What is the Weight of Magic? by Dennis Paul Himes

A servant-to-savior story that resounds with revolutionary thinking, What is the Weight of Magic?: The First Book of Ku Borfutukeshti by Dennis Paul Himes is a sprawling fantasy, centered on control, liberty, and the burden of hiding your true nature. Ku Tementen arrives in the city of Darmis to study her blossoming magic, which is an exciting improvement from her previous life of servitude. However, the unique qualities of her magic put a target on her back and a destiny at her feet, sending her on a collision course with the unpredictable powers of a fading empire. For its lavish plot and world-building depth, the prose is somewhat flat and unvaried, but the imaginative setting and original thematic focus carry the story along, resulting in a transportive, exotic, and accessible adventure.