In THE ASSAYS OF ATA, the first volume of K.I.S.’s The Chronicles of Áitarbith trilogy of fantasy adventure novels, a tenacious young spy finds herself at the crux of a continent-spanning conflict when a monstrous invasion shatters her covert mission in a foreign court. The novel follows Ata, the titular heroine, as she navigates a treacherous political quagmire with two young princes in tow, racing to forge an alliance between rival kingdoms against an implacable foe.
Posing as a palace maid, Ata infiltrates Hårbørgen Palace, a stronghold of Cinnae’s royal family, to gather intel for her native Pandi regarding the movements of the vicious Gruxhoon. Her secret mission hits a snag when the king’s bastard son, Lord Svensso, seems to recognize her, and further unravels with the arrival of a mysterious Pandial contact. When the Gruxhoon attack, Ata must shed her disguise and spirit away the young princes Jansso and Elsso on a harrowing journey through monster-infested wilds.
K.I.S. weaves a layered tapestry of espionage, survival, and burgeoning alliances as Ata grapples with her role in the greater good. Lush descriptions transport readers to the continent of Áitarbith, from kitchens “scattered with body parts and internal organs” to the “eerily silent” escape through “damp, muddy pulp.” Amidst the taut action, poignant character moments shine, as with the princes’ sorrow over a friend’s sacrifice: “We couldn’t bury him, because we had to run away. Ata was so sad later. So we buried the charm. His charm. Instead of him.”
The narrative unspools through Ata’s perspective, offering incisive commentary on Cinnae’s “staid, controlled existence” versus Pandi’s “meritocratic” army. Supporting characters brim with nuance, from the cheeky “jackanapes” Hanson to Ata’s roguish foil, Kai. Her slow-burn enmity with the “stoically unreadable” Svensso, in particular, simmers with promise. Ata herself emerges as a complex heroine shouldering a bastard’s bitter legacy yet finding purpose beyond mere survival-driven destruction.
While Ata’s return to Pandi feels rushed, and certain players (like spymaster Ians) remain underdeveloped, the novel’s brisk pacing and kaleidoscopic worldbuilding largely compensate. Though occasionally hampered by uneven prose, THE ASSAYS OF ATA adeptly juggles its sprawling cast and clashing cultures. This series opener thrums with intrigue as a thorny alliance crystallizes against a chilling, monstrous menace.
Rich in texture and brimming with peril, THE ASSAYS OF ATA delivers an engrossing tale of a kingdom on the knife’s edge and the unlikely heroes striving to save it. With a fierce, flawed protagonist, immersive world, and high political stakes, K.I.S. has crafted an epic page-turner that will leave readers on tenterhooks for the sequel.
Deftly balancing intrigue, action, and emotional heft, THE ASSAYS OF ATA by K.I.S. is an engrossing epic brimming with magic, machinations, and mayhem.
~Edward Sung for IndieReader