Shelby Pardow never imagined killing someone. That’s about to change.

While hiding from her troubled father in the local library, Shelby stares at a flashing instant message on her computer: YOU ARE NEEDED. She discovers a portal that opens and teleports her to the planet Azimuth, where soldiers await. Here, she is not a child but a warrior, Kin to one of the six Aulic Assembly members imprisoned by Malefic Cacoethes, the daunting leader of the Nightlanders.

Malefic, the evil spawn of the demon Biskara, razes towns and cities in his quest to rule Azimuth, and yearns to turn his forces against Earth. Yet every time Biskara gets close to achieving his malevolent goals, the Assembly uses the Silver Sphere, a sophisticated armillary device, to thwart him.

With the Assembly deposed, Biskara directing Malefic’s conquests, and the Silver Sphere out of reach, Shelby is thrust into an unforgettable quest with her fellow Kin. She must learn to kill and lead an army into battle, or Azimuth—and Earth—will fall.

It took me a little bit of time to get into this book because I had trouble doing the bit of a jump from one to the other of the time frames if you could call it that. The portal bit for me was just a little bit “yeah okay”. That aside however the rest of the book was really enjoyable for me. The world that has been created is inventive and interesting. I love both the good guys and the bad guys, and for me a mark of a truly well developed and well written character is when I can like a bad guy.

For me this was a fast read that I read cover to cover without to much issue. The part that was perplexing to me was in the beginning and not very long, so it did not take away from my enjoyment. I would recommend this book to anybody who wants a good read.

My Gemstone Rating: