A review by kiiitasticbooks
Beneath the Canyons by Kyra Halland

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

 

I got Beneath The Canyons in an ebook compilation, alongside a few other fantasy books, and already knew before I jumped in that there would be a few in the compilation I wouldn’t enjoy. If I had seen Beneath The Canyons alone, I wouldn’t have picked it up, solely because I’m not a big fan of westerns.

But I was pleasantly surprised by this book!

To begin with, I found the plot and lore of this world to be very interesting. We follow Silas, a mage and bounty hunter, as he is tracking down a suspicious magic that leads him to this small town. Along the way, he meets Lainie, a girl who has magic (but not the magic he’s looking for), and the two team up as they discover what exactly is going on in this town.

I think a big reason why I enjoyed the worldbuilding and magic in this book is because magic in other media isn’t often explored in the same way it is in this book. Without spoilers, there is a lot of focus on ancient civilizations and native magic throughout that the book doesn’t fully expand upon, making me wish for more. Because this is the first book in a series, I assume these magics are going to be talked about more in later books, but as an introduction, this book lays out exactly what readers need to know while also leaving a bit of intrigue to make readers want more.

That being said, one thing I wish this book did a bit better was the characters and making them likable. Because this book is so plot-focused, there isn’t a lot of room to get to know Silas and Lainie. A big aspect of my enjoyment in books is whether or not I like the characters, so not being able to care for Silas and Lainie brought down my enjoyment of this book by a lot.

(I also think that if the author were to take Lainie out of the story altogether, the plot could still work mostly as-is. I’m sure that as the series goes and she learns more about her magic, Lainie grows into a bigger character, but in this book, its debatable if she is even needed.)

By the end, I am unsure of my feelings on this series and whether I want to continue on with it. While I did enjoy the plot and am interested in the worldbuilding, I was also not a big fan of the characters themselves. Nothing is driving me to pick up the next book in the series, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if I looked back on this and decided to read the next one.