The Wolf of Oren-Yaro – K.S. Villoso

Releases: 2.18.2020.

Synopsis: Born under the crumbling towers of Oren-yaro, Queen Talyien was the shining jewel and legacy of the bloody War of the Wolves that nearly tore her nation apart. Her upcoming marriage to the son of her father’s rival heralds peaceful days to come.

But his sudden departure before their reign begins fractures the kingdom beyond repair.

Years later, Talyien receives a message, urging her to attend a meeting across the sea. It’s meant to be an effort at reconciliation, but an assassination attempt leaves the queen stranded and desperate to survive in a dangerous land. With no idea who she can trust, she’s on her own as she struggles to fight her way home.

“Even after I became queen, the rumors continued. I was powerless to stop them. I should have been more, they said. More feminine. Subtle, the sort of woman who could hide my jibes behind a well-timed titter. I could have taken the womanly arts, learned to write poetry or brew a decent cup of tea or embroider something that didn’t have my blood on it, and found ways to better please my man. Instead, Rayyel Ikessar would rather throw away the title of Dragonlord, king of Jin-Sayeng, than stay married to me.”

Doesn’t that cover just grab you by the eyeball?!

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro introduced me to not only a new author, but an incredible artist in Simon Goinard as well. Goddamn. His work is jaw-droppingly gorgeous!

K.S. Villoso‘s debut is an exciting addition to the fantasy genre. Originally self-published in 2018, The Wolf of Oren-Yaro caught the eye of those fine folks over at Orbit, who took notice of the response it was receiving online & acquired it. Don’t ever say that book bloggers don’t help sell books, people!

“They called me the Bitch Queen, the she-wolf, because I murdered a man and exiled my king the night before they crowned me.”

This Filipino-inspired epic fantasy begins with our protagonist, Queen Talyien aren dar Orenar, as she is about to be jointly crowned alongside her husband. Born to the warlord that tore apart their nation, she was betrothed to the rival clan’s heir. They married & had a son. Their subsequent rule was meant to bring peace to the war-torn kingdom of Jin-Sayeng. Rayyel Ikessar instead chose to walk away the night before their coronation, leaving Tali to rule on her own.

Five years go by with Talyien leading her country while doing the best she can to keep the peace among a harsh environment, as well as be an attentive single parent to her son Thanh. Everything changes when she receives a letter out of the blue from Rayyel, requesting her to meet him across the sea in Anzhao City.

Hoping for a reconciliation, Tali promises her son that she will bring his father back as she sets sail along with a handful of trusted advisors & bodyguards.

Smooth sailing, it is not! After an assassination attempt, she finds herself alone yet again. This time, she must navigate her way through an unfamiliar city, as she attempts to locate her estranged husband & get back to her son that is impatiently awaiting their arrival.

“A wolf of Oren-yaro fights to make it right, down to the last breath. A wolf of Oren-yaro does not beg. A wolf of Oren-yaro suffers in silence.”

The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is a layered, character-driven story that is not without some beautifully stylized fight scenes. Although there are a nice mix of well-rounded secondary characters, this is Tali’s story. She’s strong, witty, sarcastic, resilient & flawed. This.. THIS is how you write a badass female role! She is the true driving force behind everything within. The central conflict is a grand undertaking of complexity, yet it also feels incredibly personal. Themes of loyalty, revenge, dishonesty, love & war.

Villoso takes on a world of warriors & con-men & deranged princes & DRAGONS! Penning a vivid, luminous tale of clashing swords & political intrigue. From the first sentence, I was hooked! Cover to cover, this is a brilliant debut. It pulls all the punches & doesn’t leave anything left to chance. It’s sword & sorcery, but a cut above the standard.

I just fucking loved this so immensely!

K.S. Villoso is a dynamic new voice in fantasy & I am looking forward to following along with the rest of her career. If The Wolf of Oren-Yaro is any indication, much sadness & beauty awaits!

Run, don’t walk, to the nearest bookstore & get your grabby paws on a copy! I cannot recommend this enough.

-Holly

(Massive thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a finished copy in advance!)