A review by lesserjoke
The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

3.0

I love this science-fantasy setting and its radical diversity of race and sexuality with no bigotry in sight, but the actual plot here is dreadfully slow. And the protagonist who should be fascinating -- a lesbian orc priestess who flees her sacrificial fate to help a wizard retake his planet -- feels very passive to me, generally falling in with other people's plans rather than exhibiting much motivating agency herself. The second half of the novel improves on that front, and I enjoy how the only villains are more like temporary rivals and potential future allies, but I can't fault anyone who doesn't have the patience to wait for this character or storyline to blossom. It does end on an upswing that's quite promising for the next volume in the series, though.

[Content warning for torture.]

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