Khizara: Book 1 in the Tokorel Series

by Drew Bankston

Overview

Can a 200-year-old prophecy and a non-believer save two worlds from destruction?

Linsora Anselm is a Khizaran archeologist. She "hears" voices from the past, making her perfect for the job, but she's stuck in prison after sticking up for her principles-that is, until a mysterious individual pays the guards to help her escape. How will she react when she discovers her champion is the devil incarnate?

When Permac breaks Linsora out of prison, he can't understand why. He's drawn to her... but she threatened to kill him more than once because she doesn't trust his ability to sense and influence emotions. She believes he and his race are evil, and she could be right.

Forced together, they journey through the cosmos in search of historical facts they (and the rest of the galaxy) thought were correct. They discover pockets of truth on faraway planets-as well as a 200-year-old prophecy that seems to intertwine Linsora and Permacs' destinies.

Through a galaxy of fate, love, deception, and the unknown, Permac and Linsora must learn to trust each other to protect their two worlds. Otherwise, the prophecy says war will annihilate everything in its path.

Khizara is an action-packed, adventure-filled space opera of mystery, love, archaeology, and bad guys that can control the emotions of others with a thought. If you're a fan of Issac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, or Frank Herbert, you'll love this story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780997554717
Publisher:	Oldstache Publishing
Publication date:	09/05/2023
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.05(d)

Editorial Reviews

2023-05-06
In this SF novel from Bankston, two enemies must work together to right the historical record and prevent an interstellar war.

Thirty-two-year-old Linsorais half-human, half-Khizaran and displays volatile emotions and ingrained knife-fighting instincts, as is typical in Khizaran culture. An archaeologist by profession, she also has the ability to “hear” voices from the past in her mind. This has led her to discover certain historical artifacts that, if reported, would keep her employers, the Carratians, from legally undertaking a lucrative mining operation on a historic site. Instead, they accuse her of stealing from them and get her thrown her in prison. Linsora blames her situation on her erstwhile crewmate, 34-year-old Permac; he’s a Tokorellan, a member of an alien species that’s widely distrusted, due to their ability to influence people’s emotions. The Tokorellans used to be Khizarans; the two cultures separated 200 years ago when the former gained their mental powers. Since then, a great enmity has existed between them, fueled by vastly different accounts of the schism. Permac feels responsible for Linsora’s plight, as he didn’t expect that Linsora would remain imprisoned after he reported her, so he breaks her out of prison. The two remain at loggerheads but are thrown together in common cause—first to flee from the Carratians, then to revisit the archaeological dig and establish the truth of Linsora’s findings. Everything changes when they uncover an ancient recording from a key historical figure, and learn that both their people’s accepted histories are inaccurate. As they develop feelings for each other, they determine to publicly reveal the truth and end the simmering hostility between their peoples.Bankston writes in the omniscient past-tense, most often from Linsora or Permac’s perspective but occasionally from that of a lesser player. The prose is exuberant from the outset, stumbling over itself in a rush to impart information: “She froze, instinctively reaching for a knife—the weapon of choice on her home world, Khizara. Her subconscious mind reminded her she was still in prison, and correctional officers deprived her of the luxury of carrying a knife upon entry.” This ebullience extends to the dialogue, with characters prone to relating exposition, wholly for the reader’s benefit: “I’ve noticed that your clothes aren’t bulky but have a lot of flowing fabric. I imagine it’s more for functionality than anything—and for carrying knives.” This tendency will likely grate upon those readers who prefer sharper, more immersive prose. Still, there lies within it a clear sincerity of vision. Bankston has conceived a vast, intricately woven tapestry of spacefaring worlds. Permac and Linsora are likable representatives of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and of two peoples whose mutual hostility is underpinned by long history. The characters’ journey, as it gains momentum across the many pages, is sure to pull readers in. One could argue that a book of more than 500 pages in length should offer more closure, rather than simply leading into a continuation, but the journey is mostly satisfying, nonetheless.

Epic worldbuilding that’s compelling in its ambition, if not always in its execution.

Kirkus Reviews