Review: A Princess of Oldir by Bryan Wilson

Blurb:

The Ojurn family has guided the planet of Oldir for centuries, and as the ancestors of a prophet, the world’s citizens have always honored their bloodline. However, the people’s struggles are on the rise, and their solar system’s limited resources continue to dwindle.

Rhanna, the daughter of the current Lord Supreme, considers it her duty to rid the planet of its troubles. She spends most of her days training to take up her family’s mantle. But when a popular young leader from a neighboring world arrives on their soil, it becomes evident that there are those with other wishes.

Set more than three decades before the events of The Forsaken Planet, this is a story of one family’s struggle to do what is right, even if it costs them their legacy.

A Princess of Oldir is both a standalone story in the Power of the Stars universe and a complementary addition for those familiar with the main books. You do not need to have read the other work to enjoy this novella.

Review:

I doubt I need to introduce the Power of the Stars. The Forsaken Planet has received quite a lot of acclaim, and reading this novella gave me just a small taster for why. I’ll admit, I haven’t read the main series yet, but the novella has convinced me that I must now break my already broken TBR and squeeze in more books. Thanks, Bryan. 

What I liked:

I’ll start off by addressing something I appreciate as an author myself. This book is essentially book 2.5, but can be read by anyone not yet introduced to the main series. If this is my experience going in blind, I wonder what the experience must have been having read two full books set in this world. I have immense respect for authors who can create stand-alone stories that do not require a 10-book context in a world oversaturated with content, and Bryan Wilson is the newest addition to that list.

We start off with an action sequence, where we’re introduced to the protagonist—whose POV is what we follow throughout this novella. Rhanna is your typical SFF protagonist princess who has a lot of responsibilities and you just know—SPOILER IF YOU CAN’T GUESS IT—she’s going to lose it all. The action/training sequence is a great introduction to the magic system and fluid combat of this world. That’s not all, Wilson manages to add even the local issues of Oldir into this training sequence without making it feel like info-dumping. And we’re just in the first chapter, mind you. 

What follows is a relatively slow burn seen through Rhanna’s eyes as she watches her father deal with a potential coup/mutiny. As more and more of the world is revealed, you can’t help but feel the impending doom coming. I genuinely felt worried for Rhanna, and was convinced at some point that I was heading towards a GRRM-esque tragic end. The entire story lays the foundations for what Oldir is, its position in the larger world, and how the Ojurn family’s fall would impact the power dynamics of this word.

Lastly, the plot itself wasn’t all that unique or path-breaking. If you consume as much content as I do, you’ll probably predict the ending as well. However, Wilson’s commitment to telling this story does justice to the plot. Predicting the twists and the ending in no way takes away from its catharsis. In fact, I loved the ending and the tease it leaves you with. As someone who hasn’t yet read the main series, this book was like a trailer for an epic space opera that I look forward to reading soon.  

What I didn’t like:

I love slow burns, but there were some world-building parts that were a little distracting. The first time I felt it was when Rhanna strolled through the market and visited Lep. I’ll admit that this part is essential to the story, but I personally didn’t like how it was handled. Where the opening chapter blended world-building and storytelling so effortlessly, that same balance felt missing here. 

While I’ve illustrated just one example, I felt this way at least thrice throughout the novella. I wouldn’t have minded reading a few extra pages if that meant the pacing would be smoother. I wouldn’t have complained if I hadn’t gotten such a beautiful balance of world-building and storytelling in the first chapter. A few extra pages would have been a welcome addition instead of the pacing breaks I encountered in the novella at times. 

Barring that, however, the book is a stellar—pun intended—read by itself, and most likely a more poignant addition to the Power of the Stars.

Conclusion:

A Princess of Oldir is a prime example of a minor episode of a larger world masquerading as a stand-alone story. Reading this one makes a strong argument for why you should let the Power of the Stars break your TBR.

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: The protagonist, political intrigue, world-building and writing.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: The way some world-building portions were handled, some pacing issues.