50 books
—
53 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Scarlet Odyssey” as Want to Read:
Scarlet Odyssey
(Scarlet Odyssey #1)
by
Magic is women’s work; war is men’s. But in the coming battle, none of that will matter.
Men do not become mystics. They become warriors. But eighteen-year-old Salo has never been good at conforming to his tribe’s expectations. For as long as he can remember, he has loved books and magic in a culture where such things are considered unmanly. Despite it being sacrilege, Salo ...more
Men do not become mystics. They become warriors. But eighteen-year-old Salo has never been good at conforming to his tribe’s expectations. For as long as he can remember, he has loved books and magic in a culture where such things are considered unmanly. Despite it being sacrilege, Salo ...more
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Scarlet Odyssey,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Scarlet Odyssey
Scarlet Odyssey is a young adult epic fantasy set in Africa written by debut author, C.T. Rwizi, and I was here for it. I like to mix a fantasy book in every once in a while to keep things fresh.
Scarlet Odyssey is a journey- “odyssey” in the title is fitting. There is lots of world building, which was fantastic because I was able to live right among the group, I could see it all so well. There are interesting characters to get to know and lots of action. This was the first fantasy novel I’ve rea ...more
Scarlet Odyssey is a journey- “odyssey” in the title is fitting. There is lots of world building, which was fantastic because I was able to live right among the group, I could see it all so well. There are interesting characters to get to know and lots of action. This was the first fantasy novel I’ve rea ...more
Aug 10, 2020
Juliana (Midnight Book Blog)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites
Was the story a little confusing at first? Sure. Was it 1000% worth it? ABSOLUTELY.
I’m honestly a little speechless. I can understand why the story seems confusing at first, but when it all starts to come together it’s truly amazing. To anyone who DNFs books early I’m begging you not to with this one, you would truly be missing out.
I really loved all of the characters, from naive but well-meaning Salo, to mischievous Tuk, to fierce Ilapara. All of them were so intricate and unique, made even m ...more
I’m honestly a little speechless. I can understand why the story seems confusing at first, but when it all starts to come together it’s truly amazing. To anyone who DNFs books early I’m begging you not to with this one, you would truly be missing out.
I really loved all of the characters, from naive but well-meaning Salo, to mischievous Tuk, to fierce Ilapara. All of them were so intricate and unique, made even m ...more
"I see. I'm a girl who wants to be a ranger, and you're a boy who wants to be a clan mystic, so let's be friends."
Finished. Done. Phew. Don't get me wrong: it was good. 3.5*s. It would have rated it higher had I been 100% sure of what was actually happening.
Salo, or Musalodi, is a chieftain's son who defies convention and works to become a clan mystic. And yet, despite the exceptional circumstances that lead him to be accepted for the role, his clan is not happy. Magic is the purview of women, ...more
I rarely enjoy epic fantasy told from multiple points of view, but I loved this one. Scarlet Odyssey offers enough fresh ideas to make the story addictive. It blurs the line between sci-fi and fantasy and finds inspiration in African mythology and culture.
The story follows Salo, a young man whose affinity for magic puts him at odds with the rest of his tribe. As the first-born son of a chief, he should become a warrior, but he prefers to read and study arcane arts. His society perceives such int ...more
The story follows Salo, a young man whose affinity for magic puts him at odds with the rest of his tribe. As the first-born son of a chief, he should become a warrior, but he prefers to read and study arcane arts. His society perceives such int ...more
Completely took me by surprise. Thought it was excellent. RTC.
(Review from a very early advance copy.)
This is a heroic quest story with a ragtag group of misfits, which is the best kind of misfit group.
It's the launch of a series by young African writer C. T. Rwizi, and the world here is inspired by cultures and myths of sub-saharan Africa (according to the book's PR information).
It's a thrilling, fanciful debut, crammed full of imaginative world-building and excellent dialogue. You can tell that the author had a very fun time writing the book; the imag ...more
This is a heroic quest story with a ragtag group of misfits, which is the best kind of misfit group.
It's the launch of a series by young African writer C. T. Rwizi, and the world here is inspired by cultures and myths of sub-saharan Africa (according to the book's PR information).
It's a thrilling, fanciful debut, crammed full of imaginative world-building and excellent dialogue. You can tell that the author had a very fun time writing the book; the imag ...more
I am adding this to my “did not finish” pile. I appreciate the publisher sending me an early copy of the book.
In all honesty, I think this book could be really great - but unfortunately it’s just not hooking me.
There’s a lot of terminology used without much definition which throws my head for a spin - whether it’s nouns, or places, or groups of people. I find it hard to follow the storyline, as even more points of views are added on, and others dropped off.
I’m just not as gripped or engaged as ...more
In all honesty, I think this book could be really great - but unfortunately it’s just not hooking me.
There’s a lot of terminology used without much definition which throws my head for a spin - whether it’s nouns, or places, or groups of people. I find it hard to follow the storyline, as even more points of views are added on, and others dropped off.
I’m just not as gripped or engaged as ...more
This was such a great book. The characters are all written very well, the world building is done masterfully, and the story itself is soooo interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.
'Scarlet Odyssey', a debut novel by C. T. Rwizi, scheduled for publication on 1st July, is an epic fantasy that twists the classic quest trope into something new and exciting. C. T Rwizi, who comes from Zimbabwe originally is another exciting writer adding to the growing body of African Science Fiction (think 'Rosewater' and 'Binti').
'Scarlet Odyssey' is an epic fantasy with world-building on a huge scale, spectacular new magic systems, warlords who use black magic that feeds off human sacrifice ...more
'Scarlet Odyssey' is an epic fantasy with world-building on a huge scale, spectacular new magic systems, warlords who use black magic that feeds off human sacrifice ...more
I liked this book and didn’t like it. So much violence. And cruelty. Also quite original, interesting, and well written with good world development, good plotting, and good characters.
Some reviews have mentioned difficulty with the names or words, but that didn’t bother me. I grew up reading science fiction and fantasy and am used to having to learn new worlds and systems for labeling things and to reading names that look and sound foreign to me. And it was fun to have a tale drawing from non-E ...more
Some reviews have mentioned difficulty with the names or words, but that didn’t bother me. I grew up reading science fiction and fantasy and am used to having to learn new worlds and systems for labeling things and to reading names that look and sound foreign to me. And it was fun to have a tale drawing from non-E ...more
Initial thoughts: like a 3.5. Phew, this was A JOURNEY. it was ling but also really interesting but also a little confusing but in a good ish way?
Check out the full review on my website. CLICK HERE
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW:
Thank you, Netgalley and 47th North for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Scarlet Odyssey is an epic fantasy debut from the first-time author C.T.Rwizi. The book is an African inspired fantasy filled with a vibrant world and a rich magic system. The story follows young Salo who has learned magic deeply without his tribe's permissi ...more
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW:
Thank you, Netgalley and 47th North for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Scarlet Odyssey is an epic fantasy debut from the first-time author C.T.Rwizi. The book is an African inspired fantasy filled with a vibrant world and a rich magic system. The story follows young Salo who has learned magic deeply without his tribe's permissi ...more
Its fantasy, but broadly African fantasy (and there are enough hints in here that "it was Earth all along might be on the cards), but this is aiming high. A broad multicharacter canvas where the lead character comes of age, steps into his power and then is sent on a journey - the Odyssey of the title is earned.
This has no pretence of being a done in one from the beginning (though I believe the author is only looking at two books in the set), and therefore takes its time as it jumps around its ch ...more
This has no pretence of being a done in one from the beginning (though I believe the author is only looking at two books in the set), and therefore takes its time as it jumps around its ch ...more
I...really wanted to like this book. I want to support first time authors, particularly first time authors of color. And I want to support fantasy novels that aren't full of white people. So I was looking forward to this book. But I have to confess that I really didn't understand it at all. I was confused the entire way through it. I think for me, it lacked one central compelling character that I could care about. It took on too many different viewpoints and needed to hone in on just one of them
...more
Review originally published at Fantasy Literature
Scarlet Odyssey (2020) is the debut novel by C.T. Rwizi and the beginning of a new series, RED PLAINS. It’s an epic fantasy set in a world based on sub-Saharan Africa, featuring a group of young people who might have the chance to stop an evil plan — or might unwittingly put it in motion instead.
The central point-of-view characters are Musalodi (“Salo”), a young man who wants to learn magic even though his people forbid that study to men; Ilapara, ...more
Scarlet Odyssey (2020) is the debut novel by C.T. Rwizi and the beginning of a new series, RED PLAINS. It’s an epic fantasy set in a world based on sub-Saharan Africa, featuring a group of young people who might have the chance to stop an evil plan — or might unwittingly put it in motion instead.
The central point-of-view characters are Musalodi (“Salo”), a young man who wants to learn magic even though his people forbid that study to men; Ilapara, ...more
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Magic is women’s work, while fighting is men’s – those are the ideals that govern eighteen-year old Salo’s life. But he’s never been very good at conforming to his tribe’s ideals, and despite the tribe not having a fully developed mystic of its own which often leads to difficulties, the jabbed words and hostile glances make Salo feel as if he’s a pariah within his own society. Despite it being sacrilege, Salo continues to hone his craft, his ...more
Magic is women’s work, while fighting is men’s – those are the ideals that govern eighteen-year old Salo’s life. But he’s never been very good at conforming to his tribe’s ideals, and despite the tribe not having a fully developed mystic of its own which often leads to difficulties, the jabbed words and hostile glances make Salo feel as if he’s a pariah within his own society. Despite it being sacrilege, Salo continues to hone his craft, his ...more
I REALLY liked this book! There is a LOT going on with numerous characters introduced throughout the book (all of them with their own, not-always-obvious agendas) and a unique technologically-infused system of magic, but once you get acquainted it all comes together in a beautifully written and immersive world. So many fantasy books seem to have only minor variations of the same general plot lines, so I loved that this book was definitely something different. I can’t wait for the sequel!
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Scarlet Odyssey is one of those books that, even after finishing, remains a mystery. Full of multiple POVs, plus a few surprise POVs, it is a story that wastes no time throwing you headfirst into the world. With this rich world, it was pretty confusing for me to find my footing at the beginning of the book. Until the characters really started standing out for me, I was pretty co ...more
Scarlet Odyssey is one of those books that, even after finishing, remains a mystery. Full of multiple POVs, plus a few surprise POVs, it is a story that wastes no time throwing you headfirst into the world. With this rich world, it was pretty confusing for me to find my footing at the beginning of the book. Until the characters really started standing out for me, I was pretty co ...more
I'm just not sure what to think about this book. In many ways it's a pretty standard fantasy story--the chosen one sets off on a quest and collects a group of misfits who are nonetheless all super powerful. Powerful forces want to help them, for their own purposes, and powerful forces want stop them. As with many modern fantasy stories, the world is a pretty terrible place with all societies being different levels of awful. Racisim/tribalism is prevalent and particularly virulent. Not only is sl
...more
I chose this for my Kindle First Reads book this month, but I regret the choice.
I expected it to be more about gender-bending, but instead it was about a weird type of magic which I never really understood. The premise is that in the society where the main character grows up only women can perform magic, but when the book switches to multiple viewpoints and multiple societies that is no longer the case.
A lot of people are killed, some very graphically, so I have shelved this as horror as well a ...more
I expected it to be more about gender-bending, but instead it was about a weird type of magic which I never really understood. The premise is that in the society where the main character grows up only women can perform magic, but when the book switches to multiple viewpoints and multiple societies that is no longer the case.
A lot of people are killed, some very graphically, so I have shelved this as horror as well a ...more
group of misfits on a quest??? ermmm GIMME
I found this boring and very long winded, which made this very hard to keep reading. I found it hard to turn to the next page. It does have a chance if it is rewritten and some of the boring taken out of it. The story has potential, but boring.You can look at how long it took me to read it. I hardly ever take that long on a good book. I fought my way though. Good luck reading this and staying awake. Only good thing about this, I got some good sleep.
I picked this book up from Amazon's First Reads program on a whim and I am so so very glad I did. This is one of the best books I've read all year, and certainly the best fantasy I've read in quite awhile. It is unique, complex, dark, funny...so many adjectives, y'all. It's beautiful.
The first thing that grabbed me was how the entire world building is based on an African mythos. Since almost all the fantasy literature out there is built upon a Euro-centric setting, this immediately made it feel ...more
The first thing that grabbed me was how the entire world building is based on an African mythos. Since almost all the fantasy literature out there is built upon a Euro-centric setting, this immediately made it feel ...more
An impressive debut which I reviewed for the Fantasy-Hive.
In Scarlet Odyssey, Rwizi has given us a rich and immersive world resonant of Africa with its equatorial jungles, huge navigable lakes and broad sweeping plains. Rwizi steps magnificently beyond the medieval-european paradigm of fantasy fiction that has been more than fulsomely explored in the decades since Lord of the Rings. This is not a short debut, but the story is still an opening salvo in what promises to be an enjoyable series. The ...more
In Scarlet Odyssey, Rwizi has given us a rich and immersive world resonant of Africa with its equatorial jungles, huge navigable lakes and broad sweeping plains. Rwizi steps magnificently beyond the medieval-european paradigm of fantasy fiction that has been more than fulsomely explored in the decades since Lord of the Rings. This is not a short debut, but the story is still an opening salvo in what promises to be an enjoyable series. The ...more
Sep 05, 2020
Dann Todd
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
fantasy,
hugo-nominee
I received this book free via an Amazon Prime program. I had not heard of this author before, but the elevator pitch was intriguing.
This is destined to be one of the best books published in 2020. It will be on my Hugo nomination list for the 2021 awards.
The story centers on Musalodi (known as Salo). He is the son of a tribal chief and the tribe's "witch".
Within this fictional world, magic is only performed by women. It is thought that men are unsuitable for that purpose and are instead fit only ...more
This is destined to be one of the best books published in 2020. It will be on my Hugo nomination list for the 2021 awards.
The story centers on Musalodi (known as Salo). He is the son of a tribal chief and the tribe's "witch".
Within this fictional world, magic is only performed by women. It is thought that men are unsuitable for that purpose and are instead fit only ...more
I took into account other readers' warnings that the unfamiliar terminology would make this book difficult to read. I actually welcomed that aspect of the book. Learning new terms from a culture foreign to my own was a COOL experience!
What readers should brace for is the pacing of the book. If you're expecting the quest (I do characterize this as quest fiction) to be the main focus of the story from the first third of the book on, you'll be disappointed.
This story is more of a slow burn and wi ...more
What readers should brace for is the pacing of the book. If you're expecting the quest (I do characterize this as quest fiction) to be the main focus of the story from the first third of the book on, you'll be disappointed.
This story is more of a slow burn and wi ...more
Majestic - Read This
An imaginative, sprawling and intriguing work of high fantasy. It will likely be compared to Game of Thrones in scope and violence; but the conventions of fantasy here have been masterfully reimagined into an African setting and blended with an almost sci-fi mystery. The world building is vivid. The plot lays the foundations for epic sequels, but just enough questions are answered in this first novel for it to feel complete. Our hero’s journey and companions are deftly create ...more
An imaginative, sprawling and intriguing work of high fantasy. It will likely be compared to Game of Thrones in scope and violence; but the conventions of fantasy here have been masterfully reimagined into an African setting and blended with an almost sci-fi mystery. The world building is vivid. The plot lays the foundations for epic sequels, but just enough questions are answered in this first novel for it to feel complete. Our hero’s journey and companions are deftly create ...more
First in a fantasy quest series, and dense in construct (think Game of Thrones or LOTR: multiple characters, regions, different languages and cultures). Very dark in places, with blood sacrifices to gain dark power. In the greater fight of good against evil, and underdog heroes and their aides coming together as the levels of the quest unfold, there is another distinctive element. Although this is set on another planet that has two suns, much of the cosmology is taken from Swaziland (and perhaps
...more
Thanks to NetGalley and 47North Publishing for letting me read and review this interesting story. This is a book by a debut author so I've never heard of him before, but this story was quite a bit different and intriguing than the ones I'm used to reading in this vein of fantasy/epic fantasy.
This story had a lot of tribal and Africa/south Africa heavy influences and settings in it - It really gave me a good feel for the type of folklore, stories and such that I imagine would be told in Africa/So ...more
This story had a lot of tribal and Africa/south Africa heavy influences and settings in it - It really gave me a good feel for the type of folklore, stories and such that I imagine would be told in Africa/So ...more
Fantastic world-building! This gave me the same feeling I felt when I read NK Jemisin for the first time - here is an original, compelling story that I just want more of. I never hit a "preorder" button so fast as I did for the second installation.
...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Debut author C. T. Rwizi was born in Zimbabwe, grew up in Swaziland, finished high school in Costa Rica, and got a BA in government at Dartmouth College in the United States. He currently lives in South Africa with his family, and enjoys playing video games, taking long runs, and spending way too much time lurking on Reddit. He is a self-professed lover of synthwave.
Other books in the series
Scarlet Odyssey
(2 books)
Articles featuring this book
While books about anti-racism are trending on Goodreads and dominating the bestseller lists right now, some of our favorite Black authors are...
273 likes · 39 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“There are hyenas out there, my child. When you see hyenas prowling outside your gates, you shut them out so they don’t come in and eat your children.”
—
2 likes
“each pace featherlight on the muscles and easy as breath.”
—
1 likes
More quotes…
