Master of Poisons

Starred review from July 6, 2020
Hairston (Will Do Magic for Small Change) dazzles with this complex epic fantasy about a people struggling to survive in the world they’ve helped destroy. A poison desert is spreading across the Arkhysian Empire, killing everything in its path. Djola, Emperor Azizi’s second in command, has tried to warn the population for years, urging them to save their homeland—but to no avail. Now that it’s too late for any minor precaution to help, he sets out to find a solution. As Djola works to stop the world from burning, he discovers the darkness lurking within the empire and in his own heart. Meanwhile, garden sprite Awa, a young griot in training, struggles to find her own place in the uncertain future. In stirring prose (“As long as sweet water fell from the sky every afternoon and mist rolled in on a night wind, everybody promised to change—tomorrow or next week. Then crops failed and rivers turned to dust.”), Hairston weaves a rich tapestry of folklore and adventure, inviting readers into a well-developed, non-Western fantasy world, while navigating pressing issues of climate change and personal responsibility. This is an urgent, gorgeous work. Agent: Kristopher O’Higgins, Scribe Agency.

Narrators Cherise Boothe and Larry Herron work together to bring listeners a rich listening experience that maximizes the fantastic world at the heart of this epic. Herron's baritone calls up another world, full of royalty, magic, and disaster. The chapters he narrates as Djola, the ruling magician of Arkhysia, resound with his vibrant performance. This sets up a lively contrast with the chapters presented by Boothe, as Awa, a powerful wood sprite. The characters, like the narrators, cooperate to create a tale of daring survival against apocalyptic odds. Those who love fantasy will find much to admire in this title. The world-building is extensive and expertly handled by the narrators. This audiobook is best listened to during a long drive or a quiet evening with few distractions. M.R. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine