Rec: The Braided Path trilogy (fantasy)
My rec today is for a trilogy of books by Chris Wooding, who's better known in the UK for writing YA books, collectively known as the Braided Path series: The Weavers of Saramyr, The Skein of Lament and The Ascendancy Veil. Personally, I've read the first book of too many trilogies where the others haven't been published yet and either they take forever to get in print or they disappoint when they arrive: well, all three books in this series are in print and they're excellent!
Saramyr is a world where the ruling nobles, under the Blood Empress, rely on the Weavers for communication and intrigue - the Weavers are a group of men whose masks, imbued with a substance called witchstone, allow them to tap into the very substance of the universe. This ability carries a heavy burden, warping their minds and bodies even as their power increases and effectively turning them psychotic.
While cementing their position of power, the Weavers have also been responsible for the killing of countless children who display unusual powers, those declared to be Aberrant. Despite their actions, the numbers of Aberrants seems to be increasing and Lucia, the heir to the throne, is discovered to be Aberrant, causing civil war. Alongside this wider story, the story of Kaiku (who will come to play a pivotal role throughout the series) is one of discovery, firstly of her own abilities as an Aberrant and secondly of the reasons why her family were killed.
Arrayed against the forces of the Weavers, we discover, are a group of women known as the Red Order. Their abilities are similar to the Weavers, though without the violent aftermath, but do they also have their own motivations for what they do? The books are riddled with intrigue, as families vie with each other for power, while the Weavers and the Red Order also compete against one another. Underneath it all, what is the secret of the witchstones and the hold they have? Throughout the series, we discover their sinister nature and what is really going on, beneath the plans of the human beings involved.
The Braided Path books are an excellent series, particularly for anyone who's sick of more traditional fantasy tales: there are no elves or dwarves here, just complex human beings with their own motivations and plans, dealing with a situation which is much more complex than it appears at first. I can't recommend these books highly enough to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy.