Scarlet Odyssey

"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.<br/>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/South Africa and gave me a good idea of tribes, tribal nature, and customs. It was all very interesting and so very unique and there's a lot to keep track of with the various characters and such going on in the story.<br/>This is about a few different characters, connected in various ways, but it starts with following and getting to know the story of one of the main characters, Salo, who is an 18 yr old man who has the talent and an interest in magic and becoming a mystic as his mother was before him, but in his tribe, it's the women who are meant to be the mystics with learning and using magic and the men who are meant to become warriors to defend and protect their village and tribe and such. Salo is, of course, not the norm and chooses to pursue using magic and wishes to be a mystic and after there's an enchantress who attacks his village and people, he decides he's going to become a mystic to better help protect and aid in defending his people and village from threats.<br/>Salo is looked down on for his choice to become a mystic and treated as less than a man, but their Queen is supportive of Salo becoming a mystic and chooses to use him and send him on a quest. She sends Salo to go and be a spy and gather intel on a threat to their village and on the way he's joined by some of the other characters that have to travel with him to protect and help him on his quest.<br/>This group of companions goes on the quest to go and gather intel on the threat to Salo's village and are being hunted as they travel by the evil enchantress and others.<br/>There's political intrigue, love, finding and figuring out yourself, your identity, and how to follow your dreams as well as an intriguing array of types of magics and spells and such that are displayed, used, and explained in this story. <br/>There's a lot to unpack and a lot in this story and if you like fantasy/epic fantasy with a bit of a new/different feel to it along with new and different magics and everything then you should put this on your list to check it out. It's not like anything I've ever read because of the unique story, magics, and background influences with the tribe politics and aspects and such."