Wilmington author's latest book examines a post-apocalyptic America
Wilmington author Emily Colin brings her young-adult dystopian epic to a conclusion in "Storm of the Seven Sins," the third book in her trilogy.
Fans of "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent" should be thoroughly entertained.
In "Sword of the Seven Sins," we met Eva and Ari, two star-crossed lovers in the ruins of a post-apocalyptic America.
Eva had been the first recruit in the Bellators, the elite guard of the Commonwealth of Ashes, a totalitarian commune. Ari had been her trainer. It was odd that the Commonwealth - which normally treats women like Gilead -- would let a woman become a warrior. Readers eventually learn why: Eva, it turns out, is a shapeshifter. Under the right conditions, she can morph into a wolf, a panther, a falcon or a sea creature.
Eventually, Eva and Ari break out of the Commonwealth. In the eventful sequel, "Siege of the Seven Sins," they learn that there's a resistance, the Brotherhood, out in the hinterlands. There are, in fact, lots of shapeshifters, or skuma, although most can only morph into one other beast.
She also finds out she needs a familiar, a human with whom she shall have a psychic bond, in order to control her powers.
At the opening of "Storm," there's just been a bloody battle. Poor Eva has had a "Luke, I am your father" moment, and has learned that her mother, Cordelia, is still alive and held by the Commonwealth. And the Executor, the sinister mastermind of the Commonwealth, has just made an escape.
Ari, after much resistance from the skuma community, is now Eva's familiar. But just because you can read each other's minds doesn't mean that love is easy.
Eva is now determined to bring down the Commonwealth and save her mother. To unite the Houses of skuma, however, it looks as if she'll have to enter a marriage with Sebastian, a full-of-himself young skuma lord. Ari doesn't like that much.
Ari also dislikes the new society in which skumas tend to lord it over mere mortals. He senses Eva being drawn more into skuma society.
Meanwhile, mages loyal to the Commonwealth are conjuring new plots against the Brotherhood.
Colin, who wrote the adult novels "The Memory Thief" and "The Dream Keeper's Daughter," knows what she's doing. Knowledgeable about martial arts, she's particularly adept at fight scenes.
Also, the working out of her Nasty and Brutish New World continues to intrigue.
Basically, this is a world thrown back into the High Middle Ages or maybe the early Renaissance. Candles light the palace halls, and horses are normally the fastest mode of transportation (unless you can switch into falcon mode).
Some warriors, however, have firearms and bullets -- although everyone seems to prefer swords and daggers.
Colin faces one challenge with her third novel: By now, she's built up a complicated back story and a cast list at least as long as Tolkien's for "Lord of the Rings."
Readers may need to start back with "Sword" and "Siege" before they move on to "Storm." If they can tell Kilian from Karsten from Kennett, they'll find swashbuckling and romance.
Book review
Storm of the Seven Sins
By Emily Colin
Black Orchid Books, $14.99
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: "Sword of the Seven Sins" by Emily Colin concludes epic trilogy
