A richly built world that feels lived-in and layered.
Oss’stera: An Epic Fantasy by Ross Hightower and Deb Heim is a sweeping tale of rebellion, art, and survival set in a richly imagined world where creativity itself can spark revolution. Alar, a gifted realm walker, leads the rebel band Oss’stera in their struggle against the oppressive Vollen Empire, which seeks to crush the identity and spirit of the Alle’oss people. Alongside his allies Scilla and Ukrit, Alar devises a daring plan to infiltrate an elite art exhibition in the heart of enemy territory, aiming to steal a lord’s treasure that could fund their uprising. But in a society where political machinations run as deep as military might, every step into the Empire’s gilded halls brings danger. Caught in webs of deceit, ambition, and betrayal, Alar and his companions must rely not only on courage and cunning but on the unifying power of artistic expression to rally resistance. With its deft blend of strategy, heart, and high-stakes intrigue, Oss’stera enhances the series with intensity and poignancy, offering readers an epic showdown where art and rebellion merge into a singular force of hope and defiance.
Writing team Ross Hightower and Deb Heim are a perfect team that offers a seamless fantasy read, and a triumphant addition to the Spirit Song universe that fans of the series are not going to want to miss. The pacing is smoothly done to blend action, intrigue, and artistry in fresh, compelling ways while paying homage to traditional fantasy storytelling without ever trying to ape it. The Oss’stera world and the feel of the prose are something new and exciting, and the characters more than live up to that modern feel for the genre. For example, Alar is a captivating hero, typically torn between survival and hope, but there’s so much more to his sense of spirituality and his personal moral journey that digs deeper than most heroes would dare to ask of themselves. Scilla and Ukrit bring a well-penned depth and heart to the rebellion’s cause with some truly compelling dialogue and vibrant description, and the wider looming threat of the Vollen Empire is a chillingly vivid antagonistic force. It matches the mood of the story and the settings, while balancing political strategy with intimate character moments for a richly built world that feels lived-in and layered from beginning to end. With an inspired and powerful theme of art as rebellion at its core, you can expect Oss’stera to deliver epic fantasy at its finest.
