Review: Altaica

Altaica by Tracy M. Joyce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



An enemy is at their doorstep and Isaura convinces her father and others to flee on a vessel to a foreign land. Many didn’t want to leave and when the voyage seems to take too long and supplies begin to run low the ship’s moral becomes weaker. As sickness begins to take its toll, members of the group learn dark facts about Isaura and redouble their doubts and start to question her every action. It doesn’t help that she is of a different race than those around her and many superstitions fuel the group’s fear. During the flight across the water, Isaura’s power is recognized by a person in another land, and it is the efforts of this person that dramatically changes the path Isaura’s life is heading.

Altaica is the first book in a new fantasy series. Although the book is Isaura’s story, she is not the only main character. Many subplots are happening and the events of those stories are told through other people’s voice. Joyce weaves these voices into a book that the reader should be able to follow without too many curled eyebrows. I found the intrigue and interconnected stories fascinating and will look forward to the next book. Unfortunately, I can’t tell my readers when this might be.  Altaica is an entirely new world with a rich history for readers to learn about, yet they won’t be inundated with so much minutia that they skim over large passages.




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