A Night of Wings and Starlight (Eternal Nights Book 1)

“Be quick, be quiet, and be careful”.  Humanity has spent a hundred years in darkness. The world of Valdhir knows no day. Its two moons are fixed, unmoving, in the sky. Arya has spent her entire life training inside the Queen’s mountain of West Mirth. Arya is a runner. She hopes to become a Chosen, one who runs between the Queen’s subordinate kingdoms outside the mountain, passing vital messages between them. The training is harsh and violent, because outside the protection of the mountain there are undead monsters. Arya believes that the chance to see the outside world is worth anything and everything she can do for her Queen. But once outside, she learns that there are wondrous Watchers, that the paradigms she has been taught are untrue, and that love may be worth more than she ever imagined.

This breathtaking dystopian fantasy is rich with longing and the celebration of female power. It is easy to empathize with Arya’s singular drive to escape the claustrophobic oppression of the mountain, to rejoice with her wonder at running free under the stars, and to applaud her resolve in making choices driven by her own conscience. Once Arya understands her true power, each choice pits her against her former Queen. None can unburden her from fulfilling her destiny of returning daylight to Valdhir, neither Azrael, her new winged lover; his superior, the Grandmaster of the Watchers; nor, especially her best friend, Loren. Alexis L Menard cleverly weaves together romance and retribution in this complex and beautiful story. Arya’s strength, tears, and ideals will linger once the last page is turned.

Joan Lai