Of Thieves and Shadows (The Heart of Quinaria) by BSH Garcia-review & guest post
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 1, 2023
Some secrets are best left to the shadows. But shadows have a mind of their own.
The ancient land of Quinaria teeters on the brink of war, as its most precious resource is unearthed and exploited. Three nations have maintained tenuous peace for centuries, but as the life-giving nevethium dwindles, rumors of an ancient evil long thought dead spread like wildfire.
Elaysia never wanted to lead. As the high chieftain’s only surviving heir, she’s thrust into a role that jeopardizes the already fragile peace. A deadly attack on the day of her induction strengthens her resolve—and her suspicion that her parents’ murders and these disturbing rumors are connected.
With newfound companions, she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth. But as they unravel layers of secrets, they find themselves in the clutches of a dictator whose unethical nevethium experimentation threatens to bring about a new world of terror and violence.
Elaysia and her allies could be all that stands between war and a dying world—if their conflicting ambitions don’t destroy them first.
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REVIEW:Elaysia is the Main Female Character(FMC) and I found her a joy to read. Her journey is a hazardous one, and at times she definitely has to step up and be the leader, through the book she grows up and I can’t wait to see her again in book two.
Secondary characters are interesting and they all get a say on this book, there is a little confusion as the characters multiply and split off into adventures of their own, but it soon settles back down.
The descriptions in this book captivate and transport to this new world with ease, you immerse yourself in the lives of the characters, you feel their pain, you hold your breath as each story unfolds.The smallest of detail wasn’t missed, gods had names, weather and villages were described, the journey to stop the chaos was tough going, you actually felt every step they took.
It is a little political and topical for what’s going on on the world at the moment, but it doesn’t detract from the story at all (I never got that the author was on a political podium).
The battle scenes are intense, the action doesn’t stop until the last page. If this were a rollercoaster, it would have left you breathless with the twists and turns…..
I’d call this a dystopian adventure with a murder/mystery vibe.
I throughly enjoyed this book, and although this author is a new one for me, I’m definitely going to be reading the next book.
It doesn’t leave a cliffhanger ending, the story is wrapped up pretty well. But it does leave a few questions that I’m hoping book two will clear up.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Julie B ?
Close your eyes. Imagine your favorite story, recall a cherished fable from childhood, or replay a scene from a top-five film in your mind.
Chances are high that the setting or world-building of that story was one of the first things to take shape in your memory, if not the very first thing. Not only does setting make up the building blocks of any great story or character, it is also what shapes them, sets the tone, and often what makes them unique. Imagine Star Wars without the desert waste of Tatooine, or Lord of the Rings without the enchanting paradise that is Rivendell. How could we properly appreciate the stakes in Dune or Game of Thrones without the historical implications driving the narrative?
The world-building of a story shapes its characters, the plot, and conveys the culture intertwined through it all. It’s as subtle as a meal, and as glaringly obvious as a mythological being spewing prophecies. A story without a clearly defined setting is like a crew without a ship. All the players are there (the crew) ready to sail the ocean (the plot), but without a vessel (the world-building), they are going to flounder, and many will drown. But if your ship is too big and flashy, if it dwarfs the ocean and swallows your characters, that’s not much of a story either. Like most things, crafting a solid setting and weaving the right amount of it into the story is a precarious process. But when done right, it yields excellent results.
Now, I wouldn’t dare compare myself to Tolkien or one of my modern-day favorites, N.K. Jemisin, but I spent a great deal of time crafting the land of Quinaria until I could taste the Beridian Moonlight and dip my toes in the Khitamic Ocean off the northwestern coast of Neharem. I then spent even more time dropping in bits of it here in there, allowing it to shape the narrative, the characters, all while avoiding info-dump mode (or so I hope). What follows is a brief overview of my process and how it shaped my narrative and characters.
The world-building comes first. Now, this is partially a lie because, ultimately, the story idea itself comes first, doesn’t it? That burning question, that spark of a conflict, that character that just won’t leave you alone. However, once I embraced my story idea and sat down to work through it, the first thing I tackled was the world. Without knowing the societal norms and expectations, I couldn’t assess my characters’ dreams and fears. Without understanding the world’s history, I couldn’t determine sources of conflict. Without mapping out the terrain, I couldn’t understand what people ate, how they dressed, how they acted.
I began my process with simple questionnaires I found online, cherry-picking my favorites and throwing them together in a giant Word Doc. Some were as simple as, “are all the inhabitants in your world human?”, while others delved into matters of religion and history. From there, I expanded my brief answers, turning them into essay-style responses that eventually grew into a document the size of a novella. I spent nearly two months world-building alone, and only once I felt comfortable with the world I created did I dare to delve into the story itself. Everyone uses their own approach, but for me, I would’ve never done my story justice without this step.
What I found fascinating, however, is how my world-building continues to grow and change throughout drafts. Even now, as I work on book two, I find myself learning even more about the world. It drives the narrative, and the narrative enriches the world-building. The setting helps me better understand my characters, and my characters teach me more about their world. In a way, world-building is fluid for me. While I must strive to ensure it never contradicts itself, everything within those boundaries is fair game. Every question from a beta reader, every interesting tidbit I read in a non-fiction book or catch in a documentary, adds more depth and more believability. It’s a never-ending process, at least until the series ends. And by doing it organically and allowing it to play off the other storytelling aspects, I believe it inserts itself organically. I didn’t need a prologue dedicated to the history or setting because the story itself is those things, woven into the tapestry of the tale.
But you be the judge. Take a stroll through Quinaria sometime and let me know if you find yourself lost in her. If, for even a moment, I can transport you to an alternative reality, then I’ve done my job. I’ve given you escape from this world so you can better process it through the lens of another.
Until then, farewell.
B. S. H. Garcia is the author of the epic fantasy series, The Heart of Quinaria. A household manager by day, writer by night, she graduated with honors from The University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in English Writing. To get into character for her stories, she trudges through the woods in cosplay with a mead-filled drinking horn and has traveled from Oregon to New Zealand seeking inspiration. Visit her online at www.bshgarcia.com. There, you can get your hands on a FREE copy of The Heart of Quinaria prequel novelette, From the Ashes. All she asks for in exchange is your soul.
