The Crown's Game

Skye, Evelyn. The Crown’s Game. Book 1 of The Crown’s Game series. 2016. 399p. ISBN 0062422588. Available as a eBook on Overdrive.

Russia has always been protected by an Enchanter, someone able to wield the magic of the land to protect the Tsar and Mother Russia against its enemies. Vika Andreyeva has been trained by her father all of her life to fill in that role. She can summon lightning, and emerge unscated from a ball of fire. When the time comes, she will fill in as one of the the Tsar’s trusted advisors.

But when she is summoned by the Tsar, it is to discover that this time there are two Enchanters, herself and a mysterious man. Since there can only be one, the Tsar orders a fight between the two candidates. Amaze him with their displays to celebrate his son’s birthday, and the winner will become the official Enchanter. The loser will lose everything, including his or her life, since there is not enough magic in the land to sustain two Enchanters. It is, of course, appropriate for an Enchanter to kill another one through magic, and such a display would immediately end the game with a winner.

Vika quickly discovers that her heart is not in killing the other Enchanter, however. With the Ottomans to the South, Kazakhs to the East threatening the Russian Empire, the heart of the Tsar’s son in play, and a foul enemy coming back from the grave to find those who did her wrong, the Crown’s game becomes deadly.

Filled with Russian lore and exploring a part of the world we are not familiar with, the Crown’s Game will be appreciated by those who enjoyed The Egg and the Spoon.