The Book Nook

Out of this World Fiction   Once upon a time there was a princess who was brave enough to bend the rules and make her own adventures. Within this skillful blend of fairy tale and science fiction is a delightful tale of self-determination presented in a humorous and intelligent way.  This book by K. Eason was published in 2019 and is titled “How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse”. Rory’s very birth causes surprise as she’s the first female in her family in ten generations.  Tradition commands that a naming ceremony is held and that fairies are invited to bestow their magical gifts upon the babe.  Of course, everyone knows fairies don’t exist and the invitations are just a formality. Imagine the shock when the fairies do appear, including one who was purposefully excluded for bad behavior.  She’s so angry at being left off the guest list that she puts a curse on the unfortunate babe.  While this will cast a shadow over Rory’s life, she will find times when she can turn the curse to her advantage. Rory’s family doesn’t rule over a typical fantasy kingdom, but over a large confederation of planets.  It’s expected that someday she’ll inherit the throne and is groomed to be a respectable princess and a capable ruler.  It’s clear the girl is bright and resourceful, learning from experience and from the Vizier, her teacher and advisor.  At an early age she’s betrothed to a prince from another world, whom she’ll marry once she’s 18. But fate has a way of mucking up the best-laid plans.  Unexpected events force Rory to face a very lonely existence.  Luckily, she has a loyal friend in Grytt, her maid and bodyguard.  She also has the Vizier, who appreciates her intelligence.  For years he’s been secretly teaching her arithmancy, a mix of mathematics, magic and computer hacking. When Rory turns 16, she’s invited by the Regent of the Free World to live in a rival kingdom before she and the prince marry.  When she arrives, the prince is nowhere to be found and she suspects there’s more to the story than what she’s told.  Confronted with an alien environment and unsure of her role, she fears she must tread carefully.  Will she find her prince?  Will they live happily ever after? This fun fiction contains both drama and comedy, with the youngsters outwitting adults at every turn.  The comedy has just the right touch of snark, thanks to the narrator’s sardonic editorials.  Political machinations abound, along with shrewd acts of rebellion.  There are some parallels to ‘Sleeping Beauty” and someone wittily dubbed this “Princess Leia meets The Princess Bride”, an apt description for this madcap space opera. There’s a bouquet of sparklers that really makes this female-centric story shine.  One is the intrigue that’s well-managed with some surprises to keep readers guessing.   Another is the author’s adroit imagination and ability to balance fairy tale and space opera or melodrama and humor.   Finally, there are the characters, which are nicely nuanced with depth and realism.  Chief among them is Rory, who cleverly uses whatever’s at hand to achieve her goals.  She’s someone who understands the importance of challenging authority or disobeying to get what she needs.  We get to travel along on her adventures and enjoy the fun. The ending is a bit open-ended with good reason.  It was the first of two installments dubbed the Thorne Chronicles Duology.  The second book, “How The Multiverse Got Its Revenge” was published this year. K. Eason is best known for her “Bones of Gods” series which was started in 2016.  Social issues are featured in her work, such as how the level of privilege affects interactions with others.  She also imbues a sense of culture when writing about mythical creatures. She has two degrees in English literature and one blurb about her says that “she and her composition students tackle important topics such as the zombie apocalypse, the humanity of cyborgs and whether or not Beowulf is a good guy”.  Her next project will also involve world-building but will have a different set of characters.  No title for that work has been released yet. From the eye-catching jacket cover to the dramatic final scene near the end, this is a must-read for anyone seeking good entertainment.  It’s suitable for adults and young adults, especially those who like amusing escapist fiction or believable characters with a “can-do” attitude.