Indies Introduce

Fiction

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  The Final Strife, Saara El-Arifi
  Del Rey, 9780593356944, June 21, 2022 (Fiction)
  

  “Inspired by African folklore and Arabic mythology, magic and power are intertwined in a world of blood rituals, caste systems, revolution, and giant lizards. A promising kick-off to this epic fantasy trilogy. This should please fans of S.A. Chakraborty’s Daevabad Trilogy, P. Djèlí Clark’s Master of Djinn, or Sue Lynn Tan’s Daughter of the Moon Goddess.”

  - Jonathan Hawpe, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY
  
  

  “Yes, it’s a tome. But it’s a marvelous tome. With The Final Strife, El-Arifi has created a brutal, heartbreaking world, but you never lose sight of that flicker of hope. The characters are so vivid and richly detailed, and some interactions had me absolutely cackling. On top of it all, the unapologetic and deliberate prevalence of trans/non-binary/queer characters is incredibly powerful.”

   

  Stacey Morin-Wilson, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA
  

  “This is your classic ‘chosen one’ high fantasy, but told with such a sense of self that it stands out. I believed in this world, I rooted for Syla, Anoor, and Hassa, and I was kept engaged by the action El-Arifi had going in this book. More than anything, having Black characters represented in conjunction with strong mythology was great to see. I can’t wait to see where the series goes!”

  Destinee Hodge, East City Bookshop, Washington, DC