The Banished Craft
By E.D.E. Bell
About the book:
The Banished Craft is a genre-bending
fantasy saga that follows the adventures of Cor, a woman caught in a dying
world that does not accept her, and Atesh, a dragon scientist who’s been asked
to violate his own ethics or put the lives of his family at risk. Follow their
trials as they deal with a shattered world, mired in political upheaval, while
they try to rediscover a lost magic. The Banished Craft begins the Shkode
trilogy: a quirky and modern take on dragons and wizards, exploring themes of
identity, prejudice, violence, compassion, and the ways we are all connected.Excerpt:
Next came the era of rebirth and the building of the University.
Following was the advent of social reform, institutionalizing the social
guidelines that built stronger families and a firm moral center for the people
of Teirrah. These laws ensured all children had men in the home for strength
and stability. They instituted guards against socially damaging behavior and
contained the societal roles of men and women within their natural boundaries.
Cor had read about social reform her whole life, but she had
never felt the sting of its enforcement until she moved to Farmstate. Growing
up, she had been protected and sheltered by Calci. By law, authorities should
have taken her away when her parents died. But the U.G. officers from Gardenia
didn’t like Cavestate—didn’t like its searing heat, having to buy water, or the
unnaturalness of sleeping in caves.
As a result, locals were often hired to act in their stead.
The locals preferred not to ask questions, holding firm to their traditions. It
had been easy to skirt the watchful eye of the U.G. there, but it was not that way
in Farmstate. Laws were strictly enforced and societal roles passionately
defended.
Cor felt an overwhelming yearning for home and wondered what
she was doing here in this aboveground room, surrounded by cold winds—both
literal and figurative. She sat the book back on the table. No matter how hard
she tried, it never felt like enough.
~My Review~
4.0 Stars
This is a unique complex book about 2 worlds that were split, yet still very much connected in ways that slowly come to light throughout the story. This story is very unique in the many points of view that it is told by, each chapter changes who's part of the story you are getting; from Cor who is determined to discover secrets that died with her parents, and Atesh of the dragon's world who is also a scientist and is order to work on a secret poison for the Emperor, and more from there.
The dragon world is an amazing world, with a civilized society, they speak, and have highly educated jobs and Zee is their current ruler and is very old and wise-and often described as being very intimidating and a little frightening to have to have one on one's with. And of course she knows more then anyone ever expects out of here, which I would assume any successful leader of a dragon society to do.
This book was written with a lot of depth to it, a lot of theory added in as well as philosophy. All that and the unique dual worlds made it for a very interesting and different read. I very much enjoyed this book!
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