I’ve really been enjoying Eastern European inspired fantasies lately as they’re just slightly darker and grittier, which I think leads to a much more honest story. There always seems to be an atmospheric element to these stories that blends the new and old of the stories. So, I went into The Ranger of Marzanna with high expectations.
This book was so difficult for me to review. On one hand, it has so many elements that I love, but on the other, it just never really seemed to hit the mark. It was a good story with a great premise, but it just never seemed to exceed any expectations or push the story past the point of being good. It has a typical and standard fantasy book set-up, and while it does contain some unusual and unique elements, it still feels very “cookie cutter.” In a time where fantasy authors seem to be pushing the limits, I fear that The Ranger of Marzanna will just fade into the background amidst all of the other fantasy books.
The story itself follows two siblings: Sonya and Sebastian. Sonya is training to be a Ranger of Marzanna, focused on taking down the very army her brother hopes to become a soldier in. It is a classic tale of sibling rivalry, but with higher stakes. Whilst the pair were an interesting set of characters, they weren’t necessarily likeable. They each showed their age in their interactions and decisions. They are both brash in their own ways, but those ways have such a juxtaposition to them. Whereas Sonya leads a path of light and righteousness, whereas Sebastian is quickly led down a dark path filled with violence and rage. Yet there is still room for all of the characters, not just the siblings, to be further developed. Part of my difficulty in connecting with these characters is that they felt one-dimensional. I wanted to see more of the person behind the actions versus what seemed like random choices and decisions.
Now, while this is a fairly lengthy book, it doesn’t read that way. The story moves at quite a fast pace and there aren’t many chapters that feel like they’re dragging. A lot of the background and history is literally told through the characters, so the story is able to continue around this. But this was also a draw back for me because even though the story was able to move quickly, I’m not a huge fan of being “told” the story versus reading about it. Many recent fantasy books seem to be lacking in the worldbuilding, and it’s something that personally bothers me. I just feel that a huge part of fantasy is the worldbuilding so whenever I read a book without it, I always feel like a part of the story is just not there. However, the last part of the story shows that there promise for the upcoming books in this series in this aspect. The story really took off at the end and there are a few new promising elements that I hope to see further developed in the second book.
One thing that does stand out about this book is the cover. Illustrated by Magali Villeneuve it is reminiscent of the cover on The Mists of Avalon and it takes traditional fantasy elements and elevates them to the new style. It truly is a work of art, not just literally, and lures you into the book. Plus, it will definitely stand out on a shelf.
Overall, this was a good book. It was a pretty solid start to a new series and left me invested enough to be curious as to where the series will lead. However, this isn’t a book that I would see myself rereading or recommending to everyone. It is just one of those stories that I would enjoy discussing if I happen to see another person reading it, but not go out of my way for. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give it a try! Just because it didn’t fulfil my extremely high expectations doesn’t mean that someone else will fall absolutely in love with it.
The Ranger of Marzanna is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore!
Will you be picking up The Ranger of Marzanna? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
When their father is murdered by imperial soldiers, two siblings set out on opposite paths—one will destroy the Empire forever and the other will save it—in this thrilling new Russian inspired epic fantasy from Jon Skovron.
Sonya is training to be a Ranger of Marzanna, an ancient sect of warriors who have protected the land for generations. But the old ways are dying, and the rangers have all been forced into hiding or killed off by the invading Empire.
When her father is murdered by imperial soldiers, she decides to finally take action. Using her skills as a ranger she will travel across the bitter cold tundra and gain the allegiance of the only other force strong enough to take down the invaders.
But nothing about her quest will be easy. Because not everyone is on her side. Her brother, Sebastian, is the most powerful sorcerer the world has ever seen. And he’s fighting for the empire.
