By Ms Eng Yuwen (GP Department)

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

I now know why we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

Picking up Mariely Lares’ ‘Sun of Blood and Ruin’, one would immediately be captivated by its aesthetic cover art. Panther and serpent are intertwined mid fight with the sun behind them. Arresting.

I took a deep dive into the non Western-inspired fantasy genre during the holidays and I was extremely excited to tear into this. The premise was so promising. It’s New Spain in the 16th Century. The land is scarred by oppression and there is a witch-hunt for those who still practise indigenous magic. Their culture is being erased.