A Gift of the Stars by M.L. Dunker

Book Description

If you had lost your past, would you be willing to risk your future to find it?

Kereki thief Red finds himself at the mercy of two West Islanders after they save his life on the road. Having lost his memory, all Red knows is he cannot return to Kerek City-not if he wants to stay alive. Is life outside Kerek City really what it seems, or is there more to his world-and even his own past-than he could have ever imagined? And how far is he willing to go to learn the answers, when trusting the wrong people might cost him his life?

Review

A Gift of the Stars by M.L. Dunker is a fascinating novel and the first book in The Tales of Zren Janin series. Set in an alternate world, the story follows a young man’s journey to discover his truth.

Red’s entire life has been a struggle for survival, leaving little space for him to think about where he came from or who he wants to be.

But what makes us who we are?

An accident of birth? The culture we grow up in? Our actions? Our potential?

A World Unfolds

Like Red, we know little about his world at the start of A Gift of the Stars. The first-person point of view Dunker employs works well to integrate world-building details without feeling like an info dump.

We learn about the world as Red does, which creates a sense of discovery and immediacy. As Red encounters unfamiliar locations, cultures, and myths, we get to process these elements with him.

And there is a lot going on. We get hints of perilous political intrigue and machinations. Along with Red, we suspect there is more to the situation than anyone will admit to, and this mystery keeps the pace of the story tight.

While the first book stands alone, Red’s journey is a much larger story. Luckily, Red is an interesting and endearing character. I’m excited to accompany him as he navigates the challenges of self-discovery, friendship, and destiny.

A Gift of the Stars is available via Amazon and is on Kindle Unlimited. Even better, the entire eBook box set of the Tales of Zren Janin is available for free through August 26^TH.

If you enjoyed Oil and Dust, A Merry Life, or coming of age stories, add A Gift of the Stars to your TBR too.

Content Warning

Deception, Gender Fluidity, Racism, Violence

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Sora Sagano on Unsplash