The serpent & the wings of night by Carissa Broadbent

In the realms of a world under the authority of the Goddess Nyaxia and under the rule of the Vampire Vincent,  lives a human girl - Oraya, his adopted daughter. Her survival is vexed because the scent of her blood causes every vampire in Vincent’s realm to salivate in hunger and to crave an attack on this powerless but protected ‘innocent’. Vincent though has prepared her almost lovingly and yet ruthlessly for an epic contest, honing her attack skills, so that she might conquer in the contest, even though all assume she will fail. Within this goddess-sanctioned fight to the death she meets the formidable adversary Raihn from an opposing Vampire house.  Although they are destined to kill one another in the contest, they find connection and mutual respect, and attraction. But if death finds either of them … it is likely to be because they have abandoned their personal ambitions and histories for the sake of the other. Will love be enough, can they defy the route to death, and can Oraya abandon her adopted father’s interests for the sake of a vampire from another house?

This book is an epic fantasy saga with vampires and violence and a contest that rivals The Hunger Games for an intense and brutal ‘fight-to-the-death’ competition  in an attempt to seize power. This will delight lovers of complex fantasy, provided they can get past the bloodthirsty savagery of the vampires and all in the realm, and the inherent ‘political’ fights between the ruling houses of vampires. Humans are reduced to food status, virtual ‘farmed’ animals to provide nourishment from time to time. But note, there is also an erotic element to the romance element in the story that means that this is definitely an adult novel, and aspects of the relationship go beyond sensual angst to sexual expression … so not for those under 18.  This is not Twilight. But there are also moments of tragedy and emotional torment for those who are powerless that make for intriguing reflection for readers. I must admit I have never really been a vampire fan, but the epic nature of this first book of a series will certainly appeal to mature fantasy addicts. This book can stand alone, but there is a world to be explored that will follow in future books in the series, so I am sure there will be many who lose themselves in the epic and complex world.

Themes: Vampires, Power and powerlessness, Contest, Fantasy, Magic, Love, Romance.

Carolyn Hull