To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
She has power over death. He has power over her. When two enemies strike a dangerous bargain, will they end a war . . . or ignite one?
“A thrilling tale of magic and murder, intrigue and betrayal.”—Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Sword Catcher
Heroes die, cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world, Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen.
Blessed by Death, born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe.
When Ruying’s Gift is discovered by an enemy prince, he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain, she must use the powers she has always feared, powers that will shave years off her own existence.
Can Ruying trust this prince, whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Chang's heavy handed debut and series launch chronicles a power struggle on a conquered world. Before Yang Ruying was born, the magical world of Pangu was invaded by a foreign power, Rome, which emerged from a portal in the sky and conquered Pangu's people in a single day. Their dwindling magical powers were no match for the Romans' high-tech weaponry. Ruying's magic, however, is strong, a fact she tries to hide from the colonizers. When Roman prince Antony Augustus discovers Ruying's deadly gift, he offers safety for her and her family in exchange for becoming his personal assassin. Ruying accepts after Antony convinces her that his plan to rule both their worlds will bring a better life for her people. But can he be trusted? The worldbuilding is delivered through clunky info dumps and repetitive proselytizing about the plight of Ruyung's people, drowning out nuance. The plot feels largely like setup for future installments, especially as the mild cliff-hanger ending leaves few questions answered. This one is a tough sell.
