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Tales of Inthya #2
Daughter of the Sun
Orsina of Melidrie is a paladin of the Order of the Sun, sworn to drive out corruption and chaos wherever she finds it. She has been ordered to leave her home and travel around Vesolda in search of a great evil she is supposedly destined to destroy. But after two years of fighting monsters and demons and evil gods, she does not seem to be any closer to her goal—or ever returning home.
Aelia is the Goddess of Caprice, the personification of poor decision-making. The Order of the Sun has classified her as a chaos goddess, meaning that her worship has been outlawed. During a run-in with Orsina, she is trapped in a mortal body, rendering her unable to leave Inthya.
Aelia is found by Orsina again, but this time Orsina does not recognize her in her new body. So Aelia pretends to be a mortal woman who is fleeing an abusive family. Aelia plans to use Orsina as protection as she hunts down the magical relic that will free her from her mortal body.
As Aelia and Orsina grow closer to one another, Aelia wrestles with her own desire to tell Orsina the truth about who she is, and her fear that Orsina will turn on her if she does. But the decision might not be hers after all, because their actions have not gone unnoticed by Aelia’s siblings.
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow
Category: Romance
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Word Count: 71900
Book Length: Novel
Sex Content: N/A
Pairing: FF
Orientation: Pansexual
Identity: Cisgender
Aelia is the Goddess of Caprice, the personification of poor decision-making. The Order of the Sun has classified her as a chaos goddess, meaning that her worship has been outlawed. During a run-in with Orsina, she is trapped in a mortal body, rendering her unable to leave Inthya.
Aelia is found by Orsina again, but this time Orsina does not recognize her in her new body. So Aelia pretends to be a mortal woman who is fleeing an abusive family. Aelia plans to use Orsina as protection as she hunts down the magical relic that will free her from her mortal body.
As Aelia and Orsina grow closer to one another, Aelia wrestles with her own desire to tell Orsina the truth about who she is, and her fear that Orsina will turn on her if she does. But the decision might not be hers after all, because their actions have not gone unnoticed by Aelia’s siblings.
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow
Category: Romance
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Word Count: 71900
Book Length: Novel
Sex Content: N/A
Pairing: FF
Orientation: Pansexual
Identity: Cisgender
408 pages, ebook
First published November 19, 2018
About the author
Effie Calvin
6 books259 followersEffie is a human being who spends her days writing books and taking pictures of her cat and being a librarian.
She especially likes writing (and reading!) stories about fantasy worlds where LGBTQ people aren't just tolerated, they're openly embraced and seen as equals.
She especially likes writing (and reading!) stories about fantasy worlds where LGBTQ people aren't just tolerated, they're openly embraced and seen as equals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
January 10, 2020
4.25 Stars. I enjoyed this read. This is the second book in the Tales of Inthya series. I actually liked this better than the first book. As you might be able to guess by the series title Tales of Inthya, this book was quite different than the first with new characters. Also, this was an adult fantasy book, not YA like the first. Because of the differences, you could actually start the series here if you really wanted to.
The two main characters are Orsina a Paladin warrior and Aelia a chaos goddess. A Paladin’s main job is to root out evil, demons and chaos gods and goddess. These two are sworn enemies, but while Aelia is able to keep her true self hidden from Orsina, she can’t help but fall for the honorable Paladin. But what will happen if her secret is discovered?
This book dealt with more of the supernatural side of Inthya; lots of gods, goddesses, monsters and other beings. We had seen the importance that certain people placed on the gods in the first book, but it was a lot of fun actually getting to see them this time around. This book had this good mythological feeling that I had a lot of fun with. Calvin has a wonderful imagination.
This book does take a little bit to get comfortable with. A lot of names and places had my head spinning a bit in the beginning. But don’t give up. Eventually everything seems to click and the book just turns into a lot of fun.
There is another wlw romance in this book. It is very PG, but I thought it was sweet. I found myself really enjoying both characters; the innocence at times of a thousand year old goddess, and the brave warrior woman. I just really enjoyed them as a possible couple.
This book also touched on a side story of another princess. I’m hoping the next book might jump a few years in the future and pick up on her story. It seems like it could be very exciting to say the least. I would also love to see Orsina and Aelia make an appearance.
While I did like the first book, I thought it had some bumps. This book is not perfect either, but it was just more fun. I really enjoyed it and it makes me more excited about future books in this series.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
The two main characters are Orsina a Paladin warrior and Aelia a chaos goddess. A Paladin’s main job is to root out evil, demons and chaos gods and goddess. These two are sworn enemies, but while Aelia is able to keep her true self hidden from Orsina, she can’t help but fall for the honorable Paladin. But what will happen if her secret is discovered?
This book dealt with more of the supernatural side of Inthya; lots of gods, goddesses, monsters and other beings. We had seen the importance that certain people placed on the gods in the first book, but it was a lot of fun actually getting to see them this time around. This book had this good mythological feeling that I had a lot of fun with. Calvin has a wonderful imagination.
This book does take a little bit to get comfortable with. A lot of names and places had my head spinning a bit in the beginning. But don’t give up. Eventually everything seems to click and the book just turns into a lot of fun.
There is another wlw romance in this book. It is very PG, but I thought it was sweet. I found myself really enjoying both characters; the innocence at times of a thousand year old goddess, and the brave warrior woman. I just really enjoyed them as a possible couple.
This book also touched on a side story of another princess. I’m hoping the next book might jump a few years in the future and pick up on her story. It seems like it could be very exciting to say the least. I would also love to see Orsina and Aelia make an appearance.
While I did like the first book, I thought it had some bumps. This book is not perfect either, but it was just more fun. I really enjoyed it and it makes me more excited about future books in this series.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
April 27, 2019
Nothing perks me up faster than reading a fantasy novel that takes me on a wild journey with a few quirky characters. I won the book lovers’ lottery because I found both in this delightful novel and I plan to read more books from this talented author! I have so much love for Orsina and Aelia because even though they have numerous flaws, they are so endearing! My heart really went out to them because they’re strong willed women who have received a lot of pain and rejection from the people who were supposed to be their greatest supporters. I’m really invested in this series and I hope a sequel is on the horizon!
November 18, 2018
Well, this was a totally lovely surprise. A friend recommended I read it, even though fantasy isn't typically my thing, and I'm really glad I did.
The story is interesting, the romance is very cute, but the absolute best element was Aelia's transformation. Well worth the time and now I'm excited to go back and read the first book.
The story is interesting, the romance is very cute, but the absolute best element was Aelia's transformation. Well worth the time and now I'm excited to go back and read the first book.
November 20, 2018
I loved this book - the second in the Tales of Inthya series. It is set in the same world as the first book, but in a different part of the world, and we don't meet any of the characters from the first book here. I am a bit sad about that, because I loved the first book and would have enjoyed catching up with them. Then again, we get another glimpse of this world and two brand new characters I absolutely fell in love with. I am hoping that their paths will cross at some point in the future. You don't have to read the first book in the series. But there's no reason not to.
Not since reading Terry Pratchett's Small Gods have I enjoyed the road trip of a deity and a mortal quite so much. Aelia is a 14 billion years old deity, but that age has brought her no wisdom or understanding of love, humanity, or happiness. She learns all these things on her journey with her sworn and mortal enemy Orsina, who is not aware of her true identity. Orsina is brave, noble, kind, caring, and has a great sense of dry humour. As Aelia falls in love with Orsina, we know that we/ they will have to overcome the whole hidden identity, sworn enemy, immortal and mortal points. Plus some rather irritating family on the deity's side. And if that wasn't enough, Orsina's heart belongs to someone else who does neither want it not deserve it. The other gods are not taking kindly to what Aelia is doing, and that doesn't bode well. Throw in some nasty demons, childish gods, fun fights along the way, and you have a great fantasy novel, in which the paladin serving the god of light looks a lot more noble than the god himself.
The book has fun dialogue, great fights, conflicts that you know will have to happen (so no dumped in angst), and a really touching love story (which doesn't go beyond kissing).
The whole series is set in the lovely world Calvin has created in which sexism and homophobia are just not a thing. I'm sorry to be leaving Inthya behind for now, and will definitely be back for book 3.
Not since reading Terry Pratchett's Small Gods have I enjoyed the road trip of a deity and a mortal quite so much. Aelia is a 14 billion years old deity, but that age has brought her no wisdom or understanding of love, humanity, or happiness. She learns all these things on her journey with her sworn and mortal enemy Orsina, who is not aware of her true identity. Orsina is brave, noble, kind, caring, and has a great sense of dry humour. As Aelia falls in love with Orsina, we know that we/ they will have to overcome the whole hidden identity, sworn enemy, immortal and mortal points. Plus some rather irritating family on the deity's side. And if that wasn't enough, Orsina's heart belongs to someone else who does neither want it not deserve it. The other gods are not taking kindly to what Aelia is doing, and that doesn't bode well. Throw in some nasty demons, childish gods, fun fights along the way, and you have a great fantasy novel, in which the paladin serving the god of light looks a lot more noble than the god himself.
The book has fun dialogue, great fights, conflicts that you know will have to happen (so no dumped in angst), and a really touching love story (which doesn't go beyond kissing).
The whole series is set in the lovely world Calvin has created in which sexism and homophobia are just not a thing. I'm sorry to be leaving Inthya behind for now, and will definitely be back for book 3.
October 30, 2019
These books are everything I have ever wanted :’)
January 21, 2019
I'm becoming a fan of the author. Another book with a great plot.
Aelia is a very interesting character who captured my attention just like Orsina.
Some things were left open in the story, but I think this will be explained in the next book, or so I hope.
On the plus side, I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Aelia is a very interesting character who captured my attention just like Orsina.
Some things were left open in the story, but I think this will be explained in the next book, or so I hope.
On the plus side, I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
May 5, 2019
I’m one of those people who says that I don’t do Fantasy but here I am reviewing Daughters of the Sun.
A young warrior, Orsina, is on a quest to find evil and destroy it. The only problem is that she’s not sure which monster she’s supposed to eradicate to fulfill her mission. Along her journey, she meets Elyne, who is actually Aelia in disguise, a chaos god that Orsina believes she has already killed.
They decide to ride together and their road trip is both hilarious and at times, touching as Aelia discovers the wonders of the human world from a different vantage point. My favorite scenes were both the drunk god Aelia at a small town wedding and then the next morning, the hungover god.
The dialog was witty. The quirks in the story were inventive and the romance was pitch perfect. Very smooth writing that made me forget I don’t do Fantasy. I could absolutely read more of this world.
A young warrior, Orsina, is on a quest to find evil and destroy it. The only problem is that she’s not sure which monster she’s supposed to eradicate to fulfill her mission. Along her journey, she meets Elyne, who is actually Aelia in disguise, a chaos god that Orsina believes she has already killed.
They decide to ride together and their road trip is both hilarious and at times, touching as Aelia discovers the wonders of the human world from a different vantage point. My favorite scenes were both the drunk god Aelia at a small town wedding and then the next morning, the hungover god.
The dialog was witty. The quirks in the story were inventive and the romance was pitch perfect. Very smooth writing that made me forget I don’t do Fantasy. I could absolutely read more of this world.
March 12, 2019
I loved the first book in the Tales of Inthya, and this one was even better. I couldn’t put it down.
March 3, 2019
I LOVED THIS. It's the second in a loosely-connected epic fantasy series (the two can be read in either order) but it's much better than the first (which was not a bad book at all). Orsina, who is a roving paladin, an expert swordswoman and all-round competent person, is roaming the land on a quest; she meets Aelia, who is secretly a chaos goddess. Orsina is hapless in love. Aelia is hapless at everything. Roadtrip hijinks ensue! And not only is it a sweet and lovely f/f romance, it's against the background of a very queer universe, which I adore. If the book has a flaw it's that the prose is occasionally workmanlike, but honestly the sheer warmth of it makes up for everything. What a good book.
December 14, 2019
Oh even better than book one, even more adorable (read a little smoother too), and I love the people. Paladin/ChaosGoodess is my favourite trope. What, you say it isn’t a trope? Well it should be!
November 18, 2018
What an utterly delightful romantic fantasy! A noble and honourable lady knight, sworn to defend humanity from chaos, ends up on an unwitting road trip w/an amoral chaos goddess disguised in human form. Of course, they fall in love along the way, which causes GREAT complications on both sides, & it is all so much fun to watch - like a 30s screwball romantic comedy in a high fantasy setting. <3 Totally delicious.
April 25, 2021
When Orsina of Melidrie was told she must eliminate an evil force based on someone’s vision, she did not expect to be on the road for two years. Tired and lonely, she hopes the chaos goddess, Aelia, is the force she’s meant to eliminate so she can finally return home. Unfortunately for her, this is not the mission that Orsina is destined to complete, and she finds herself on the road with a companion for the first time. The only drawback is that her new companion is actually Aelia, who is trapped inside her avatar after their first encounter.
Told in rotating perspectives, we follow Orsina and Aelia on their adventure together. They make an interesting duo since Orsina is paladin of the Order of the Sun, and Aelia is a chaos goddess that Orsina just tried vanquishing for manipulating people and putting them in thrall. I had a lot of following them and watching them slowly fall in love with each other.
Initially, I was disappointed that we weren’t following Esofi and Adale, especially after how the first book ended. However, I was quickly on board with following these characters. I thought they were a fun and interesting duo to follow. One of the things I was really fascinated by was the world building. Because Orsina and Aelia travel all over Vesolda, I got to see the world the characters live in truly blossom.
The world building was absolutely brilliant. Seeing Orsina and Aelia in a variety of settings dealing with many characters, both human and celestial, made me look at this series in a new way. Plus, I got to learn a lot more about the mythology than we learn in the previous book on top of seeing the world through a celestial being’s perspective. I had a really hard time putting this book down and am looking forward to the next installment.
Told in rotating perspectives, we follow Orsina and Aelia on their adventure together. They make an interesting duo since Orsina is paladin of the Order of the Sun, and Aelia is a chaos goddess that Orsina just tried vanquishing for manipulating people and putting them in thrall. I had a lot of following them and watching them slowly fall in love with each other.
Initially, I was disappointed that we weren’t following Esofi and Adale, especially after how the first book ended. However, I was quickly on board with following these characters. I thought they were a fun and interesting duo to follow. One of the things I was really fascinated by was the world building. Because Orsina and Aelia travel all over Vesolda, I got to see the world the characters live in truly blossom.
The world building was absolutely brilliant. Seeing Orsina and Aelia in a variety of settings dealing with many characters, both human and celestial, made me look at this series in a new way. Plus, I got to learn a lot more about the mythology than we learn in the previous book on top of seeing the world through a celestial being’s perspective. I had a really hard time putting this book down and am looking forward to the next installment.
May 20, 2020
4.3 Stars
Orsina:
3rd Person POV. A paladin of the Order of the Sun. Justice seeker. Tattooed. Noble. Loyal. Brave. Strong. Compassionate. Attractive. Patient. Brunette. Age: 20s
Aelia:
3rd Person POV. An obscure chaos Goddess. Magical. Reckless. Playful. Curious. Innocent. Cheeky. Feisty. Pretty. Brunette. Age: Immortal
Romance:
No sex. Opposites Attract. Little slow burn.
Sub-genres:
Gods & Goddesses. Magic. Adventure.
Orsina:
3rd Person POV. A paladin of the Order of the Sun. Justice seeker. Tattooed. Noble. Loyal. Brave. Strong. Compassionate. Attractive. Patient. Brunette. Age: 20s
Aelia:
3rd Person POV. An obscure chaos Goddess. Magical. Reckless. Playful. Curious. Innocent. Cheeky. Feisty. Pretty. Brunette. Age: Immortal
Romance:
No sex. Opposites Attract. Little slow burn.
Sub-genres:
Gods & Goddesses. Magic. Adventure.
February 7, 2021
Seventh sapphic book read in 2021.
A chaos goddess! A wandering lady knight! An unlikely friendship with the promise of more! This was so fun. The romance got me. The characters got me. All the little side quests got me. I loved it!
A chaos goddess! A wandering lady knight! An unlikely friendship with the promise of more! This was so fun. The romance got me. The characters got me. All the little side quests got me. I loved it!
September 26, 2019
Okay, so the summary says that a paladin on a quest meets a chaos god in disguise, but actually it’s basically the world’s most devoted and sincere golden retriever human meets a disaster lesbian and love blossoms. It’s pretty great.
I enjoyed this one more than the first one in the series, even though that one’s very good, mostly because both the worldbuilding and the romance are better. (Also, I am just super into golden retriever/disaster pairings.) Although, warning: there’s a pretty intense chapter with a grieving parent.
Overall: did enjoy, do rec.
I enjoyed this one more than the first one in the series, even though that one’s very good, mostly because both the worldbuilding and the romance are better. (Also, I am just super into golden retriever/disaster pairings.) Although, warning: there’s a pretty intense chapter with a grieving parent.
Overall: did enjoy, do rec.
May 17, 2022
Like the first book, read it on one day, it was delightful ! I truly love the alliance of romance and fantasy, it's really well written. I love the MCs, they change from the first book and offer an interesting dynamic : goddess of the chaos undercover and soldier who fights any god of the chaos. Aelia is the sweetest and I love that Orsina learnt her worth throughout the book. The universe gets more detailed and I loved the different "monsters".
My main issue, the same with the last book, is that it's a bit short, the third act conflict is a bit rushed imo. But, it's still worth it obviously!
My main issue, the same with the last book, is that it's a bit short, the third act conflict is a bit rushed imo. But, it's still worth it obviously!
June 4, 2020
3.5/5 stars
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first instalment in this series. I liked how the world was expanded, but I just couldn't connect with either of the characters. I felt like I was held at arms length the whole time, and didn't really get to know them and feel their emotions. It was still a very good story and a cool perspective on this world, but not exactly what I wanted.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first instalment in this series. I liked how the world was expanded, but I just couldn't connect with either of the characters. I felt like I was held at arms length the whole time, and didn't really get to know them and feel their emotions. It was still a very good story and a cool perspective on this world, but not exactly what I wanted.
December 11, 2019
Well, what can I say..lesbian paladins are now my favourite characters :))) but honestly, i found this but better than the first and it's was unexpected. Slow build, up until the end but satisfying nonetheless.
January 3, 2019
It’s a slow burn, cute, satisfying fantasy romance. You really don’t need to read the first book to understand it but it’s a good book too.
January 15, 2019
This book was provided for free by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
Earlier this year, I really enjoyed the first book in Calvin’s debut series, The Queen of Ieflaria. It was romantic and elegant, with an intriguing fantasy plot and good main characters, but I can’t say it made a huge lasting impression. This book, the second in the series, has definitely made a more permanent mark. I think Calvin has grown exponentially as a storyteller in under a year, which is an amazing feat.
While the first book felt sweeping and lofty, with plots of dragon attacks and arranged marriages, this book leans into the minutiae of world building and gives us a deeper look at the belief system and social structures of Vesolda. Orsina, a travelling paladin who is on a seemingly endless quest to fulfill a prophecy, stops from village to village to help townsfolk and make sure none of the chaos gods are causing trouble. When she vanquishes the mortal vessel of Aelia, the chaos god of caprice, she continues on her way with a kind, naïve stranger, who introduces herself as Elyne.
But “Elyne” is only a new human vessel for Aelia, and Aelia is stuck between her desire to travel and see the human world with Orsina and the need to find a mystical item that will help free her from a mortal body. The women start to truly fall for one another, but Aelia knows that if she confesses her true form to Orsina, things can only end tragically.
Aelia is such a fun character to spend time with. I like how she may be a chaos god, but she is not evil. She’s the god of caprice, meaning she’s destined to make split-second decisions and change her mind a million times. She’s destined to not think things through. And that makes her the opposite of Orsina, whose sworn profession is being calm, cool, and collected in the face of chaos. It’s no mistake that they end up being an accidentally perfect match while on the road together, vanquishing foes from village to village. They’re like a perfect friends-to-lovers buddy cop duo in a unique fantasy setting—until secrets come out, of course.
I’m definitely invested in the belief system of Iolar and how each god has their own followers and representatives. I also like how “human” the gods end up being, especially when they represent very human elements, like creativity, grief, and melancholy. Orsina would be a flat character in a less capable author’s hands—she’s devout, pious, stoic, and even a little gullible, but she’s also brave, strong, and achingly kind. She and Aelia have both experienced loneliness in different ways, and their bonding is slow, sweet, and tender. It’s a wonderful example of two very different, complex characters falling for each other in a completely realistic way.
Since these stories rely on a pretty complex world-building arc, I’d definitely read The Queen if Ieflaria first, though the stories themselves are independent from one another. We get a good introduction to the gods and the general layout of the land. But this is definitely the better of the two stories—the characters, plotline, pacing, and writing are all superior. This is an excellent fantasy book that will keep you invested until the end.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
Earlier this year, I really enjoyed the first book in Calvin’s debut series, The Queen of Ieflaria. It was romantic and elegant, with an intriguing fantasy plot and good main characters, but I can’t say it made a huge lasting impression. This book, the second in the series, has definitely made a more permanent mark. I think Calvin has grown exponentially as a storyteller in under a year, which is an amazing feat.
While the first book felt sweeping and lofty, with plots of dragon attacks and arranged marriages, this book leans into the minutiae of world building and gives us a deeper look at the belief system and social structures of Vesolda. Orsina, a travelling paladin who is on a seemingly endless quest to fulfill a prophecy, stops from village to village to help townsfolk and make sure none of the chaos gods are causing trouble. When she vanquishes the mortal vessel of Aelia, the chaos god of caprice, she continues on her way with a kind, naïve stranger, who introduces herself as Elyne.
But “Elyne” is only a new human vessel for Aelia, and Aelia is stuck between her desire to travel and see the human world with Orsina and the need to find a mystical item that will help free her from a mortal body. The women start to truly fall for one another, but Aelia knows that if she confesses her true form to Orsina, things can only end tragically.
Aelia is such a fun character to spend time with. I like how she may be a chaos god, but she is not evil. She’s the god of caprice, meaning she’s destined to make split-second decisions and change her mind a million times. She’s destined to not think things through. And that makes her the opposite of Orsina, whose sworn profession is being calm, cool, and collected in the face of chaos. It’s no mistake that they end up being an accidentally perfect match while on the road together, vanquishing foes from village to village. They’re like a perfect friends-to-lovers buddy cop duo in a unique fantasy setting—until secrets come out, of course.
I’m definitely invested in the belief system of Iolar and how each god has their own followers and representatives. I also like how “human” the gods end up being, especially when they represent very human elements, like creativity, grief, and melancholy. Orsina would be a flat character in a less capable author’s hands—she’s devout, pious, stoic, and even a little gullible, but she’s also brave, strong, and achingly kind. She and Aelia have both experienced loneliness in different ways, and their bonding is slow, sweet, and tender. It’s a wonderful example of two very different, complex characters falling for each other in a completely realistic way.
Since these stories rely on a pretty complex world-building arc, I’d definitely read The Queen if Ieflaria first, though the stories themselves are independent from one another. We get a good introduction to the gods and the general layout of the land. But this is definitely the better of the two stories—the characters, plotline, pacing, and writing are all superior. This is an excellent fantasy book that will keep you invested until the end.
November 18, 2018
This is a good book!
I mean, I kind of expected that bc The Queen of Ieflaria is one of my fave queer SFF books. But. This is a good book!
First off, my favorite part of The Queen of Ieflaria was the fantasy religion, even though it was not central to the plot. Here, though, we get the gods of Inthya front and center. Aelia, one of the MCs, is a goddess herself (though a minor chaos deity), and Orsina, the other, is a paladin devoted to the sort-of head god, Iolar. And the majority of the plot revolves around Orsina and Aelia running into various gods, fighting them or talking to them, etc. So we get to see a lot more of how the gods work in this world.
Apparently this is a world where gods get power from their worshippers. I'm always kind of iffy on that, because shouldn't gods already be powerful in order to merit worshippers? but lols I still enjoy it as a plot device bc it basically means gods gain power thru influence, which is similar to how ppl get power in the real world, and it is a good reason for the gods to pay attention to worshippers and to be constantly fighting with each other for dominance. You see that here a lot, first with Aelia trying to get followers by putting them under thrall, later with the desperation of other chaos gods, and finally with the larger rivalries of Iolar with some of his more dangerous siblings. So that's all very cool.
On the other hand, the idea that some gods are inherently chaotic is odd, especially since apparently their natures can change but generally don't. I dislike Iolar's policy of denying them worship and generally banning them from Inthya, and it's kind of annoying that apart from Aelia, none of the chaos gods we see in this book appear worthy of sympathy for their dilemma. Is Aelia just Not Like Other Chaos Deities? Is this because of her choices or because of something inherent about these other gods? Is there any chance that the other chaos gods can ever be redeemed or become better people? aaaaaagh, the questions.
(I just really like hashing out how fantasy religions/magic systems work.)
Aaaaaanyways.
The other major element of the plot of this book is the relationship between Aelia and Orsina. I liked both characters very much separately: I love Orsina's devotion to Iolar (dutiful characters always do it for me) and I was equally fond of Aelia's impulsive but more or less good-natured character. I can see why they get along; they complement each other well, in an "opposites attract" kind of way. I was not shipping it as hard as I shipped Esofi and Adale, perhaps, but mostly because I think the romance is less central to this book than it was to The Queen of Ieflaria.
Overall, a good book. I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I mean, I kind of expected that bc The Queen of Ieflaria is one of my fave queer SFF books. But. This is a good book!
First off, my favorite part of The Queen of Ieflaria was the fantasy religion, even though it was not central to the plot. Here, though, we get the gods of Inthya front and center. Aelia, one of the MCs, is a goddess herself (though a minor chaos deity), and Orsina, the other, is a paladin devoted to the sort-of head god, Iolar. And the majority of the plot revolves around Orsina and Aelia running into various gods, fighting them or talking to them, etc. So we get to see a lot more of how the gods work in this world.
Apparently this is a world where gods get power from their worshippers. I'm always kind of iffy on that, because shouldn't gods already be powerful in order to merit worshippers? but lols I still enjoy it as a plot device bc it basically means gods gain power thru influence, which is similar to how ppl get power in the real world, and it is a good reason for the gods to pay attention to worshippers and to be constantly fighting with each other for dominance. You see that here a lot, first with Aelia trying to get followers by putting them under thrall, later with the desperation of other chaos gods, and finally with the larger rivalries of Iolar with some of his more dangerous siblings. So that's all very cool.
On the other hand, the idea that some gods are inherently chaotic is odd, especially since apparently their natures can change but generally don't. I dislike Iolar's policy of denying them worship and generally banning them from Inthya, and it's kind of annoying that apart from Aelia, none of the chaos gods we see in this book appear worthy of sympathy for their dilemma. Is Aelia just Not Like Other Chaos Deities? Is this because of her choices or because of something inherent about these other gods? Is there any chance that the other chaos gods can ever be redeemed or become better people? aaaaaagh, the questions.
(I just really like hashing out how fantasy religions/magic systems work.)
Aaaaaanyways.
The other major element of the plot of this book is the relationship between Aelia and Orsina. I liked both characters very much separately: I love Orsina's devotion to Iolar (dutiful characters always do it for me) and I was equally fond of Aelia's impulsive but more or less good-natured character. I can see why they get along; they complement each other well, in an "opposites attract" kind of way. I was not shipping it as hard as I shipped Esofi and Adale, perhaps, but mostly because I think the romance is less central to this book than it was to The Queen of Ieflaria.
Overall, a good book. I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 28, 2019
Didn't read the synopsis for this because I jumped right into it after finishing the first one in the series. I thought it was going to be a proper sequel but it is more of a companion: a total different story in the same universe. I was a bit disappointed for the first few pages because the first book really left me wanting more but I quickly fell for this story too. I feel like it was better handled than the first one in terms of plot and world building, so overall it was a pleasant surprise!
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August 30, 2018Here’s hoping this his a sequel!!! But if it’s another story set in the same world I’d still be happy!!!
April 22, 2021
Wow, just wow. What a great story. To be honest, after the first book in this series, i thought the rest were going to be similarly mediocre in execution. Perhaps i have low standards, or am too simple minded to notice things others might take issue with, but i thought this was a awesome story.
The whole opening really drew me in, made me interested in Orsinas character and her quest. After Aelia starts travelling with her is when things get really interesting. I didnt quite know what to expect from the story in the sense that i wasnt sure how they were going to ballance the romance with the adventure-fantasy stuff. Luckily, the plot was broad enough that it allowed for side stories along the way. Each new town and problem the characters encounter and varied and add to the main plot. The problems Aelia and Orsina face are varied in drama and the action, which helped keep the journey from feeling repetative. The characters are on a journey of great distance, and the journey as it is told reflects that.
Now for the juicy part, the romance. I like that the romance coinsides with Aelias own redemption story. We see her come to care for humanity as she comes to love Orsina. Aelia is new to the world of man, and the early chapters reflect alot of that initial curiousity. I like how it contrasts with Orsinas seemingly more jaded view of the world. Shes on a quest, so she doesnt appreciate the world in the same way Aelia does.
The big dramatic angle this story plays at is the fact that Aelia is a chaos goddess and Orsina is a paladin. So they are naturally opposed to one another. Aelia has to hide her identity and assumes a fake identity while travelling with Orsina. Its tempting to simply label this as enemies become lovers but i dont think it does the story justice. The usual gimmick with that kind of love story is that two people who dont get along fall in love, whereas in this one they are merely strangers on different sides. Aelia does intend to use Orsina at first, but again its not really adversarial interactions. Being a simple minded person, i loved this aspect of the story. I like the whole lie and how it adds tension to different scenes. Its nice that it wasnt overdone either. Overall, i liked the romance of this story.
There are flaws, but i wont spend any real time going into them because to me they are so minor. The only real problem i had with the story itself was the part where Orsina goes back to her hometown. I liked the reveals that happened here, but it still felt like an odd place in the story to put that part. I more mean specific reveals that happen while she is there, not the main stuff with Aelia that happens. Again, not a bad part, i rather liked the part itself, its more the placement than anything that felt a little off.
Outside of the story, the biggest issue by far is the fact that the book doesnt stand on its own. I call it an issue more because of the fact that i think the first book is likely to make people not continue on. The first book is crucial for understanding this story because of how much information about gods and other lore that is often referenced in this book. Being pretty fresh on book one, i felt like i was in full knowledge but i can see someone who went into this thinking the stories were standalone not really knowing anything about the various gods that get mentioned, or different magics. Its not super detailed in book one, but detailed enough that not knowing would probably have a negative impact on book two.
Overall though, a great book and im happy i decided to continue on in this series. This was a sweet story, with alot of fun action and heart warming moments. Maybe others will find more fault, but i dont care, i loved it.
The whole opening really drew me in, made me interested in Orsinas character and her quest. After Aelia starts travelling with her is when things get really interesting. I didnt quite know what to expect from the story in the sense that i wasnt sure how they were going to ballance the romance with the adventure-fantasy stuff. Luckily, the plot was broad enough that it allowed for side stories along the way. Each new town and problem the characters encounter and varied and add to the main plot. The problems Aelia and Orsina face are varied in drama and the action, which helped keep the journey from feeling repetative. The characters are on a journey of great distance, and the journey as it is told reflects that.
Now for the juicy part, the romance. I like that the romance coinsides with Aelias own redemption story. We see her come to care for humanity as she comes to love Orsina. Aelia is new to the world of man, and the early chapters reflect alot of that initial curiousity. I like how it contrasts with Orsinas seemingly more jaded view of the world. Shes on a quest, so she doesnt appreciate the world in the same way Aelia does.
The big dramatic angle this story plays at is the fact that Aelia is a chaos goddess and Orsina is a paladin. So they are naturally opposed to one another. Aelia has to hide her identity and assumes a fake identity while travelling with Orsina. Its tempting to simply label this as enemies become lovers but i dont think it does the story justice. The usual gimmick with that kind of love story is that two people who dont get along fall in love, whereas in this one they are merely strangers on different sides. Aelia does intend to use Orsina at first, but again its not really adversarial interactions. Being a simple minded person, i loved this aspect of the story. I like the whole lie and how it adds tension to different scenes. Its nice that it wasnt overdone either. Overall, i liked the romance of this story.
There are flaws, but i wont spend any real time going into them because to me they are so minor. The only real problem i had with the story itself was the part where Orsina goes back to her hometown. I liked the reveals that happened here, but it still felt like an odd place in the story to put that part. I more mean specific reveals that happen while she is there, not the main stuff with Aelia that happens. Again, not a bad part, i rather liked the part itself, its more the placement than anything that felt a little off.
Outside of the story, the biggest issue by far is the fact that the book doesnt stand on its own. I call it an issue more because of the fact that i think the first book is likely to make people not continue on. The first book is crucial for understanding this story because of how much information about gods and other lore that is often referenced in this book. Being pretty fresh on book one, i felt like i was in full knowledge but i can see someone who went into this thinking the stories were standalone not really knowing anything about the various gods that get mentioned, or different magics. Its not super detailed in book one, but detailed enough that not knowing would probably have a negative impact on book two.
Overall though, a great book and im happy i decided to continue on in this series. This was a sweet story, with alot of fun action and heart warming moments. Maybe others will find more fault, but i dont care, i loved it.
February 21, 2019
I think this time around, more so than the first book, I'm a bit more disappointed there isn't more to the story. Like the first, this one stops basically right after the two main ladies get together. It's a fairy tale ending, with the HEA as the last bit to wrap things up. Now, don't get me wrong, I like HEA, and even fairy tale fantasy. But. I also like to read about the rest of the relationship, the getting to know each other as a couple, the figuring out what the other likes, all that good stuff. Not just the giddy and sweet falling in love bits, as nice as those are.
Also, both books don't start getting really exciting and interesting until the very last 10-15%. And then they just stop at the HEA, right when the worldbuilding was developing in new ways. Which is frustrating to me. So, one less star for that, because while I loved what I read, I wished there was more.
It felt rushed as well, and not just because I read it all in ~5 hours (when I should have been sleeping). Aelia especially
So. I really did like this overall, but... when's the next going to be out? I hope it will be more drawn out and maybe even not stop at the HEA.
Also, both books don't start getting really exciting and interesting until the very last 10-15%. And then they just stop at the HEA, right when the worldbuilding was developing in new ways. Which is frustrating to me. So, one less star for that, because while I loved what I read, I wished there was more.
It felt rushed as well, and not just because I read it all in ~5 hours (when I should have been sleeping). Aelia especially
So. I really did like this overall, but... when's the next going to be out? I hope it will be more drawn out and maybe even not stop at the HEA.
March 28, 2021
Gosh that was sweet. Gosh. What a good book!
The concept is, there's this lady paladin who is wandering the land looking for a great evil to slay, as she's been given a vision from her deity. The book opens with her rescuing a village from a minor chaos deity, and - here's the other heroine! She's the chaos deity, but now injured thanks to this paladin and bound to a mortal body.
Through sheer chance the paladin finds her in the mortal body, doesn't realize she's the same chaos goddess (it looks different), and promises to escort her safely to wherever she wants to go. Cue a rambling journey as the goddess gets exposed to humanity and having friends and learning things for the first time ever, and as the paladin begins to learn things about herself. It's neat how her being a roving paladin opened up the plot to chained adventures as the paladin checked every small village for evil and sometimes found it - and sometimes it involved the goddess' siblings who weren't happy about her helping out a paladin.
It's emotional and fun and builds up to both a plotty climax and an emotional climax and gosh! I loved this a lot!! It's sweet and romantic and the serious plot was fascinating. Nothing too complex but I like the worldbuilding and hints for future books, and I want more. This is my comfort fantasy-romance-lesbians-adventure reading, and I'm so happy I have it.
The concept is, there's this lady paladin who is wandering the land looking for a great evil to slay, as she's been given a vision from her deity. The book opens with her rescuing a village from a minor chaos deity, and - here's the other heroine! She's the chaos deity, but now injured thanks to this paladin and bound to a mortal body.
Through sheer chance the paladin finds her in the mortal body, doesn't realize she's the same chaos goddess (it looks different), and promises to escort her safely to wherever she wants to go. Cue a rambling journey as the goddess gets exposed to humanity and having friends and learning things for the first time ever, and as the paladin begins to learn things about herself. It's neat how her being a roving paladin opened up the plot to chained adventures as the paladin checked every small village for evil and sometimes found it - and sometimes it involved the goddess' siblings who weren't happy about her helping out a paladin.
It's emotional and fun and builds up to both a plotty climax and an emotional climax and gosh! I loved this a lot!! It's sweet and romantic and the serious plot was fascinating. Nothing too complex but I like the worldbuilding and hints for future books, and I want more. This is my comfort fantasy-romance-lesbians-adventure reading, and I'm so happy I have it.
December 8, 2018
This book is just delightful! If you like high fantasy, sweet f/f romance, gods learning to embrace their flaws, or just a really good road trip, then this is a must read!
Daughter of the Sun is the second book in the Tales of Inthya series, but it works perfectly as a standalone (though it did make me instantly buy the first book once I’d finished!). The world-building is perfect, and straddles that line between intriguing and familiar – we have a fairly standard faux-medieval setting, but it never feels derivative, just comfortable. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gods of varying importance, who have different (and sometimes very niche) domains, and they interfere with the mortal world as they please. Some are benevolent, and some belong to chaos – and this is where it starts to get interesting.
Our two main characters are Orsina, a knight who is on a god-given quest to oust evil from the land. She’s doing a great job of the ousting, but she just doesn’t seem to be any closer to that one job that will complete her questing so she can return home. Then you have Aelia, a chaos goddess whom Orsina has defeated and trapped in a mortal body. To free herself, she’ll need to find one of her divine siblings – so she persuades Orsina, who doesn’t recognise her mortal form, to escort her on her road trip. Hijinks, as you may expect, ensue. Oh, and the two women seem to find each other very intriguing…
Honestly, this kind of felt like a grown-up Tamora Pierce novel. You’ve got a great lady knight who learns to warm up emotionally, gods who are far too invested in the mortal plains, and a whole lot of adventure and excitement along the way. Even though this is the first time I’ve ever read it, it felt like a cozy old favourite within just a few pages. I absolutely loved the quiet, gradual way that Orsina and Aelia began to feel for each other – it’s as slow-burning as a short novel can be, and felt wholly natural. I loved every bit of their interactions, whether they were comforting, protecting, or simply irritating each other. The story itself is kept moving by the road-trip element of the plot, so there’s never time to get bored before the next episode of adventure begins.
One thing that struck me about this book was the wonderful attitudes to gender and sexuality. It’s so refreshing to read a book where a relationship between people of any gender is perfectly acceptable – it means that none of the obstacles in Orsina and Aelia’s relationship is drawn from their both being women. This leaves so much more space for the actual relationship! It’s also fully accepted that there are more than two genders, with neutroi characters using ‘they/them’ pronouns throughout the book – and characters actually asking for and offering their pronoun choices! Gender is never assumed, despite appearances. (There also seems to be something called ‘The Change’, which allows a couple of any gender to reproduce – this wasn’t particularly relevant to this plot, so wasn’t explained in depth. I’d be interested to see if it pops up more in any other books in this series as it sounds interesting.) The acceptance and warmth in this book was just so lovely to read. There’s no agenda or struggle in the representation – everyone can just be.
Actually, I think ‘warm’ is the word I would use to describe this book. It just made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I need more books like this. Books with heart, that make me smile, that are full of hope – and also, that have magic and knights and everything else I love about fantasy fiction. You never see this in adult fantasy, where the trend has been that to be modern, it’s got to be dark and gritty. Daughter of the Sun is the opposite of grimdark, and I am HERE for it. I’ll be buying everything Effie Calvin ever writes. Give me fluffy, exciting fantasy forever! Five out of five cats!
Daughter of the Sun is the second book in the Tales of Inthya series, but it works perfectly as a standalone (though it did make me instantly buy the first book once I’d finished!). The world-building is perfect, and straddles that line between intriguing and familiar – we have a fairly standard faux-medieval setting, but it never feels derivative, just comfortable. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gods of varying importance, who have different (and sometimes very niche) domains, and they interfere with the mortal world as they please. Some are benevolent, and some belong to chaos – and this is where it starts to get interesting.
Our two main characters are Orsina, a knight who is on a god-given quest to oust evil from the land. She’s doing a great job of the ousting, but she just doesn’t seem to be any closer to that one job that will complete her questing so she can return home. Then you have Aelia, a chaos goddess whom Orsina has defeated and trapped in a mortal body. To free herself, she’ll need to find one of her divine siblings – so she persuades Orsina, who doesn’t recognise her mortal form, to escort her on her road trip. Hijinks, as you may expect, ensue. Oh, and the two women seem to find each other very intriguing…
Honestly, this kind of felt like a grown-up Tamora Pierce novel. You’ve got a great lady knight who learns to warm up emotionally, gods who are far too invested in the mortal plains, and a whole lot of adventure and excitement along the way. Even though this is the first time I’ve ever read it, it felt like a cozy old favourite within just a few pages. I absolutely loved the quiet, gradual way that Orsina and Aelia began to feel for each other – it’s as slow-burning as a short novel can be, and felt wholly natural. I loved every bit of their interactions, whether they were comforting, protecting, or simply irritating each other. The story itself is kept moving by the road-trip element of the plot, so there’s never time to get bored before the next episode of adventure begins.
One thing that struck me about this book was the wonderful attitudes to gender and sexuality. It’s so refreshing to read a book where a relationship between people of any gender is perfectly acceptable – it means that none of the obstacles in Orsina and Aelia’s relationship is drawn from their both being women. This leaves so much more space for the actual relationship! It’s also fully accepted that there are more than two genders, with neutroi characters using ‘they/them’ pronouns throughout the book – and characters actually asking for and offering their pronoun choices! Gender is never assumed, despite appearances. (There also seems to be something called ‘The Change’, which allows a couple of any gender to reproduce – this wasn’t particularly relevant to this plot, so wasn’t explained in depth. I’d be interested to see if it pops up more in any other books in this series as it sounds interesting.) The acceptance and warmth in this book was just so lovely to read. There’s no agenda or struggle in the representation – everyone can just be.
Actually, I think ‘warm’ is the word I would use to describe this book. It just made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I need more books like this. Books with heart, that make me smile, that are full of hope – and also, that have magic and knights and everything else I love about fantasy fiction. You never see this in adult fantasy, where the trend has been that to be modern, it’s got to be dark and gritty. Daughter of the Sun is the opposite of grimdark, and I am HERE for it. I’ll be buying everything Effie Calvin ever writes. Give me fluffy, exciting fantasy forever! Five out of five cats!
November 7, 2019
Aelia and Orsina are all kissy smoochie and being adorable. Hnnnngggn.
Edit: I realised I should expand on my review.
For a fantasy book with sizable lores, this was an easy read, and I didn't even read the first book. I liked the gradual growth of Aelia's character. She is both innocent and mischievous, although I'd prefer her to be even more mischievous and godlike. The romance was sweet and remained chaste. I'd have liked more saucy contents.
The cons, for a book with a focus on exploration and travel, I wish their long journeys were depicted more leisurely. The book only takes half a page or so to get the characters anywhere in the world. Could have been longer.
Edit: I realised I should expand on my review.
For a fantasy book with sizable lores, this was an easy read, and I didn't even read the first book. I liked the gradual growth of Aelia's character. She is both innocent and mischievous, although I'd prefer her to be even more mischievous and godlike. The romance was sweet and remained chaste. I'd have liked more saucy contents.
The cons, for a book with a focus on exploration and travel, I wish their long journeys were depicted more leisurely. The book only takes half a page or so to get the characters anywhere in the world. Could have been longer.
October 1, 2020
okay yall so I thought The Queen of Ieflaria was pretty good and I was planning on reading the sequel but it wasn't super high priority for me but GOD DAMN this book was so good. Orsina has strong female Witcher vibes and I loved the roving monster hunting plot this book had and Aelia was so cute and fun and the unapologetic queerness of this series is amazing and the vibes are immaculate and I cannot gush about this book enough
Onto the next book in the series!
Onto the next book in the series!
January 14, 2023
I'm pleased to have finally found a romance book that works for me-- turns out my cold black heart can be thawed a little, after all. I liked both Orsina and Aelia and was rooting for them. They both had enjoyable character arcs that evolved with the plot in satisfying ways. Another review mentioned feeling kind of a Tortall vibe from this book and I'm inclined to agree! It was fun to be in another universe with lady knights and gods making mischief.
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