Series: Zodiac #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: December 9, 2014
Page count: 336
Genre: Science Fiction | Epic Fantasy
Age bracket: Young Adult
Source: Purchased Ebook
At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….
At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain….
Sixteen-year-old Rhoma Grace is an Acolyte, a student with the hopes of one day graduating to train as a Zodai -a member of the Guardian of Cancer's Royal Guard. Having left her family on her home planet of Cancer to attend the Zodiac Academy on Elara, House Cancer's largest moon, Rhoma studies the Ephemeris, a hologram of the galaxies through which she can read the future by the movement of the stars - though her means are unorthodox compared to her peers.
When an explosion throws House Cancer's moons off balance -a catastrophe that only Rho herself had predicted- and kills off the majority of Elara's inhabitants including Guardian Origene and many of her Zodai, Rho and her three friends are shipped to the safety of Oceon 6 by Lodestar Mathias Thais, one of the few remaining Zodai.
With no one more suitable to protect and lead the Cancrians, Rho is chosen as the new Guardian. In her new capacity, Rho soon discovers that the strikes to her home, as well as numerous other Houses, are no freak catastrophes; she suspects they are being orchestrated by a Guardian who was once no more than a legend, a name brought up in Zodiac children's lore. With even more disasters looming on the horizon, Rho takes it upon herself to put a stop to these attacks and keep the Zodiac safe.
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This really was a fantastic book to start the year with. Although it deals with deaths; friction and political workings amongst rivalling planets, as well as a brewing war, it is written in such a way that it isn't heavy. For me, it was an easy read that kept me in suspense of just what was going to happen next the whole way through. As soon as I put the book down for a break, I wanted to pick it right back up again, and now I'm desperate for a sequel!
What's unusual for me is that there wasn't a single character I didn't like (apart from the ones we're supposed to dislike, of course). I loved the dynamics between the three main characters, Rhoma, Mathias, and Hysan.
Things get a little bit love-triangle-ish -something I usually can't stand in YA fiction- but I didn't feel like it was overwhelming to the point that it took over from the main plot .. and I quite enjoyed the little internal warring between Hysan and Mathias, to be honest; I wouldn't mind their attentions myself.
Rho, while she doesn't always think her plans through properly before putting them into action, is a likeable, good-hearted protagonist who wants nothing more than to keep the ones she cares about safe .. which unfortunately doesn't always quite go to plan.
Romina Russell has created a vibrant, immersing world where everything is so vividly detailed that you can clearly envision it all. Each planet we're introduced to is rich in their own history, lore, and traditions, each with their own way of living that is unique from one to the next - none are the same.
With a great mix of action, deception, suspense, and romance, I'd recommend this to fans of Mindee Arnett's Avalon and Across the Universe by Beth Revis.
Before I even had the chance to figure myself out, the stars did it for me
This one sounds really interesting. The love triangleishness (that's definitely a word right?) would probably bother me but if it is not too overwhelming I could probably get over it. Great review
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