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Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
Lands of Dust (The Dying World, Book 1) by John Triptych is set in a barren world millions years into the future, where the remains of humanity have evolved and survive in a harsh existence. Gifted men are called Magi with the power of mindforce, and gifted women are Strigas, who can control others' minds. A tribe called Arum Navar is protected by a powerful Striga, Miri. Their quiet life is disrupted when they find a mysterious boy named Rion, who nearly died out in the wasteland. Ordered by the elders to bring the boy back to the Magi group, Miri and her company decide to bring Rion to safety to a city called Lethe instead. They begin to unravel a mystery surrounding the extinction of the Gorgons, beings that possess the power of both Strigas and Magi, only magnified.
I was instantly impressed with the world-building. The moderate pace allowed me to enjoy the background and settings of the story, as well as the engaging narrative and plot. The history of the Gorgons, the Strigas and the Magi, with their set of rituals, powers, rules and traditions, are well-written. Triptych doesn’t pull his punches when it comes to the more visceral elements in the story; the detailed gutting of the sand creature that Miri and her companions hunted, the bloodletting that Rion had to suffer while being a captive in the citadel, and the gory, fatal fight scenes. There are layers of details and history, and even after I’ve finished this first book of the series, it’s apparent that I barely scratched the surface of the world that Triptych has created. This is a great read and I’m eager to follow Miri and Rion’s next journey as they come close to Lethe.
