Starborn

Hounsom’s debut has an interesting fantasy-world setting but a weak story. On the day of her inheritance ceremony, Kyndra Vale and her fellow adolescents are to receive their true names and callings. Tragedy strikes, disrupting the ceremony and drawing destruction down on the village. Kyndra is launched on an adventure to save her world, or rather, she is swept along in a series of events and coincidences. The themes of a closed system and predestination place harsh limitations on the character’s choices. Instead of making decisions, Kyndra gripes her way through a journey in which her role is to be present and do as she is told by authority figures (most of whom are male). The narrative lacks tension or mystery, and the conclusion is predicable and unsatisfying due to the low stakes and the absence of an interesting character to root for. Agent: Veronica Baxter, David Highams (U.K.). (Nov.)