Title: Children of Swan
Author: Coral Walker
Genre: YA fantasy/scifi
Age Group: Young Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
It seems that nothing could be worse than waking up one morning to find their parents have disappeared and their young brother Bo bawling his eyes out, but for Jack and Brianna, the squabbling teenage sibling rivals, the worst is yet to come.
Much to the bafflement and distress of their children, Marcus and Zelda have actually returned to their home planet, Cygnore. Marcus and Zelda, the runaway prince and princess of Bara and Rion, had a life on Earth. For twelve years, they lived happily and peacefully under the name of ‘Goodman’.
Bo is kidnapped. In hot-headed pursuit, Jack and Brianna plunge into a wormhole that takes them to Taron. Little did they know their impetuous arrival in Taron has placed the lives of their parents in peril. Locals catch them and bring them to an arena. In bewilderment and dismay, Jack finds himself fettered to a wall and examined by a smouldering-eyed and blue-skinned young woman of Bara, Lady Cici.
Lady Cici, the daughter of Lord Shusha, has come to the arena for one and only reason — to have them killed. She is to be engaged to Prince Marcus, their father, and she cannot afford their existence to jeopardize Marcus’ life and her forthcoming engagement. She must have them killed, and the arena, where slaves routinely fight to the death, is the perfect place.
In Children of Swan, three siblings wake up one morning to find their parents gone. Jack and Brianna are two teenagers, but their brother Bo is much younger, and needs their care. Especially when they find out their parents returned to their home planet, leaving them alone.
Matters grow even worse when Bo is kidnapped. Jack and Brianna usually don’t get along – typical sibling rivalry – but they’ll have to learn to work together to save their little brother. A wormhole takes them to Taron, in pursuit of their brother’s kidnappers, but going to Taron endangers the lives of their parents – and themselves.
Jack and Brianna are placed in an arena where they have to fight for their lives.
I quite enjoyed the story, especially from the moment Jack and Brianna arrive in Taron. It’s a violent world, with slaves, death, arenas, torture, and reminded me of the Roman Empire back in the day. The siblings have to fight some fantastical creatures, and the book is an excellent blend of fantasy and scifi. I was impressed by the world building.
One tiny thing is that I had trouble connecting to the characters. For me, they didn’t really grow or change throughout the book. However, this is only book one in the series, and I’m sure they’ll do lots more growing up in the next books. I look forward to the sequel.
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