Wow! Protector by Megan Schaulis is a wonderful debut. This is the first book in the Susa Chronicles and I can not wait to read book two (especially because it ends on a cliffhanger).
As soon as I learned about this book I was intrigued. Not only is it a distopian novel, which I love, but it is also a biblical retelling of the book of Esther, which I'm learning is one of my favorite Bible stories to read retellings of.
I loved discovering the biblical parallels as I read about Novalise and King Zadien in this future, distopian world set in the Middle East.
Novalise is an Alphanite, a believer in Alpha, which is a forbidden religious group. She lives with what is left of her family and her friends in a mountain community. She's been helping her brother and a few friends fake required registration tatoos so they can work in the Citadel, though she would love to do more. And then, she suddenly finds herself kidnapped and being forced to take place in a competition that will determine which of the Enhanced girls will become a part of King Zadien's new protection squad. Tiny problem, the Alphanites don't believe in getting registered and she has none of those fancy nanotech enhancements that are required. How will she survive against these superhuman young ladies? How will she keep her secret from becoming exposed?
King Zadien is a young monarch whose father was recently attacked and murdered, which is why a new protector team needs to be chosen. But there is guilt and uncertainty he is dealing with, which allows him to be manipulated by members of his council. And there is rage against whoever it was that killed his father.
A chance meeting at night brings Novalise and King Zadien together, though they have their secrets and don't really know who the other really is. Additionally Zadien knows he can't have a relationship with his Protector, so he can't allow himself to have feelings for this young lady.
The author did a great job making me care for these main characters and there were some great side characters as well. I was intrigued by this world, though I did hope to learn more about how the world ended up divided the way it was. I loved Novalise's relationship with Alpha and her strong faith. It is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.
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