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Adam's Reviews > Untethered Sky
Untethered Sky
by
by
“People have admired rocs for centuries. Artists paint them, sculpt them, tell stories about them. I wanted to be one. I wanted to be the monster that kills other monsters.”
Untethered Sky is a story about loyalty, friendship, vengeance, and unrequited love. It examines the ties that form between human and nature, and the potential strength those ties bring. It’s also a testament to the power of dedicating your life to a craft, and the sacrifices you make in becoming an expert in your field.
When Ester was young, her family fell victim to a manticore attack. As the lone survivor and with nowhere left to turn, she is recruited by the royal league of ruhkers (think falconers, but with rocs). Ester is assigned a fledgling roc to raise, with the goal of teaching it how to hunt the manticores that are terrorizing the kingdom. It’s a lonely life, but something Ester becomes very good at.
“When you love a person, you are expected to give them their freedom, but when you love a monster, you keep it caged.”
The hunt scenes are breathtaking. Using a combination of chariots, horses, and lures, Lee writes beautiful and lifelike scenes of launching rocs above the spacious grasslands around the kingdom. It’s easy to become attached to the majestic Zahra, Ester’s roc. And when Ester begins a bond with a fellow ruhker named Darius, the shared love of their chosen paths is endearing.
The story has a powerful ending with substantial growth for each of the major characters. Anyone who has ‘owned’ a pet can draw some parallels from this story. Untethered Sky is a rich and rewarding journey that soars.
4.5/5 stars
Untethered Sky is a story about loyalty, friendship, vengeance, and unrequited love. It examines the ties that form between human and nature, and the potential strength those ties bring. It’s also a testament to the power of dedicating your life to a craft, and the sacrifices you make in becoming an expert in your field.
When Ester was young, her family fell victim to a manticore attack. As the lone survivor and with nowhere left to turn, she is recruited by the royal league of ruhkers (think falconers, but with rocs). Ester is assigned a fledgling roc to raise, with the goal of teaching it how to hunt the manticores that are terrorizing the kingdom. It’s a lonely life, but something Ester becomes very good at.
“When you love a person, you are expected to give them their freedom, but when you love a monster, you keep it caged.”
The hunt scenes are breathtaking. Using a combination of chariots, horses, and lures, Lee writes beautiful and lifelike scenes of launching rocs above the spacious grasslands around the kingdom. It’s easy to become attached to the majestic Zahra, Ester’s roc. And when Ester begins a bond with a fellow ruhker named Darius, the shared love of their chosen paths is endearing.
The story has a powerful ending with substantial growth for each of the major characters. Anyone who has ‘owned’ a pet can draw some parallels from this story. Untethered Sky is a rich and rewarding journey that soars.
4.5/5 stars
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