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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Alliance by Tyler Svec begins when Roy Van Doren discovers a hidden door that leads to another world. There, he meets the Reno family—Alexander, Abby, and Cyrus—who explain the power issues between the authoritarian Alliance and the resistance, the Chrystarians. Roy is sent to the Hentar Academy, where he trains as a soldier, while Cyrus joins the Alliance’s ranks. As Roy and his friends grow closer to the resistance, they learn more about the Alliance’s manipulative control and their plans for war. Roy's rapid success in training raises suspicion, and he starts uncovering troubling truths about the Alliance’s intentions, especially with the manipulation of off-worlders like him. As trouble brews, Roy and Abby develop a secret relationship and embark on covert missions to expose the Alliance’s lies.
Tyler Svec’s Alliance is a unique fantasy hybrid that effectively mixes the best of military strategy with equal doses of mysticism. Svec's writing style is straightforward and sharp as we get into the heart of the action, the standout being when Roy’s team is sent to a ghost town and discovers horrific evidence of betrayal. This also leans into Svec’s excellent world-building, with detailed descriptions of the recruits’ training, Griffins, places like the mysterious city of Darsujes, and the threat of looming war. The character development is strong and it's interesting to watch two young men who begin on a similar footing, even if one is off-world, that end up on drastically different sides. Overall, this is a solid first installment in what looks like a really promising series, and while it does not end entirely on a cliffhanger, it's clear there is so much more to come. Very highly recommended.
