Crystalborne Sigils (The Deliberia Chronicles, #1) in Review / Write / Read Club (Indie & Self-Published)

Apr 08, 2024 J.R. Gibson rated it really liked it

This story is about a group of young people living in a country called the Atturei Empire who are being persecuted by a society where magic is banned. They practice their magic using sigils and crystals and are treated as second class citizens, being referred to by everyone as the Blighted. However it soon transpires that some of the Atturei officials are planning to exploit magic for their own purposes….

I enjoyed reading this book and was intrigued by the tense situation and the constant danger ...more

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May 18, 2022 Rik Ty rated it it was amazing

Beautiful Magic (very mild spoilers ahead)

Somewhere there is a ship that is sailing. Quietly, in the timbers of the ship, there is magic, or perhaps the magic is in the gaps between the timbers, or solely within the wills of the people who stride the decks or dare to command. Our author, S. Lynn Helton, doesn’t push the issue in this early novel. The magic is there, for those who know how to draw it out. The ship is the Deliberia, an exotic vessel that can open spaces on the high seas, and use t Beautiful Magic (very mild spoilers ahead)

Somewhere there is a ship that is sailing. Quietly, in the timbers of the ship, there is magic, or perhaps the magic is in the gaps between the timbers, or solely within the wills of the people who stride the decks or dare to command. Our author, S. Lynn Helton, doesn’t push the issue in this early novel. The magic is there, for those who know how to draw it out. The ship is the Deliberia, an exotic vessel that can open spaces on the high seas, and use them to travel . . . well, maybe I shouldn’t say.

The Deliberia stays behind the scenes throughout most of Helton’s opening novel. But as it pulls into the harbor town of Hawei in the first pages of Helton’s book: Crystalborne Sigils, it brings with it a beautiful atmosphere of mystery and foreboding.

Hawei is a town in the Atturei Empire, an empire that claims to have outlawed magic, but has merely sought to monopolize its use. Citizens who have magical talents are oppressed, referred to as “the Blighted” and made to face greater and greater restrictions to their lives and livelihoods as the empire begins to completely remove them from the general populace.

Gyasi K’rond, the tallymaster of Hawei’s harbor, is a blighted person himself, though not overtly, and when he meets Alorsha, the stunning spokesperson for the ship, he is intrigued. Something is up. Things are no longer ordinary.

Helton gives us a book where we find out more about the crew of the ship and its aims, the life of Gyasi and its deterioration due to the empire’s mounting oppressions, and the common ground that builds between Gyasi and the crew of the Deliberia. They are friendly with each other right from the start, and as the story develops, it seems that their desires can be realized best by teaming up.

There are many nicely drawn characters in this mid-sized novel. Standouts for me are Gyasi, Alorsha, the minor villain Usrai, and my favorite, Gyasi ‘s younger brother Toa, who teases Gyasi in refreshing ways, and whose directness is always a welcome change of pace when compared to Gyasi’s more guarded, and contemplative approach to things.

Alorsha is not the mysterious ship’s captain, but she is its driving force. She is trying to retrieve her life partner Jarthan, from a magic-stealing villain named Devrand. Using her own magic, Alorsha has been able to track the general direction of Devrand’s movements, but so far, she has not succeeded in catching him.

Helton writes well, and calmly. This is a book that stays away from hysterics, and doesn’t rely on fantasy tropes to get by. Helton tells a straight story that is effortless to read. The book borrows a few tropes from World War two in its persecution of the Blighted, but not every reader will notice, and few are likely to mind.

For a few years now, much has been made of Brandon Sanderson’s logical approach to magic systems. Many authors have picked up the baton and have made devising fictional magic systems a specific new art form – something akin to music, or dance, or poetry. S. Lynn Helton is a full-hearted practitioner of this new art form. She gives us two separate magic systems in this novel, and their conceptualizations are often very pretty. Helton also creates good moments where the magics are discussed, and compared, and even slightly combined (at least used side by side). These scenes also provide moments of trust building, admiration, and character growth -- as well as giving the characters the ability to try and plan, to believe they have specific answers for problems they might face as events drive them to greater conflict with the forces of the empire.

I think S. Lynn Helton has done a great job, The book is an easy read. The pace is brisk but not rushed. The stakes are high but not gory. I loved the characters of Alorsha and Toa, and as Gyasi undergoes the growth the book seems to imply for him (he starts out, guarded, pensive, unsure, and under-confident -traits caused more by his specific circumstances than by innate characteristics). His situation is changing. He will change along with it, and as he does, I’m sure readers will love him too. Helton should also get credit for inventing so many character names, and for ensuring that they all LOOK different on the page. It is always easy to tell who is doing what in this book.

The ship is sailing. For a few books it will be about Alorsha’s quest to rescue Jarthan from Devrand. Its crew will likely shed and gain members along the way, and when the quest is over, the ship itself may still be sailing. Who knows? whatever S. Lynn Helton has in mind, the possibilities are wide open.

Fantasy fans with room for another series should definitely get on board. Stow away if you have to! ...more

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Jun 09, 2022 Susanne Leist rated it it was amazing

Gyasi K'rond, the Harbor Tallymaster of the Docks, is also a storehouse merchant and a man determined to keep his true identity hidden. He and his brother Toabi descend from a family of Magickas, people who practice the Empire's forbidden magic. The Emperor is determined to wipe out every last trace of the Blighted, even family members who show no signs of magic. As additional laws are enacted against the descendants of the Blighted, Gyasi grows angry and restless to break free. He wants to marr ...more

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Dec 04, 2023 Eric Gibson rated it really liked it

I'm a sucker for a new magic system and this one was the highlight of Crystalborne Sigils. The book starts strong and stays that way for a good while. Helton's world building put me in mind of a Lawrence Watt Evens novel, but more bleak, less fairytale. The book suffers a mild drop in pace when the focus changes from the underground mages studying in secret and possibly preparing an uprising, to a march across empty wilderness. This gives rise to some satisfying character interactions, but felt ...more

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Dec 19, 2022 Gary Stringer rated it really liked it

Crystalborne Sigils is the first book of The Deliberia Chronicles. A light fantasy offering from the pen of S. Lynn Hilton, whose writing I have enjoyed before, which is why I thought I’d give this a go.
The Crystalborne Sigils tells the story of a world on which the Atturei Empire where magic is forbidden and those who possess that ability are referred to as the Blighted, which neatly sums up the Empire’s attitudes. The world building describes the increasing oppression towards not only the magi Crystalborne Sigils is the first book of The Deliberia Chronicles. A light fantasy offering from the pen of S. Lynn Hilton, whose writing I have enjoyed before, which is why I thought I’d give this a go.
The Crystalborne Sigils tells the story of a world on which the Atturei Empire where magic is forbidden and those who possess that ability are referred to as the Blighted, which neatly sums up the Empire’s attitudes. The world building describes the increasing oppression towards not only the magic-users themselves, but also their families and anyone associated with them.
The two main characters are Gya – who is simultaneously trying to learn to use magic and desperately trying to hide it, and Alorsha – who, let’s just say, is a visitor to these lands, arriving aboard a mysterious sailing ship.
The story begins with that ship, the Deliberia, arriving in the harbour where Gya works. An event that become the catalyst for the rest of the novel.
Gya and Alorsha’s approaches to magic are very different, but well thought out and described by the author. I always love new magic systems and forms of spellcasting, and this definitely fit the bill. Although, at times, I felt the intricate descriptions of the mechanics slightly got in the way of the drama.
What I particularly enjoyed was seeing the positive results of increased co-operation between the characters as they advanced their abilities and solved problems together.
When Alorsha and Gya embark on their quest together, it’s very much a case of them wanting to do the same thing for different reasons. She wants to stop the villain and find her life-partner, while he seeks his friends. Over the course of the story, they bond and by the end, I did not want them to separate. To avoid spoilers, I won’t say whether they do or don’t. All I will say is that right up until the last few pages, I wasn’t sure where the series was going to go, but I was very pleased with the ultimate writing choice and I look forward to the next book.
If you’re a fan of detailed, intricate fantasy writing, I’d say this is for you.
...more

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Jan 26, 2023 Patricia Bates rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal

S. Lynn Helton is a new to me author, and one I will be looking up for sure.
I started reading this book with a bit of trepidation as Fantasy isn't my usual genre, but S. Lynn did not disappoint.
I found it to be full of magic, of mystery, and secrets. Of treachery and great characters.
Gyasi K’rond is one of my favorite characters.
Fast, action packed, with realism in the magic and a great story unfolding page by page, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to get lost in ...more

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Jun 27, 2025 M.A.R. Pereira rated it it was amazing

The story begins with the arrival of a certain ship called Deliberia, which captures Gyasi's attention. From the very first line, you can tell you’re in for a treat. From there, the story flows smoothly, with a bit of sibling rivalry and Gyasi exploring himself in a world where, deep down, he knows he could be more than what he is. He’s trying to find his feet in a very oppressive society, and his character is built on that basis, which I found consistent and methodical.
Toa (a very likeable char The story begins with the arrival of a certain ship called Deliberia, which captures Gyasi's attention. From the very first line, you can tell you’re in for a treat. From there, the story flows smoothly, with a bit of sibling rivalry and Gyasi exploring himself in a world where, deep down, he knows he could be more than what he is. He’s trying to find his feet in a very oppressive society, and his character is built on that basis, which I found consistent and methodical.
Toa (a very likeable character), his brother, is the foil to Gyasi. Rebellious, a bit hot-headed, the opposite of Gyasi, who’s far more calculated in his moves. Then there’s Alorsha, on a quest of her own with problems of her own.

The story is told from Gyasi’s perspective, but it explores other characters deeply without overwhelming the reader. That’s a real positive when reading single POV books. The book is very well written. The language isn’t flowery, but economical. The prose is utilitarian, it suits the story well, I thought.

Overall, it’s strong, but there were a few moments where I felt things could’ve been tightened.

For example:
'Dakrei, in contrast, was all faded... faded loose shirt and trousers of a light green with a blue swirl pattern--thin and worn--faded brown skin and fading, graying brown hair. His age showed clearly, although his pale-blue eyes were still sharp.'
'faded... faded loose shirt' creates a cadence. It ascends, then steadies with the next part: 'and trousers of a light green with a blue swirl pattern--thin and worn--faded...'
But in my opinion, the sentence could’ve been cut there, with an addition, like this:
'Dakrei, in contrast, was all faded... faded loose shirt and trousers of a light green with a blue swirl pattern--thin and worn--faded. Just like the man himself.'
It could've cut all those extra words-- 'brown skin and fading, graying brown hair.'
And from there, the rest--'His age showed clearly,'--becomes redundant. It doesn’t add much to what is already a very rich description.
Then the next part, 'although his pale-blue eyes were still sharp.' isn’t an observation, in my opinion, it’s a fact Gyasi wouldn’t know. So it breaks the third person limited POV just a bit. So, the colour of his eyes could’ve been mentioned differently elsewhere.
There were a few similar hiccups, and redundancies in the book. With a bit more tightening and some developmental writing, this could’ve had the diamond-cut glow of something truly exceptional. Because Lynn has prose rhythm and poetic sensibility, with a strong voice. With just a bit more line-level control and sentence refinement, she could stand shoulder to shoulder with Jean Rhys or Tillie Olsen.
But that could just be me. Another reader might prefer those detailed, lengthy, handholding moments.
Still, the reader in me is already in awe of the story.

And it deserves its flowers. In other words, Lynn Helton deserves her flowers.
I give this a 5/5. ...more

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Aug 10, 2022 Marcelle Valentine rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

Details: Crystalbourne Sigil by S. Lynn Helton; Released April 2022 and is the first book in the Deliberia chronicles
Thoughts: I read this book as part of the book of the month through one of my book clubs on GoodReads. It is not something I would typically gravitate towards, but with that being said, I’m glad it was the selection for this month.
Praise: Solid world-building and character development. Tension runs high as the main character Gya faces persecution because he is a descendant of m ...more

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May 12, 2025 Amber Daulton rated it really liked it

In a world where magic is shunned, if you possess the ability to do extraordinary things, even minor things, you best keep it hidden. Enter Gyasi, a young man who longs to learn how to use and control his magic while also desperate to hide that part of himself from the world at large. After a mysterious ship arrives in the harbor, he meets Alorsha, a woman whose approach to magic is far different from his own.
I enjoyed the world building. There’s danger and fear all around, but hope, too, as th ...more

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Jul 21, 2024 B.J. Sikes rated it really liked it

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Feb 02, 2023 Seth Hobbs rated it really liked it

This is an interesting fantasy novel about people with magic powers. I don't normally get too absorbed in the magical side of many worlds, as it isn't always done well, but the author has some good ideas built into this world. Apparently, the rulers of this world are trying to suppress or weed out actual magic practitioners and keep magic/secrets in under the thumb of a select few. This draws from real life events too, if one remembers all of the secret mystery schools and secret societies that ...more

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Jun 04, 2022 E.K. Frances rated it really liked it

Well written fantasy novel

Crystalborne Sigils tells the story of a world where magic is forbidden. The arrival of a ship, the Deliberia, changes everything for those with magical birth lines, ‘the Blighted’. The story follows Gya on a quest to find his brother and friends and Alorsha in her journey to find her life partner.

Gya as the protagonist is likeable - he is guarded, loyal and lacks confidence; his abilities grow as the story progresses, but that lack of belief in himself remains. Alorsha ...more

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Mar 26, 2024 Gene Kendall rated it really liked it

Crystalborne Sigils opens with a strange ship named The Deliberia docking in the land of the Atturei Empire. "Strange" means "magical" most likely, creating an issue for the Atturei. The rulers of this land have outlawed the use of magic, creating a life of secrecy and paranoia for our lead character, a mage named Gya. The novel's co-lead is Alorsha, the ship's envoy. She has her own interpretation of magic, and a personality that contrasts with the more reserved Gya. The author clearly enjoys m ...more

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May 04, 2023 Peter Boyde marked it as to-read

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Nov 22, 2023 Juliette Godot marked it as to-read

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Mar 13, 2025 Soph marked it as to-read

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