Untethered Sky is my very first Fonda Lee book – I am impressed! Set in a fantastical world where manticores hunt humans and only the majestic birds called rocs are strong enough to triumph over them, Untethered Sky has thrill, love for a creature as a partner and the camaraderie of people in the same profession. Let’s start with the synopsis.
Untethered Sky
By Fonda Lee | Goodreads
From World Fantasy Award-winning author Fonda Lee comes Untethered Sky , an epic fantasy fable about the pursuit of obsession at all costs.
A Most Anticipated in 2023 Pick for Polygon | Book Riot | Paste Magazine
Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family.
Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.
Content notes include animal death, child death, death of parent, violence.
Untethered Sky – Review
Ester comes to the King’s Royal Mews as an apprentice, hoping to be a roc trainer. Her past is marred by the tragedy of losing her mother and brother to a manticore attack. This led to a rift between her and her father and the place that she calls home has not felt like home in a long time. So she journeys to be a ruhker and meets Zahra, her roc.
“I loved her with the gravity of a stone sinking into a pool.”
Ester bonds quickly with Zahra. They train and hunt together and hunt manticores that threaten the local population. I was initially reminded of my bonds with my cats but rocs are big, wild creatures who soar the skies and are powerful enough to kill manticores. The relationship between a roc and her ruhker is that of partners. Ester knows that Zahra does not need her and she may one day decide to not hear her call.
“She would always be my roc, even though had never been mine to possess.”
Rocs are territorial and solitary hunters. They are born fighters. Anything can go wrong on a hunt and Untethered Sky expresses the bitter sweetness of being a trainer beautifully. There are fights in this book that are captivating to read and then there are consequences that bring tears and heartbreak.
Ester finds support and friendship in two ruhkers, Darius and Nasmin. I loved the rituals in this society. ruhkers are a tight-knit community and they look out for each other. It’s a profession wrath with danger and not all rocs and apprentice ruhkers make it. This makes the milestone of surviving the apprenticeship worthy of celebration. After she graduates from her apprenticeship, she travels to receive holy askes in the Fire Temple.
“I went from having only two real friends to being accepted by an entire community.”
As time passes, they are led down different paths. Nasmin becomes a celebrity ruhker who travels the land with one of princes, increasing awareness about the profession and manticores while Ester and Darius stay at the Pew, training their rocs and going where manticores hunt in the vicinity. The last part of the book portrays a royal hunt to take down as many manticores as possible. Lives are lost but life also continues on.
Untethered Sky was hard to put down. I loved the world and like Ester, I wanted to be with Zahra, flying in the sky. The tension was done very well, the fight scenes were spot on. I was reading up about the author: Fonda is a black belt martial artist! She knows the pressure in combat, even if it is imagined from the point of view of a ruhker. I am truly looking forward to reading more from her.
Have you read other works by Fonda Lee?
Have you read Untethered Sky or plan to? Add it to your Goodreads shelf if you would like to read it!
Many thanks to Tor, the author and B2W for having me on this tour and for providing a complimentary review copy in exchange for an honest review. Follow the tour for Untethered Sky on Instagram through the B2Weird account.
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