Irona 700

April 27, 2015
Despite the whiff of science fiction in the title, the latest novel from fantasy author Duncan (The Eye of Strife) is a straightforward fantasy epic about a girl who rises from a humble background to control an empire. In another realm’s year 700, 16-year-old Irona Matrinko, daughter of a fisherman, is selected by the goddess Caprice to be one of the Seventy Chosen. They rule Benign and its outlying lands, and they protect it from the forces of evil god Maleficence. At first Irona—now called Irona 700—is certain her being chosen was a mistake, but her tutor convinces her to accept her fate, and she proves to be a natural at political scheming. Her seagoing background also gives her a strong understanding of naval strategy and tactics. Rising through the ranks of power, Irona 700 learns to manipulate others with the best of them. But her toughest challenge is controlling her sociopathic son. Political intrigue and military action form the core of this novel, brought down to human scale by ambition and jealousy. This book will please fantasy readers who love a good scheme.

July 1, 2015
Here's one of those rare SF/fantasy novels that seems calculated to capitalize on a current trend. Irona is a 16-year-old girl, one of many children her age who have come to the city of Benign to see if they will be chosen by the Goddess to become part of the ruling elite. Irona is chosen, but it soon becomes clear her selection might not have been as random as it seemed to be, and as she changes from a girl into a young woman, she discovers hidden talents as she fights to protect her people from a powerfully evil presence. Veteran fantasy novelist Duncan has the storytelling chops to make this an enjoyable read, even if it seems like the book is deliberately designed to appeal to the Hunger Games/Divergent crowd, and even though some elements feel a bit uninspired (place-names like Benign and Brackish). On the other hand, it could? be an extended literary in-joke (the heroine's name, after all, is Irona, which sounds a lot like irony). Still, despite all that, Duncan is a pro, and if this isn't his best work, it's still an entertaining romp.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)