Almond, Quartz, and Finch

In the land of Irzem, Almond, Quartz, and the rest of the Nezel immigrants are treated little better than slaves. Almond and Quartz are still children. They have not yet chosen their adult names or paths — man, woman, or that which is both, neither, and in between — as followers of The Way. The ruler of Irzem, Omdyum, is near death, and all celebrations, even naming celebrations, have been delayed. Almond meets Zilumek, the young royal next in line to the throne. He shares with Almond his agony at being transgender in a society that won’t accept this. Almond and Quartz discover a terrible plot by Nak to overthrow the rightful heir. Can Almond, Quartz, and others find a way to beat Nak?

Lisa Bunker has written a compelling fantasy with important themes for all, especially the LGBTQ+ community. The writing is beautiful and cleverly keeps readers aware of the main theme with non-gendered pronouns used throughout. The syntax carries readers to another time and place and keeps them firmly in Irzem. All the characters are well-developed and believable. This book, along with Bunker’s earlier stellar novel, Zenobia July, firmly places her as a premier writer for the LGBTQ+ community.