Review: Rand by Silvia Shaw

Portal fantasies aren’t my usual go-to, but every once and a while I seem to rediscover them and remember how exciting they can be. The shock of being transported to a new world and the clash of the modern world with a fantasy one are both fabulous tropes to read about. Today I’m excited to share my review of Rand, a sapphic portal fantasy novel about an archeologist who digs up more than she bargained for.

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Blurb

An epic story of magic, heroism, love, and treachery, Rand is a magical world ruled by an imperial line of Queens.

Three hundred years ago, its most powerful talisman, a medallion called the Circle of Sheda, was taken through the portal and lost. When Dr. Savannah Cole is on an archeology dig in Algeria, she takes shelter from a violent sandstorm and discovers the mysterious artifact under a Berber ruin. She soon learns unknown forces are at play, powerful secret forces beyond her control. Compelled to wear the medallion, she’s swept through the portal into Rand. There she must forge a new life and embrace her role as the wielder of ancient magic.

Never before has someone from the ‘other world’ been chosen to bear the medallion, someone not a warrior. It’s a puzzle Savannah must solve before it’s too late. Why has she been chosen? As she battles demonic creatures and dark sorcery, she fights to take her place as the rightful bearer in the long line of warrior women.

But the question remains. What is coming that the lost medallion must resurface after so many years?

Review of Rand

*A copy of the book was provided to Sapphic Book Club in exchange for an honest review.*

• Pacing: fast
• Plot driven
• Two POVs
• Lesbian MCs
• F/F romance

Rand is a fast-paced portal fantasy about an archeologist who is whisked away to another world. Surrounded by not-so-friendly warrior women, Savannah must adjust to this new world while figuring out her role as the bearer of the medallion.

Overall Story

When I first started Rand, I was surprised by how quickly the story started. Within the first few (short) chapters, two major plot points had already happened. This breakneck pace continued throughout the entire book, so there was hardly any time to catch a breath before the next exciting event occurred.

I think the story would have benefited from slowing down, especially at the beginning. There were times I felt the book skimmed over important details, or even skipped them altogether. The most noticeable oversight happened when Savannah was first taken through the portal. I expected her to be scared and angry or at least shocked. But the story just continues right on with barely a mention of Savannah’s reaction. Savannah later discusses her reaction to being portable to a new world, but it didn’t make up for her absent emotions when she first arrives in Rand.

Once I got about 20%-30% into I noticed much fewer skimmed details. The story settled in, and the fast pacing felt less forced. After that, I enjoyed all the action and excitement. I finished the rest of the book within a day because I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.

Characters

Despite how short the exposition was, Savannah’s character was well developed. She’s dedicated to her work as an archeologist and has little time to focus on her personal life. I liked that she was willing to admit that she was sometimes lonely, despite loving her work. She’s also confident in her abilities without being cocky, making her a very likable protagonist.

I loved the romance between Savannah and [redacted]. It was predictable in the way that makes you want to scream at the characters to just kiss already!!! I loved all the tension between them throughout the book. It also included a couple of my favorite tropes, which is always a pleasant surprise.

The second POV was Tamasin, the Mistress of Dreams who was sent to retrieve the Circle of Sheda from Savannah’s world. Tamasin was also a very likable character, but her personality was less developed than Savannah’s. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with her wife, but I hope she is more developed as an individual in the second book.

Worldbuilding

Rand is a medieval-inspired land full of magic and fantastical creatures. It’s is matriarchal, but it’s full of all the corruption and evil you’d find in any governing system. I liked that the author didn’t suggest that women in power would make the land some kind of utopia. Also, it was nice to read a medieval fantasy where women were seen as powerful, rather than demeaned while they struggled to prove themselves.

I also like how the author set up the rest of the series with the worldbuilding. By the end of Rand, I had a good idea of what the world looked like, but also many unanswered questions. I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about the history of Rand.

Writing Style

The writing style reminded me a lot of Sarah J. Maas in that it was fast-paced and the main focus of the story was the romance and action (in that order). If you’ve read any of SJM’s books you’ll know she’s great at writing compelling characters and epic romances that might make up for any flaws in writing/worldbuilding, depending on the reader. This was also true of Rand. It wasn’t the most polished story I’ve ever read, but it was exciting, which made it worth reading for me.

You’ll Like This Book if You Enjoy…

• A fast paced plot
• Exciting romance
• Unlikely heroes

Where to find Rand by Silvia Shaw

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