2021 Reader’s Favorite medalist2021 eLit Book Awards Silver Medal Winner“Morgan has written a masterpiece, one that is movie-worthy.” Reader’s Favorite.com.“Marilia: strong-willed, erudite and fallible. Cole has delivered a heroine so humbly human I found pleasure in reading fantasy again.” Kristiana Reed, author of Between the Trees, Poetry and Prose, Reedsy.com.“Marilia is a more sophisticated, … Reedsy.com.
“Marilia is a more sophisticated, more believable version of Mulan. The prose is polished and the world is rich with lush details.” Karen Azinger, author of the Steel & Silk saga.
“Marilia, the Warlord by Morgan Cole is a fantastic start to a rich, new fantasy world.” No Genre Left Behind
“The characters created by Morgan Cole are a wonderful thing to behold. They manage to capture the exquisite balance between exceptional skills and utterly universal human flaws.” Manybooks.com
Marilia, the Warlord is the first part in The Chrysathamere Trilogy, a Game-of-Thrones-style saga of love, war, revenge, and the twists of fate that turned two siblings—once so close they would have died for each other—into the bitterest of enemies, each determined to send the other to the grave.
Born the bastard daughter of a painted lady, Marilia was told she would live out her days within the walls of her mother’s brothel, a companion for the rich men of Tyrace. But after a terrible betrayal, ten-year-old Marilia’s world turns upside down. With the help of her twin brother, Annuweth, she flees the only home she’s ever known in search of the one man who can offer her a chance at a better life: one of her deceased father’s friends, the Emperor of Navessea’s greatest general. What follows is a journey spanning years, from the streets of the desert city of Tyracium to the wild island of Svartennos. Along the way, Marilia discovers, for the first time, the gift she has for strategy and warfare—a world that is forbidden to girls like her.
When Navessea is threatened by a foreign invasion, the defense is left in the hands of a cruel and arrogant general no match for the empire’s foes. With the fate of her new home and the woman she loves hanging in the balance, Marilia—now a young woman—swears to use all her courage and cunning to help repel the enemy.
The struggle that follows will test her to her core and lead her back to the past she thought she had escaped. Facing treachery within her own ranks as well as a devious enemy commander, Marilia will need all the help she can get, even if it means doing something her brother may never forgive—making a pact with the man who murdered their father.
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Amazing gripping powerful fantasy, as many stars as possible and then add on.
Marilia and her twin brother, Annuweth, are the bastard children of a Navessean noble and a painted lady. Annuweth, being a boy, might become a guard or a member of the city watch. As for Marilia, well, the daughters of painted ladies always become painted ladies. But Marilia is sharp and intelligent, and she has dreams that stretch beyond her master’s pillow house. After her mother’s death, and a terrifying encounter with one of the buyers who had sought her services, Marilia and Annuweth flee the pillow house in search of the new prefect, their deceased father’s friend and successor. To their shock, prefect Karthtag-Kal takes them in as his own children.
As the years pass, Marilia maintains her sharp mind, and has interests in things not suitable for a young Navessean noblewoman. Once incredibly close, Marilia and Annuweth drift apart as they compete for their new father’s love; admiration, and respect; and as Marilia’s resentment grows that Annuweth can study things that she cannot. This book spans many years, and follows Marilia’s journey as she tries to find her place as a quick witted woman in a world dominated by men.
I actually really liked this novel, but it dragged on at times, and Marilia could be quite whiny and childish. It also shocked me how swiftly Annuweth’s character changed. I think this novel could be quite choppy and abrupt, but it does have promise. I would be interested in finishing the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksirens, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Marilia was born in a pillow house and assumed that she would become a pillow woman just like her mother. However, her luck was about to change when she and her twin brother are rescued and adopted by a friend of their fathers. Little does Marilia realize that her warrior instincts might just play a vital part in saving her home lands when war spreads through the empire.
What more is there to love about this story? I found Marilia to be a thoroughly developed character with a lot of backbone but also with moments of weakness and softness. Marilia isn’t magical or blessed with otherworldly powers, but she has a was of rising above even after she makes a mistake. I instantly fell in love with her character and watching her grow up throughout the story.
There were a handful of antagonists throughout the story, which really kept the plot moving at a good pace and ensure that the storyline never got boring. I loved how this particular book wrapped up, though it left you itching to find out what happens to Marilia next! I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for the next installment of this series!!
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions*
Very interesting fantasy story.
Marila’s story has been etched very well. She starts life with very little and she goes on to question the very society around her.
Her fights with her twin brother bring out exactly how vulnerable she is, in the world that she lives in.
With that, she manages to fight back and find out how strong she is and she is able to handle the situation around her.
The pacing of the story seemed slow at times. But the author had built a beautiful world and takes time to make the readers understand it.
Overall the characters and the premise was strong and were woven together beautifully well. Enjoyed it.