Cry, Voidbringer, Elaine Ho (Review by Melissa Frye)
Rating: 4.0/5 Stars
“Cry, Voidbringer” by Elaine Ho is a dark fantasy set in the kingdom of Ashvi. As part of their desperation to maintain power, the Ashvi leaders steal children from neighboring lands to serve as “Faceless” warriors. The story focuses on one of these warriors, Hammer, who has historically been a ruthless soldier solely focused on survival. This focus changes when she discovers a child, Viri, who has rare, God-like yet devastating abilities that would undoubtedly be of value in the ongoing war.
The story is told from three perspectives: Hammer, Viri, and Naias, a once Faceless herself who has now become the queen’s strategic advisor. The character depth revealed in each of these perspectives was not only captivating but heart wrenching at times. Despite the political details that were tough to follow at times, I was so intrigued with watching these characters grapple with their morals and alliances through each situation they faced. It was also fascinating to see the many dimensions of the human psyche as they approached the unimaginable repeatedly.
The story lasered in on hard themes of oppression and how far one would go to taste freedom. The characters were challenged philosophically with what they strived for versus what their situation demanded them to do. It seemed like in most cases the latter often won, which only fueled this internal battle even more as the story went on. This was not a light read by any stretch of imagination; however, one of the characters, Rafais, infused hope into Hammer and Viri’s hearts. I do wish Ho revealed more on the gods and the powers they shared with their godchildren. It seemed very heavy on the political front, and I found myself in a constant state of wonder on their background. I am curious if we will see this in a sequel.
The ending blew my socks off and something I had contemplated days after finishing. This author has certainly opened my eyes to dark fantasy, and I will admit, I am a huge fan.