Scarlet Odyssey

Scarlet Odyssey, Book 1

By: C. T. Rwizi

Narrated by: Janina Edwards, Korey Jackson, Robin Eller, Kimberly Woods, Susan Dalian

“Thrillingly refreshing, a propulsive story built around a fascinating cast of characters...brutal and beautiful and bold and Black in every way.”—Tor.com

Magic is women’s work; war is men’s. But in the coming battle, none of that will matter.

Men do not become mystics. They become warriors. But eighteen-year-old Salo has never been good at conforming to his tribe’s expectations. For as long as he can remember, he has loved books and magic in a culture where such things are considered unmanly. Despite it being sacrilege, Salo has worked on a magical device in secret that will awaken his latent magical powers. And when his village is attacked by a cruel enchantress, Salo knows that it is time to take action.

Salo’s queen is surprisingly accepting of his desire to be a mystic, but she will not allow him to stay in the tribe. Instead, she sends Salo on a quest. The quest will take him thousands of miles north to the Jungle City, the political heart of the continent. There he must gather information on a growing threat to his tribe.

On the way to the city, he is joined by three fellow outcasts: a shunned female warrior, a mysterious nomad, and a deadly assassin. But they’re being hunted by the same enchantress who attacked Salo’s village. She may hold the key to Salo’s awakening—and his redemption.

©2020 C. T. Rwizi (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Korey Jackson leads an ensemble cast in narrating this epic fantasy combining Swaziland myths and science fiction. …Jackson, along with Janina Edwards, Robin Eller, Kimberly Woods, and Susan Dalian, portray their characters with passion, allowing listeners to savor the intricacies of the story and multiple points of view. The multiple narrators make the aural experience enjoyable and easier to follow than reading the text."—Audiofile Magazine

"Rwizi’s debut is noteworthy for its African-inspired setting."—Library Journal

Amazing storytelling

I loved everything about this book, including all the audio. The world building, character development, and mix of magic and sci-fi was what I’ve been craving for months. I would recommend this book to anyone (but especially BIPOC) who is a fan of Jeff Wheeler, or high fantasy in general. I’m really excited for the next book. I don’t think it left off on a cliffhanger, but the ending did make me want to continue this journey.

Interesting world and great characters!

The world in this series is really interesting and I loved the characters. It started a bit on the slow side but definitely picked up and I couldn't stop once I got halfway through.

Unique Scify

On my 3rd re-read. Love the descriptions and combo of tech and tradition in Africa. Rwizi is at Heinlein, Martha Wells, Leguin levels of classic Scify/Fantasy.

Amazing Book and Narrators

I loved this book! I've been looking for a good epic fantasy read for a while, and this one definitely fit the bill. The narrators were great. As I listened, I almost felt like I was there.

Great entry to a fun world

I enjoyed the character build and backstories. There are some unique nuances with the magic system that make the story compelling. I look forward to more.

There are at least 3 narrarators and I really enjoyed 2 of them. For me, a single voice or else a full ensemble might make keeping track of characters less challenging but this was a minor issue by the end of the novel.

I will purchase tge next for sure!

This story needs to be on the big screen!!!

I can’t wait for my daughter read this book when she’s older. As much as I enjoyed it I know I have to have the hard covers for my collection here at home. Excited for book 2!!

Underrated High Fantasy

Characters: charming
Setting: fresh
Plot: gripping
Pacing: respectful of your time
Style: "open window" as opposed to "flowery"
Overall: 10/10 what a fun ride. I particularly enjoyed the magic system and descriptions of such. Definitely a lot of reread value. Eagerly jumping into the next one.

Liked the story even though I'm not a big fantasy

I did struggle with unfamiliar names and keeping the roles straight. It's a magical fantasy plot and that is a tougher genre for me but I liked and would recommend the book. I may even continue the series.

A perfect fantasy novel

I loved listening to this story! World building at its finest! Great narration! I look forward to listening to the next book in this saga!

Mostly Wonderful--needs sound editing

Everything about the story itself is wonderful. Unfortunately, they really needed someone to edit the audio version. Words were mispronounced... there were some enunciation issues that really distracted from the story and broke my immersion. The timbre of the voices was superb, but some editing would have fixed most of the errors and elevated this imaginative and suspenseful and compelling story with a better audio production to true masterpiece.

it was still a very enjoyable book and I definitely intend to look for the next one in the series!