Book Review: Archaic Deception: The Guardian of Emblems by Joe Dayvie

Genre(s): Fantasy

Humans and quorians have a long and troubled history. Each species blames the other for terrible events from the distant past. As a result, the quorians have secreted themselves away, living in seclusion where they believe they are safe from the outside world. Their illusion of peace is shattered when a young quorian and his friend venture into the forbidden outer lands, and one of them is captured. The quorians plan a rescue, while the Divinity King – a legendary ruler of the humans – recruits a young man to protect his own interests.

At the beginning of the story, it isn’t immediately clear how the various characters connect, or what their ultimate purpose in the tale will be. As it continues, however, it becomes evident that the two primary characters are working for opposing sides. Neither one fully understands the motives of their leaders, which made for an incredibly compelling read. It was hard to put down!

The world-building in this novel was extensive; it was a rich and complex environment to serve as a backdrop for the story. The history of the world was thoroughly developed, but as a reader, I was still left with enough unknowns that I was constantly guessing what was going to happen next.

Although the story ended with the sense there will be at least one more book on the horizon, most of the major plot lines were tied up nicely. Most of the characters also managed a happy enough ending, which was nice to see after all the turmoil they were put through.

I’d recommend Archaic Deception to fans of epic fantasy, especially those seeking an unusual world with an interesting and unique history.

Archaic Deception: The Guardian of Emblems will release on March 1, 2022, but it is currently available for preorder. I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

Author website: archaicdeception.com

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