Review: The Sunset Sovereign

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September 12, 2023

Tags: Dragons, Dystopia, Eryn McConnell, Fantasy, Review, The Sunset Sovereign


The cover of "The Sunset Sovereign". In it, you can find a green dragon with leathery wings and long white horns, flying with its legs raised, in front of a sunset in a sky already filled with stars. On the ground, you can see what look like rock outcrops in an arid landscape, and in the front there’s a girl wearing green, with long, volumous hair. The title (The Sunset Sovereign) is written at the top in white, and in the bottom we have the author’s name (E. M. McConnell) also in white.

Hey, everyone! This is the first review I’m posting on the website! How cool is that?

The book being reviewed is “The Sunset Sovereign”, by Eryn McConnell. A fantasy set in a dystopian world, with dragons, mental tomfoolery, and more.

The blurb goes:


“Destiny was found in a Voice. Join the Seven Supplicants as they journey to the mysterious, utopian Capital, guided by the Voices, known as the Sovereigns.

Lynn and Willow find themselves drawn to the realm of Sunrise, the quarter celebrating beginnings and the embrace of mornings. Accompanied by a resolute spirit, Fabio and Aidan venture into the realm of Day, while Isobel and Hollie seek their calling amidst the calm fire of Sunset. Yvaine, guided by a dark destiny, treads the mysterious paths of Night.

Witness their extraordinary quest as they undergo Trials, determined to find their dreams. Yet, as their path unfolds, will their dreams come to fruition, or will they instead find a nightmare? Because the once utopian Capital is crumbling, and the arrival of the Seven brings about changes even the Sovereigns did not foresee.

This is a tale of ambition, courage, and the delicate balance between triumph and belief. Follow the Seven Supplicants on their journey as they navigate their own challenges, questioning what they have been brought up to believe, unraveling the mysteries that lie ahead.”


Sounds pretty interesting, huh? Anyways, my review for it is such:

The Sunset Sovereign was a solid, entertaining read. Not much action to it, which was a bit out of my niche, but it was still a great, intriguing book, so no regrets.

First and foremost, I really liked the worldbuilding on this one. The Sovereigns are benevolent-ish figures with their own agenda, and I had a great time trying to figure out what their game was throughout the book. The “Capital and Outside" system reminded me of the Hunger Games (in a good way), and I look forward to finding out the rest of the dirt in next installments.

I also liked the characters. They were an excellent source of drama throughout the read, and I couldn’t help but feeling for their individual plights -- which, I must say, is a plus in this book. Instead of only having the collective hurdle, each character had their own problems going on (though the collective hurdle was also there), which kept me hooked.

Finally, the plot. The mystery on this was very good, with the dystopic elements slowly coming to the surface rather than being dumped straight away, and I greatly enjoyed the way the main character, Isobel, used to get past a certain problem.

The beginning was a bit slower than I’m used to, which might throw some people off, but I seriously recommend giving this one a chance. You won’t regret it.

Final rating: Four stars.

That’s it. You can find Eryn McConnell on:



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