Reign & Ruin

I'm feeling inspired! That alone should tell you I really, really enjoyed this one.

Welcome to the review of Where Ottoman Fantasy Meets Romance and Actually Works!

Ever wished for a fantasy novel that doesn't feel like it was written by someone who thinks the whole world revolves around England (or the Western World)?  Well, grab your coffee (or better yet, your Lebanese arak), because J.D. Evans has delivered exactly that in this delightful first instalment of the “Mages of the Wheel” series.

Let's start with the world-building, which is basically what would happen if the (pre-gunpowder) Ottoman Empire and magic had a beautiful baby. Evans sprinkles authentic Middle Eastern elements like a master chef seasoning a perfect kebab (yum!) — just enough to make it flavourful without overwhelming the dish. And hallelujah (or hallūyā), it's not another Western-centric fantasy!

The characters? Oh boy. Meet Naime, our Tamar Sultana, who's basically what you'd get if you combined a brilliant strategist with a woman trying to figure out life while running a nation (no pressure, right?). Then there's Makram, our brooding prince-mage with a reputation darker than Turkish coffee but a heart softer than labneh. And thank the heavens above, these are actual adults with adult problems, not teenagers saving the world while dealing with prom drama. (IMO, Young Adult Fantasy is mostly meh!).

Oh, supporting characters like Samira and Tareck were a great addition. (Can we have a short story with them, please?!)

The romance is chef's kiss — sophisticated, sensual, and refreshingly mature. Naime's journey from “I know the theory” to “oh, so THAT'S what all the fuss is about... give me more” is handled with extreme elegance and a bit of humor. It's like watching a historical romance tv show, but with magic and significantly fewer corsets. And hurrah for the beautiful outfits, from the beautiful silk embroideries to the dark and misterious clothes of the 6th House.

The only real letdown is our villain, Grand Vizier Behram Kadir, who's currently about as deep as a decorative Ottoman jar. Here's hoping he gets more layers in future books (though these will apparently focus on different characters — so, I'm looking at you, dear author, with both hope and suspicion).

Special mention goes to the heartbreaking portrayal of the Sultan's mental decline. Yes, I did need those tissues, thank you very much.

Would a glossary have been nice? Sure. Did I enjoy frantically Googling middle-eastern terms at midnight? Also yes.

Bottom line: If you're tired of the same old fantasy immature tropes and want something that feels as fresh as mint tea on a hot day in Istanbul, this book is your next must-read.

My rate: 4.75/5 magic carpets (that don't actually appear in the book, but you get the idea). Definitely a reread in the future (I'm already targeting revising it, via audiobook).

Regarding spice: 3.5/5. However, regarding sexiness (as in alluring sensations): 4.5/5.

So, soooooo good! I love books that have mixed of political maneuvering and fighting. Naime is such a boss and I love how she plays the court games while Makram is there cheering her on like the whole time. “That's my Queen!” love their dynamic so much.

Fantasy book with a fairly strong romance side-plot. I think the fantasy bit is pretty solid, and the romance starts off good (with a whole lot of yearning and pining) but I feel like it starts to get pretty sappy and a little old. Less goo-goo eyes over each other and more time focusing on the politics and story, please!

I was given an e-book of this to judge for the Indie Ink Awards for Prettiest Book Interior. I really wanted to judge it fairly for the category, as I had several under it, so I actually ended up getting a physical copy for myself. The designs on the chapter headers as well as the pages are absolutely stunning. One of the most beautiful and designed books I've ever seen. 
The subject matter of this book though, I will admit is not really my speed. This would fall under smut or spice, or what I refer to as fantasy porn, and that is something I typically do avoid entirely. So, it's kind of hard to judge around all of that because the book itself is mostly following with that. The story itself is probably 70-75% sexual tension, with the actual climax of the story being the climax of its characters... 
I will say that otherwise, the story is mostly a political struggle. Any author that can write a book entirely about inner conflicts tends to get some respect from me. It is a slow burn and very dialogue heavy. Every character has a part to play and is part of the game. It has a ‘good for her' ending with a female lead that is strong and powerful, and the ending is definitely earned throughout the story. 
Personally a 3/5* for me. If it wasn't for the sexual content, this book would probably have been missing an important piece to the story, but for me, it's also what held back my enjoyment. 

This book was cute and there were feminist undertones that were nearly impossible to miss. If I don't think about this book for too hard or too long, it leaves me with a warm, fuzzy feeling. But when I sit with the book for a bit, I can't help but be troubled by the resolution of its non-romance plot. My complaints about this book, mirror the issues I had with [b:Spellmaker 54245639 Spellmaker (Spellbreaker Duology, #2) Charlie N. Holmberg https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592969483l/54245639.SY75.jpg 72395126]. Ultimately, if your villain raises valid points about inequities in your society, and those inequities are left unaddressed by your protagonists, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. How am I to root for people who would let unjust systems stand untouched? Makram's brother Kinus gets a lot of flack for rightfully pointing out that in the old system the most powerful mages held power whether they were good people or not. Yet, Naime and Makram want the return of the old system for the balance of the wheel, forgetting that it was when the wheel was in balance that a mass genocide of one of the houses occurred. The wheel's equilibrium did not stop Naime's ancestors from hunting an entire people. Yet she advocates a return to that system with no checks or balances that would ensure future generations would not commit the mistakes of the past and it seems there is to be no restitution for the damages caused in the past. I don't need every fantasy I read to end in a democracy. However, I need the protagonists to thoughtfully grapple with the inequities of their society and at least come to a semi-sensible resolution. One of the few series in which I have seen the protagonists engage with the valid points made by the antagonists is the [b:Daevabad Trilogy Collection 57213849 Daevabad Trilogy Collection (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1-3) S.A. Chakraborty https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614338979l/57213849.SX50.jpg 89547986] and reading [b:Reign & Ruin 50607309 Reign & Ruin (Mages of the Wheel, #1) J.D. Evans https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579555916l/50607309.SX50.jpg 73107342] has made me appreciate it that much more.