THE EMPEROR'S ENEMY

The useful part

The single-minded Zora Ravenal joined the Crimson Army to destroy her people's greatest enemy. To take revenge, she argues her way into becoming a Knight Mage, with the power to protect her loved ones and stand up to the Commonwealth's most dangerous foes. Unfortunately, the trial she willingly subjects herself to doesn't go as planned, and in the aftermath, Zora is unexpectedly saddled with custody of her personal nemesis, the Royal Mage.

How it works

• Those reveals, when they finally occur, lay the groundwork for a more promising sequel, with both of the book's morally complicated leads on a level playing field as the stakes threaten to become world-ending.
• He blames his predicament on Zora even as he is the only one skilled enough to help her hone her new power.
• These enemies will need to spend every waking minute in each other's company, then sleep in the same room.
• The terrible forced proximity forges a twisted new connection, closer to mutual obsession than blazing malice.
• The first installment of Mas' duology blends fantasy and contemporary storytelling, including modern and archaic language, a talking animal sidekick, and a strange Mist that adversely affects technology.

What to take from it

Mas overstuffs the novel with worldbuilding and the pace dithers in the first half. At first, Zora and Tarantula's enemies-to-lovers arc feels juvenile but eventually, more compelling emotional layers erupt.

Details worth keeping

Mas holds back her most significant narrative twists until the very end.