The Rarkyn’s Familiar
Nikky Lee
The Parliament House
2022

April 26, 2022

The Rarkyn’s Familiar by Nikky Lee is a riveting tale about a girl and creature that must travel through the Empire to break their bond. Told from multiple perspectives, this novel allows us to really experience and understand the world Lee had created. The Parliament House published this book in 2022 and it takes us on a journey through the Illredan Empire, following a human girl, Lyss and Skaar, an aetherling creature from the Otherworld. Together they must make it across the country to save themselves from the monsters looming on the horizon, all the while being chased by a powerful mancer and The Order.

Lyss’ father is dead and she wants revenge. Killed by one of the Rose Brigade, the King’s mancers, Lyss wants to avenge her father, but in order to do that she must become a mancer and infiltrate the Rose Brigade. There is only one problem: Lyss can’t wield galdar, the magic of Terresmir. So she goes to train with Iga, a Krawan mancer of the Eder Wildner clan. But then one day everything changes. Lyss is called to help the Wildner boys with an injured creature, but it isn’t your ordinary woodland creature. It is an aetherling, a creature from the Otherworld. Skaar, the Rarkyn, has just managed to escape from the mancer that was holding him captive, but now finds himself surrounded by more humans. Already low on energy, Skaar must fight to get free, but Lyss won’t be deterred, and will do anything to keep her new family safe. Skaar eventually gets free and Lyss and her ‘brothers’ are left unconscious, but everything is not as it seems.

Skaar and Lyss end up being binded to each other by a blood bond. With no one in the clan able to help, they must venture to the heart of the Empire to try and find someone who can show them how to break this pact. But the clock is ticking and many are out to get them. Skaar is hunted by the mancer that once held him captive, and Lyss is wanted by the Empire. But that is not the only thing they have to worry about. Lyss is threatened by the madness brought on by the pact, which will have consequences for both Lyss and Skaar. Both of them must learn to navigate the workings of this strange bond, all the while being hunted across the country. Will they be able to get along long enough to find the cure for the madness before it’s too late, or will it take control and release the monster within?

I loved this book! The author has created a marvelous world that takes you on a journey with the characters. Their back stories help us to better understand each of them, and the way they are presented is unique, and woven into the present storyline in a way that allows readers to grow and develop with the characters.

Lee is able to juggle the different perspectives of the characters in a way that shows many different interpretations of the same situation, and I think this really proves that everything has to do with perspective. Some people may come to some conclusions without having all the information, and others who have all the information may still see a situation differently from someone else. This demonstrates that we are all different and not everyone thinks the same. This is a good lesson to take away from this book as we can apply it in everyday life. Not everyone is going to see things the way you do, and it pays to take time to explain your viewpoint so there are no misunderstandings.

The Rarkyn’s Familiar follows Skaar and Lyss as they venture across the Illredan Empire to save themselves. This novel allows readers to really understand each character and Lee is able to weave their stories together seamlessly. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, especially those who like fantasy, adventure and magic. This book is the first of three and I am left eagerly awaiting the next books.

• Ashika Hira is 16 years old and lives in Hastings.