My favorite days are days I get to share incredible indie-published books with you. Twisted Vessels is a perfect example of an indie book that deserves all the hype of traditionally published books. Jaysee Jewel has created a massive fantasy world perfect for those who enjoyed Mistborn, Dungeons & Dragons, The Gilded Wolves, and Six of Crows.
Synopsis:
In the floating cities of Maivau, law and order balance on a thin blade wielded by the Arbiter. Her reign is sanctioned by seven immortal, god-like Vessels who can grant ancient magic. A seemingly insignificant rebellion will be the tipping point that disrupts this order by driving together the daughter of an upper city soldier and the son of an undercity beggar.
Orphaned and alone after a disastrous revolt leaves both sides slaughtered, Kairon—whose father orchestrated the rebellion and paid for it with his life—must bow to the whims of the Vessel Gier to survive, obtaining immense magical powers that allow him to manipulate metal. Meanwhile Neia, a descendant of fairies from the upper levels, is driven into the dark underbelly of Maivau by the revolt and becomes enslaved. Her privilege is stripped away, forcing her to consider sacrificing her soul in exchange for freedom.
In Kairon’s harsh, impoverished world, Neia represents morality and innocence. He is willing to risk everything to save her. But if he fails, he will become the Executioner, a debt collector who exacts his own brand of justice on Maivau.
To avenge their families and restore order to this world, Neia and Kairon must become as ruthless as the Arbiter. Will the two of them have the courage and skills to survive this deadly game of cat and mouse, or will they become the very monsters they swore to eradicate?
This steampunk fantasy and its brutal magic system will appeal to fans of Arcane, Mistborn, Six of Crows, and The Poppy War.
Review:
Twisted Vessels centers around a world, Maivau, divided by class and race. Maivau has actual physical divisions that make it nearly impossible to mix with other classes and visit other cities. Maivau is a land of gods, but they require sacrifice and payment in exchange for their aid and services.
In Maivau’s lowest level is Kairon, a former street rat who grew up tough and was orphaned at a young age. He lost everything once before, even Neia – the one thing he saw as precious and pure. Neia has lost everything: her family, her friends, her dreams, and her homeland. Both Kairon and Neia have encounters with Maivau’s gods, and each must decide if the god’s help is worth the payment required.
I loved this author’s writing and the world she built. This is a massive, epic fantasy with many characters, species, and cities. However, the author does an excellent job of world-building and introducing you to all the main players. With so many moving parts in the book, you’d assume it would get overwhelming. While it might have been under another author, Jewel’s writing clearly outlines her world’s races and Maivau’s divided cities. She deftly creates an epic fantasy landscape unlike any other I’ve read. Artwork of Maivau and its races is also included in the book, making this fantasy world feel very accessible.
After introducing us to the main characters and the world, the author then travels into the past to give us the backstory for the main characters. The remainder of the book is spent in this past timeline. We don’t actually return to the present day until the final chapters. This shouldn’t work; I honestly didn’t think it would work. But it did! I am excited to return to present day in future installments, however.
Twisted Vessels is not solidly adult, new adult, or young adult. There is no “spice,” but there is reference to heavy topics like drugs, sexual assault, rape, murder, sex work, enslavement, and loss of a loved one. I think this would be an excellent read for someone who feels they have aged out of young adult fantasies, but isn’t quite ready to dive into the tomes of adult fantasies.
Final Thoughts: Twisted Vessels is an excellent first entry in this series. The epilogue has me excited for the next book (and a bit perplexed about a particular character). I will absolutely pick up the next book. Support indie authors!
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Thanks to the author for an advanced review copy. The above artwork was found on the Amazon book page and is not my own. All the above thoughts are my own.
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