This is the debut novel from Jazza Brooks, better known for his YouTube art channel, which is where I found this book during his build of the main evil in the book a gidaanawe. We start on a mining planet serving the Edictum who in turn serve the will of the Zenitharch, a mystical force that works to help humans ascend and live in peace.
Trouble starts when the miners delve deep enough that they unleash a dormant population of gidaanawe that quickly ravage the colony. Administrators run away, and we find they’ve been hiding a dark secret discovered once the Starborn show up to find a relic of immense power.
Overall this is a good debut novel. A few portions of dialogue here and there felt thin, but not entirely unbelievable. In fact, there were a few portions of the book that felt a bit thin, but there were also very strong sections that showed how good Jazza can be as an author. At times I was reminded of Howling Dark as I felt the immensity of what Brooks is working with in his fully developed world.
I recommend the book and look forward to the second book in the series.