To rebel, or even show sympathy to her own people, invites death. She deals with humiliations daily, from her fellow Balladairan officer constantly undermining her to her captain demanding absolute perfection and loyalty to the Balladaire empire.

Touraine is stuck between two worlds that will not accept her: The Qazāli see her as a Balladairan-wannabe, policing her own people, while the Balladairans look down on her.

The Unbroken is a wonderful fantasy looking at colonialism and racism through the lens of two women caught in its crosshairs. She also instructs Touraine to spy on their activities, something that becomes harder for Touraine when she learns that she shares a personal connection with one of the rebel leaders. When Touraine finds herself in a situation that threatens her life, Luca rescues Touraine and recruits her to be her go-between to the Qazāli rebels to negotiate for peace. But many Balladairans in power view the Qazāli as “Sands,” uncivilized, childlike and requiring harsh discipline-particularly her uncle, whom Luca is trying to dethrone. She is well aware that the Qazāli are badly treated and wishes to give them a better life under her rule. Stunned, Touraine realizes that while she doesn’t remember El-Wast, there are people here who definitely remember her. Touraine foils their plans, but as they are being executed, one of them calls her by her old name. Before the unit ventures far, a group of Qazāli rebels attempt to kidnap the princess.

Now her unit is escorting the Balladairan princess, Luca Ancier, back to El-Wast, the capital city of Qazāl’ and Touraine’s home city, which she has no memory of, thanks to the brutal upbring she endured that strove to erase her ethnicity, her culture, and even her language. Touraine is a Qazāli soldier who had been conscripted as a child for the Balladaire empire. The latest of these is The Unbroken by C.L. It feels to me as of late that there’s been a good number of fantasy works coming out that explore the nature of colonization from the oppressed minority’s point of view.

Series: The Tales of Gorlen Vizenfirthe.

Series: From the Lost Travelers’ Tour Guide.

People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction!.

The unbroken clark