacuna is a 92,000-word story of swords and sorcery, action and adventure, and romance.
REVIEW:
This book starts with the significant event of an invitation to the capital and center of the four lands for each of the four rulers of the Eastlands, Westlands, Northlands and Southlands all of whom were born into their positions. This is a one in a thousand year event – the Golden Eclipse. But once the arrive, things get a bit weird and it’s clear that they have been drawn away from their kingdoms and an attack is underway – from another world.
Crow, the kind of the Northlands and Tancho, the kind of the Westlands, have a strange reaction to the alchemy of one of the elders. They are now bound together. When Tancho’s lands are attacked, Crow and his guardian must accompany him back to the Westlands. Once there, it becomes clear that there is a lot more at stake than just this one incursion. There is a lot of magic at play that no one know about. And the peace of all the lands are at stake.
This isn’t a genre I am typically drawn to, but the combo of one of my favorite authors and favorite narrators made me want to take the chance on it. And I’m glad I did. This was nothing like I was expecting and there is a lot of setup in this story. I loved the world building – the four kingdoms and the four rulers, the magic, the birthmarks, the intrigue and deception. It was all so good and I felt the snow and the cold, the heat and humidity, the green of the forest, the dry desert. I would not call this a romance, but high fantasy with romantic elements. Crow and Tancho don’t really get together until pretty far into the story. They are bound together, but it’s not like they actually like each other. Once they have to face a common enemy and save their kingdoms, they being to relate on a more personal level, but this far into the story. I was amused by how much the did not like each other at first – even though they couldn’t stand for anyone else to touch the other. The stronger their bond, the more hot the possessiveness. They were so smart though – and I think that was a big part of the attraction. Intelligence, integrity and sacrifice for their people were the qualities that drew them together and kept them together. There are a lot of supporting characters that are integral to the story – especially Crow’s and Tancho’s guards – that lend depth and urgency to the story. I loved them so much 🙂 They added much need levity and humor to what is largely kind of an epic and dark story – overcoming evil to save the kingdoms.
Nick Russo does a fantastic job narrating this story. There are a LOT of characters – from different lands with different accents – and he made great choices for each of the kingdoms and their people. This was quite a long book, but the energy and suspense and rollicking journey towards the climax of the story were super! This is a high-action story told in an appropriately energetic performance. Highly recommended for fans of Fantasy specially 🙂 Well written and superbly performed.
RATINGS: 
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