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Cover of Cinnabar Shadows

Cinnabar Shadows

Lynn Abbey (1995)

SubgenreHigh Fantasy
Age groupAdult 18+
Content ratingR
Pages (Standard (250-400))
SeriesChronicles of Athas #4
Setting
CSM age16
Goodreads3.54

Content levels

ViolenceStrong
Sexual contentMild
LanguageModerate

Protagonist archetypes

Outcast / LonerQuest-Driven

Synopsis

Water. On Athas, it is life, it is currency, it is power... The watery caverns beneath Urik have become a haven for political refugees and runaway slaves, a place safe from the ravages of Athas and her defilers. Until one such defiler brings destruction to the haven. Mahtra, who fled sunlit Urik for the dark undercity, must now emerge to set all to right. Her quest leads her to the palace of a sorcerer-king, to an ancient druidic grove, and beyond...

Is Cinnabar Shadows appropriate for my child?

Suitable for most readers 16 and up.

Dark Sun fantasy with strong violence typical of the setting's harsh desert world. Contains themes of slavery, political oppression, and magical destruction. Mature content appropriate for older teens and adults.

What to know going in

This book has strong violence, mild sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include slavery, violence, and refugee trauma (see the full list above).

Who'll love this

A dark fantasy quest where a refugee must emerge from her underground sanctuary to confront a powerful defiler and restore balance to a water-starved world.

Tags

Post-Apocalyptic FantasySurvival FantasyDark FantasyPolitical Fantasy