Luminocity by Daniel McDaniel

Book Blurb
Find your strength in the light, or lose your chains in the darkness.

Three sun gods bathe the city of legends, Luminocity, in their blessed light. The city stands on the decaying ruins of an ancient civilization. Skeletal skyscrapers guard their solemn secrets of forgotten technology and past tragedies.

But under the surface the light dies and shadows began. It is a dark god’s domain, even caged. And he holds his grudges through the eons.

Five fates intertwine, thrown onto the currents of destiny, played like puppets. Will they be able to tear free from their strings?

Laxerion Tama, disowned noble son and heist group mastermind, finds his leisurely life turned upside down. Both his estranged family and an enemy from the past test his strange ability to find lies in the light.

His brother, Val-Gustus Tama, general and golden son, is forced to take responsibility for threats to the city, as war brews on the horizon. Intrigue and betrayal test his resolve and character.

New and outlandish technologies emerge that push the boundaries of morality and the conscience of a young scientist, Ilumi. She arrived in Luminocity from the far north, carrying a dark secret.

A huntress of the depths, Aiana, struggles with her inner demons and the chains of her past.

Dawb, a young urchin struck by grief, searches for monsters prowling the short nights.

And deep down, below all, eldritch things stir in the dark.

My Review
Luminosity is the debut novel from Daniel McDaniel, and the first book in his new fantasy series. The legendary city of Lumno No Se, known as Luminocity is lit by the three suns of three gods, a light that give strenghth to those able to use it. Under the great city something is hiding in the darkness, and whilst those in the city live in the light, those below live in constant darkness in the ruins of an ancient city. Five very different characters find their lives become entwined by the darkness that is coming into the light.

Luminocity is very much a character led read, as it is through them that the story enfolds. The five characters are diverse and represent all sections of society that live in Lumo No Se, and below. My favourite character was Ilumi, who comes to the city from a tribe living on the borders. She is a talented scientist and has been invited to the Royal Astrology and Scientific Institute, to work with top scientist Dr Blaze. I liked her innocence, vunerability and ambition, willing to go that extra mile to remain part of Dr Blaze’s team, not wanting to go back to her previous life. She shows kindness and compassion for those who have less than her, shown in her relationship with Dawb and his friends who live on the streets. As with all societies those in the upper echelons who have the power, and in particular are able to use the power of the light; Lax Tama can use it to see and convincingly tell lies whilst his brother Val a Colonel fighting the war against Texacon, can use it for speed and strength. In the darkness, they have to rely on blood power, like Aiana a young woman living underground, aiming to become a hunter. Whilst all these characters lives seem disparate at first, slowly their fates come together for a much bigger purpose.

Daniel McDaniel’s world building is stunning, with the two different levels of the city, dividing the rich from the poor, the strong from the weak and the dark from the light. The city is a strange place where the rich travel by horse and cart yet there is a Sky Train that citizens use to travel around the city, there aren’t even any cars. I will admit that I found this a difficult read at first. The chapters each tell the story of one of the five main characters, and I felt that stopped the flow of the story making it stilted in parts; it was like reading five different stories. I did stick with the book as it became addictive and I had to find out where the plot was going and what would happen to the characters, and Im happy that I did.

Luminocity is one of those strange books where I changed my mind about wether to give up ot not a few times, but I’m glad I stayed with it. The characters were diverse which made them intersting as they all brought something to the plot, a different view of the city and it’s people. Daniel Mc Daniel hs created this strange and wonderful city in Lumo No Se, where his imagination flourishes, with the descriptions, the science and the monsters, those both above and below the city streets. This is a complex and multi faceted read but also a compelling and addictive one. I’m so glad I stayed with it and am really lookig forward to the second book in the series.

I would like to thank Ink Editorial for my copy of this book in return for my review.