A Star-Reckoner's Lot

A Star Reckoner's Lot by Darrell Drake is a unique historical fantasy story set in Sasanian Iran, nearly two thousand years ago. It's a self-contained standalone (though there will be a sequel at some point in the future) and a whole lot of pun fun to read.

The most notable part of this book is the setting. You can tell that the author really did his research. Everything from the swearing, cities, culture, and religion, was all historically accurate (as far as I could tell). That said, the history isn't shoved down your throat and gets out of the waray of the story.

The titular magic system, Star Reckoning, isn't like anything I've seen before. Don't expect a rigidly defined Sanderson-esque system, but you will have a pretty good idea of what's going on. Essentially, the stars and the planets are constantly at war with each other, and star reckoners can tap into this power to fuel their spells. Unfortunately, a lot of the results can be chaotic.

The main character is Ashtadukht, probably the worst star reckoner there has ever been. A lot of her spells backfire, often spectacularly. She also has a handicap similar to fibromyalgia, leaving her exhausted and weak on a regular basis.

Tirdad is Ashtadukth's cousin, a loyal soldier sworn to protect her at any cost. They travel together for most of the story, with Tirdad often being the voice of reason that keeps Ashta in check.

Finally, my favorite character is Waray, who steals the show (as well as several of the other character's belongings). She isn't afraid to break some eggs to get shit done. This might be because she's part demon, but it also might be because she's a bit crazy. And homicidal.

While the overall plot is not initially clear, you could say A Star Reckoner's Lot is the story of family, love, and brothers in arms.

For the first half of the book, each chapter is a vignette of Ashtadukht's journeys as a star reckoner. She's pledged to rid the world of divs, the demons who serve the Lie. As servants of the Truth, star reckoners are constantly at war with the divs that plague Iran. Ashtadukht has traveled on her own for years, but she picks up Tirdad and Waray as traveling companions early on.

A little over halfway through the book, the story becomes more cohesive and the overall plot beings to become clear. This section kicks off with a wild ride and doesn't let up, though the ending is one of the most heartfelt conclusions I've read.

The prose is not spectacular, but it definitely has its moments. It never got in the way of my enjoyment of the story. There were quite a bit of puns, which may or may not appeal to you (e.g. there is literally a scene where the characters fight snakes on a plain).

The pacing was different than most stories, mostly because it spanned nearly the entire life of the main character. The time jumps between chapters could be a couple hours or several years. I thought this was done well and added to the character of the story.

If you like stories with unique settings, interesting magic systems that are loosely defined, and take place over a long span of time, this might be for you.

If you prefer complex and relatable characters, and elegant prose, this might not be for you. The puns can be a little punishing at times, but I thought they were worth it.

Even though Iran with the puns a bit much (I think there's like ten), hopefully, some of them made you smile. I'll be happy if at least one pun in ten did.