Thursday 30 June 2022

Book Review: The City Beneath the Hidden Stars by Sonya Kudei (Fantasy)

Title: The City Beneath the Hidden Stars
Author: Sonya Kudei
Publisher: BHC Press
Publication Date: 27 September 2022
Pages: 300
Format: eBook - EPUB
Genre: Fantasy
Source: ARC via NetGalley

Drawing on an eclectic mix of influences and based on the myths and history of Zagreb, Croatia, The City Beneath the Hidden Stars is a fantastical story that unveils the wondrous concealed in the mundane and is an adventure not to missed.

Long ago, the Black Queen once ruled Zagreb in a looming fortress over the city. Her legend lives on in children’s games and bedtime stories. Is it truly only folklore? And what harm is death to a queen who supposedly stole secrets from the stars?

When rumors surface that the Black Queen might still be alive and living in a haunted chasm beneath Zagreb’s Bear Mountain, it prompts the Star Council to dispatch star daimon Leo Solar to Earth to investigate.

After witnessing a bizarre event at a local music gig, former philosophy student Dario Taubek begins to notice a strange-looking man in a star suit. Curious, he follows him and what he discovers catapults him into a world he never knew existed. A world of magical trams, myths and monsters, celestial beings, and the legendary Black Queen.

 

The City Beneath the Hidden Stars was an entertaining and fun fantasy-action tale. The humorous narration captured my attention from page one, and the story held it until the end. I came to this book off the back of some so-so reads and it thankfully pulled me right out of my slump. It isn't perfect; I had some questions at the end that were never answered and the finale felt a tad rushed after all the build-up, with some deus-ex-machina moments saving the day. However, if you're after a fun fantasy adventure story with a good dose of humour it's definitely worth a read. It gets 4 stars from me and I would happily read more works by this author in the future.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

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