Haunted by terrible secrets, Roh begins to realize that the power she so desires could be far more destructive than she ever imagined. But now, another dangerous quest awaits, a journey she must undertake with her allies to obtain the three magic birthstones of Saddoriel. In addition to A Lair of Bones, if you sign up for Helen’s newsletters, you can also get the prequel stories that help set up the environment for this book and the dark past that helped Saddoriel get to where it is now.In this installment, we continue following Roh, who against all odds has survived the Queen’s Tournament. If you need a change of pace for fantasy reading, I highly recommend this book due to it being a bit darker in nature. Because the Queen is also competing, it gives the story a nice edge that sets it apart along with using Siren lore but twisting it into a new perspective. Helen gives just enough information without it feeling overbearing while learning about the different characters and the trials.Īnother aspect that I commend Helen on is that this isn’t like any other fantasy tournament book. Her curiosity is something that I can relate to while reading through the chapters. She is frowned upon by the higher cyrens of Saddoriel but she often times wonders how different jobs work in the higher sectors. I really enjoy the complexity of Roh’s personality when she enters the competition.

The Lair of Saddoriel is a dark but beautiful world where there is a hierarchy in place and from there, we get to go to the lower level and meet Roh, a bone cleaner who is the daughter of a criminal and stands apart from other Cyrens by wearing a gold circlet around her head. I absolutely loved The Oremere Chronicles and the world building in them but Helen has really outdone herself in this new setting. Thank you to Helen for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Ī Lair of Bones is the first book in a new series by one of my favorite authors, Helen Scheuerer. Up against the most cunning, dangerous cyrens in all the realms, does Roh stand a chance?Ī Lair of Bones is the first gripping book in the dark fantasy quartet, Curse of the Cyren Queen. Opportunity arises in the form of the Queen’s Tournament, a treacherous set of trials that could see the victor crowned ruler of the entire lair. Restricted to the Lower Sector and forced to work as a common bone cleaner, she has always believed she belongs above: where lies adventure… and power. A cavernous fortress, a subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and levels, powered by magic and music…įrom the moment she was born, Roh, the daughter of an infamous criminal, has been despised by her own kind. Mighty cyrens have ruled the ancient lair of Saddoriel for centuries. Publisher Info / Release: Alchemy | July 15, 2021Ī deadly contest.

A lair of bones by helen scheuerer