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*This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review and is recommended for mature readers

When a rift called the Great Connection shifts, it connects the small town of Stechelberg to different lands. These shifts can lead to anywhere but it appears the Connection is overdue for a stop at Dresden; a world full of violent, merciless Hairless Men. As the Connection flickers, a chain of events is set in motion that will either save their world or destroy it.
Our main cast is brought together by this upcoming calamity and they are the essence of your standard fantasy characters; wise wizard, wayward warrior princess, chosen one with untapped potential, and a woman too smart and ahead of her time. But thankfully, the deck is shuffled a bit to keep things interesting; which is all I will say to avoid spoilers.

While the social commentary in the narrative is not very subtle, the way the story slowly brings such different characters together is thrilling, even as it gets really dark with adult themes. By far my favorite character is Markessa, a quick-witted, intelligent, sharp-tongued woman who, I must say, I am a little concerned for considering how like Game of Thrones this book can be.

In general, this is a good start to what will obviously have a sequel. The world building doesn’t get too dragged down with exposition, the characters are flawed and nuanced enough so they don’t feel like props, and the action scenes are vividly written. There is some sexual content of both the consensual and non-consensual nature so be aware if those things are a deal breaker. Also, there is some unintentionally hilarious world specific dialog. I look forward to reading the next one.

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