Zodiac by Romina Russell – a Review

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository / BAM

Description:
At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….

Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancerian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

Embark on a dazzling journey with ZODIAC, the first novel in an epic sci-fi-meets-high-fantasy series set in a galaxy inspired by the astrological signs.

Review:

Zodiac by Romina Russell is the first book in her new YA Sci-Fi/ Fantasy series, which though different, can also be considered dystopian. This storyline revolves around astrology, with each sign being its own House. There are 12 Houses, and the world building in this book is nothing short of fantastic.

We meet our heroine Rhoma as a young child, who is constantly being taught by her mother about the galaxy, the houses, and how to use her powers to foresee the future through the psy energy. We next meet Rho as a teenager (16), who is practicing in a schoolroom prior to a test. Rho doesn’t do things exactly the way the teachers at school expect her to. When she does take the test looking at the galaxy, she sees a dark mass, which no one else can see. The teachers do not believe Rho, until a short time later, the House of Cancer (Rho’s house) is attacked, with fragments effecting other houses. Each house has a guardian, and during the attack on Cancer, the Guardian was killed, leaving so few to follow. Rho is put through a series of tests by the surviving leaders of Cancer, and to her shock, she is made the new Guardian.

Rho sees more dark mass coming, and forces herself to use her powers to see what is causing these unknown attacks. As she reaches out through the psy energy, Rho senses someone else out there. Someone who is controlling the dark mass, someone evil. When Rho investigates a long ago myth about a 13^th House, she begins to realize that the myth is true. Ochus and the 13^th house is real, and they have come to destroy or take over all the other houses. But no one will believe Rho.

What follows is an amazing story, as Rho is determined to visit all the houses to warn them of the impending attacks, and the true nemesis that they will face. During this journey, we meet the two men that will help her. Mathias is a top Lodestar of Cancer, who has been assigned to protect her. Hysan is a young Libra ambassador, with knowledge of advanced technology, who immediately becomes her friend. Together, they spend the exciting, at times frustrating journey, in this difficult task to make people realize that a myth is real. Needless to say this is an almost impossible task, but Rho despite her failure, is determined to keep pushing forward.

It is an exciting and very well written tale of a futuristic world along the Zodiac solar system, which I found very interesting. Each of the Houses have different specialties, and as we travel through the planets/houses, we get to meet some really different and nice characters along the way. Yes this is a love triangle, but not truly acted upon. We just know that she cares about both men.  

Romina Russell has given us a different type of dystopian storyline, in a Sci-Fi world that is really fascinating. After reading this book, which was difficult to put down, I have come to respect Russell for her ability to put this together so well. The ending was sort of a cliffhanger that us anxiously waiting to return to this world.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher