Synopsis: (Back cover)
«The Black Tides of Heaven direct the course of human lives.»
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In a world where legendary animals reappear and remancy is a privilege of the few, Protector Sanao Hekate rules with an iron fist. The fates, always ready to tangle human lives, intervene at the birth of her twins, Akeha and Mokoya, marking the children towards a singular destiny.
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Mokoya, the last prophet.
Akeha, the child who should not have been born.
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The twins must discern their own path, entangled between the relentless power of the Protector and the uprising of the rebel machinists who are determined to end everything Mokoya and Akeha have known.
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Personal rating:
First installment of the Tensorate series (1 of 4).
My reference with Asian literature is tied to the Otori Legends saga, so anything I could find in the Tensorate series was going to be fresh for me. And so it has been.
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It’s fantastic how non-binary characters are presented, how they live and choose their gender freely and without obligation. There is much to learn on this topic. Carla Bataller has done a great job with the translation.
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I’m not sure if the mix of magical and prehistoric creatures fully convinces me, but why not? It's fantasy. And fantasy, as long as there are rules, works. My first impression is positive.
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About the characters:
We start the novel by describing the harshness of Protector Sanao Hekate. She is fierce, and her people fear her. She maintains her absolutist legacy through the Remance (a field of energy that imbues Ea with magic), her source of power and control over the rest of the inhabitants. In this first book, she is portrayed as a cruel woman, unscrupulous and capable of doing anything to get her way. A very well-defined villain, though I’d dare say not fully exploited. Undoubtedly, one of the driving forces for the saga. Her upbringing, her harshness, and her elegance are top-notch.
Her main enemies are the machinists, a movement advocating for providing the people with access to technology outside of Remancy. This is very important. As a personal note, it lacks more detail about this group, although I imagine it will be in the following books where their struggle is fully addressed.
As part of the cast of characters, we also have the Tensorate, the Protectorate’s academy that teaches its students to control magic. The Tensors are skilled mages controlled by the Protectorate. They are the Protector’s particular warriors to do the dirty work. They provide a lot of play; every war story needs soldiers, and if they are equipped with magical powers, even more so.
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The Main Characters:
Akeha and Mokoya are the Protector’s children, twin siblings born to repay an old debt to the Grand Monastery. When they reach the age to be admitted to it, our adventure truly begins. Two very well-defined characters, with their personal characteristics, likes, fears, strengths, and weaknesses. Every topic covered with them is important to the plot and gives them greater depth. As readers, we will discover Ea through their eyes, but we will also connect with their lives, which are very enriching on a personal level.
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About the narration:
As I said at the beginning, the non-binarism of the characters is very interesting. They present queer people in a simple and transparent way. There are no dramas, no phobias; they are simply people. I have longed to read fantasy stories where everyone is just who they are, without having to explain to prying minds or make vain and often erroneous descriptions for those who are ignorant about the topic. The narration is fluid. Nothing revolves around this topic, neither the plot nor their lives, which is perfect. Non-binary and trans people are discussed with a normality that is appreciated. It reminds me a lot of Trÿa, the Legend of the God Zanaán, where each character is as they are, without making it the main individual plot. A ten for the author.
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Regarding the story:
The main plot is the evolution of the twins Mokoya and Akeha, who show us through their daily lives what their life is like. You perfectly understand why they make the decisions they make and accompany them with interest. There is no time to get bored.
Let’s talk about the various adventures they live. Like any good fantasy book, it’s perfect that our protagonists struggle to master their power and have to go through trials that strengthen their abilities. The different scenarios narrate battles with mystical beings, some from Asian culture, some not, and they do not leave the reader indifferent. I think they work well, and with battle scenes, the moments of pain and the attacks that wound the protagonists and make them agonize are necessary. Just because it’s fantasy doesn’t mean everything should be antiseptic or omitted.
As a secondary story, weaving the threads of fate, the author presents us with the harsher plot, the struggle for freedom and the people’s knowledge. Living under an absolutist government hinders their progress, and you understand the machinists. You recognize yourself in their struggle because, socially at this moment in our history, it’s easy to understand certain social movements.
As the only loose end in this first installment, I’ll say I was left wanting to know what happened with Sonami, who at the beginning of the book is shown as one of the most powerful women with a lot of potential.
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To conclude:
I loved this first installment. I already have the four books and will talk about them one by one. I think it’s a very good story and worth it. If you have read The Black Tides of Heaven and would like to share your opinion with me, I would be delighted to learn from you.
Thank you very much for making it this far.
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Rating: 8/10
