Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston

 

Welcome Back Booklovers, 

I've been reading more adult fantasy this year. And while I usually don't lean towards to 500+ page stories the cover intrigued me. Plus I hadn't heard anyone talking about it so that only peaked my interest more. This story is by accomplished author and playwright Andrea Hairston who is a new to me author. I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into but it was a hell of a journey.  I received an arc from Tor Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I do want to preface this by saying that if you don't like slow-burn fantasy then this book is not for you because book 1 reads very lengthy and even at times repetitive as it sets up the story that leads to the present day journey. Andrea Hairston is a very descriptive writer which means we got beautiful descriptions of the foods they feasted on and the lands they wandered. You could practically smell the brine, hear the gulls by the sea, and taste the nut butter and sweet mango slices. She uses very lyrical language to set up the atmosphere in which this story takes place. She does a great job setting up the atmosphere of the world they live in.

Djola is the male protagonist and he is the Master of Poisons who has been trying to use his wisdom to help the Arkhysian empire as the earth is dying. As right hand to Emperor Azizi he has been warning him since the poison deserts started to appear and urging him to practice conservation. However for years his pleas have fallen on deaf ears until farmland dries our and rivers disappear. Now at  this time the people claim it's too late to change their ways.

We follow Djola as he ends up being exiled and apart of a pirate crew as a healer while coping with being separated from his family. To save them and restore his position as the emperor's right hand he must find a cute. During his exile he is working to master Xhalan Xhala, a form of ancient Lahesh conjure which will help him purify the land.

It's actually an interesting way to touch upon climate change which affects us all however people were very quick to deny and ignore until it became more apparent. And the idea of personal responsibility when many have the what's done is done mindset. 

The other protagonist Awa is a young sprite from a poor family who is sold by her father to griots called The Green Elders. We follow her journey over the course of a few years as she creates a new family and comes into her own with her powers. As a character I thought she really became interesting when she was ripped from her new family and forced to survive. I found myself leaning more towards her narrative.

The Smokeland was an interesting take on the astral plain/realm often found in fantasy stories. I enjoyed the scenes when Djola and Awa connected with the Smokeland and the lines of reality sometimes got blurred. These scenes were even stronger when their paths finally crossed.

Another interesting thing is the usage of non binary characters in a way that feels very natural and not  thrown in for additional diversity. The queer relationships were something I thought she took great care with developing. 

If you are an experienced fantasy reader looking for an epic tale I think you will enjoy this. This is a vast world that you are dropped in and navigate your way through. The story truly started coming together for me after the 40% mark. I would love to listen to this one on audiobook as it's a fascinating world with very metaphor heavy writing and vivid descriptions.