REVIEW: The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V. Snyder

“He thinks you are the thief…”

And so our story begins! Not just any story – a wild adventure set in an incredible underground city bombarded with secret factions, corrupt leaders, fascinating societal systems… and of course our engaging protagonist Shyla! The Eyes of Tamburah is one of those novels that hits the ground running and doesn’t stop until the very end, much like our heroine.

Maria V. Snyder

Meet Shyla – a resident of the underground desert city of Zirdai who has unfortunately had a pretty tough life. Born sun-kissed (cursed by the Sun Goddess), Shyla is an outcast among her people. Luckily, she is renowned for her skills in uncovering lost artefacts, maps, information, and all manner of fascinating and elusive objects. It is this world which comes to immeasurably shake up her life.

A legendary magical artefact known as The Eyes of Tamburah has finally been found, but (plot twist!) it’s stolen again soon after its recovery. For reasons beyond her control, Shyla becomes the prime suspect and the catalyst for a mad adventure through the tunnels of Zirdai that leads to unimaginable challenges for our bold and sassy heroine.

This fast-paced book had me racing through scenes, desperate to know what happened next. Shyla is a badass adversary and a fighter to the very end. She never backs down from a challenge, and has an impressive mind and a knack for trouble.

I think that my favourite part of this story, however, is the setting. The city of Zirdai is as alive as you or me – it practically leaps off the page at you. This underground world, with its water restrictions and endless, dark tunnels, is utterly captivating.

Maria V. Snyder solidified her position in my life as one of my favourite authors when she wrote Poison Study. That series is to die for in my opinion, and Maria has continued to deliver page-turners time and time again. The Eyes of Tamburah combines the sassiness and adventure of Tomb Raider, the twisted darkness of Blade Runner, and the secrets and mythology of Prince of Persia.

How could I not love it?!

The Eyes Of Tamburah

by Maria V. Snyder

Shyla is a researcher who resides in the underground desert city of Zirdai, which is ruled by the wealthy Water Prince and brutal Heliacal Priestess. Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps and obscure historical documents.

Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah : legendary gemstones that bestow great magic on their wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city...

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About the Contributor

Bronwyn Eley

Before entering the exciting world of books, Bronwyn served in the Royal Australian Air Force, travelled extensively and worked (still does!) as a barista on the weekends. Books are her true passion. Bronwyn's debut fantasy novel Relic is coming out in 2019 with indie publishing house Talem Press. They are to publish her entire trilogy called The Relic Trilogy. In her spare time, Bronwyn writes, reads and enjoys keeping fit (which she undoes by eating loads of chocolate) with Martial Arts and personal training. She can't answer what her favourite book is but she has a soft spot for Peter Pan (J.M Barrie), Outlander (Diana Gabaldon), Stardust (Neil Gaiman), The Illuminae Files (Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman) and Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo). Fantasy, sci-fi and YA make up the majority of her bookshelves.

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