Kotar’s new novel does everything that good fiction should do. The Heart of the World takes the reader out of the real world and shows us all the good and bad that we can do, that actions have consequences, and that what is in our hearts matters. But we also see hope and we leave at the end ready to emerge back into our world as warriors. Kotar has really come into his own with this novel. I was drawn in from the very first chapter and felt like he maintained his momentum and purpose throughout the novel. I was a little thrown off guard by the fact that the events of The Heart of the Wolrd take place 20 years after The Song of the Siren, but Kotar seamlessly weaves all the stories and characters together to create a brilliant narrative. This one of the most impactful novels I have read in recent years and I can’t wait to see what Kotar does next!

I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Update from a reread:

I have been going back through the novels so as to get myself into the world again before jumping into book 4. Perhaps because I kept starting and restarting this book, the first third was difficult for me, but once all the characters are really in action, it’s a wild, magical ride and I could not put it down. I love that Kotar is not afraid to weave worldview, mythology, history, and philosophy into his novels: I love the classic slavic folktale characters and the parallels to Soviet history are almost shocking and thought provoking. I also really appreciate Kotar’s willingness to write actual battle scenes, and, combined with the struggles of morals and conscience as the characters struggle against themselves for good, this really is an epic heroic tale.