Lia arrives at Anhame, a crafthall for honing anar—the craft of people with “higher senses.” Lia is a fifth-level anar, meaning she has healing abilities. She can also see others’ inner soulforms, which represent people’s true nature (some take the shapes of animals). That alone puts her on the same level as Anhame’s masters, but Lia still hopes the crafthall will help “transform her powers from a conscious exertion into effortless proficiency.” She becomes an apprentice to the teacher Maethin, who suggests she stay mum about her anar prowess, but he’s not afraid of her abilities, as Lia’s former master had seemingly been. That same master told Lia that her soulform was corrupt and evil, making her reluctant to meld (connect with another anar), lest it prove deadly. Other potential dangers haunt Anhame, such as a mysterious “figure” watching Lia. This first installment of the author’s series has very little action, despite clear signs of various menaces and the setting’s complicated history. Schofield instead uses this novel to meticulously develop an extensive cast, including the protagonist’s fellow students, the Nine (Anhame’s masters), and Lia herself. The powerful young hero is refreshingly humble and doesn’t trust easily. She makes several intriguing connections with others; the most rewarding is her relationship with Maethin, who treats her with warmth and respect. Details about the supporting cast suggest the larger world of this planned pentalogy; not all crafts, for example, are magical (there are also jewelers and musicians). Every page showcases the author’s luminescent prose: “Trees shaped themselves out of the night as great soft shadows…The eastern sky shaded into pink, bringing gleams of colour to the monochrome predawn world.” A few key revelations, most notably that of Lia’s soulform, help pave the way for sequels.
