Talli, daughter of the moon vol 1 by Sourya Sihachakr

We open on a castle under siege, and Lady Talli receiving the final words from her father, Lord Borin, before he sends her and her noble knight, Alan, off on into the wilderness on a speedy horse. Cunning archers see the fleeing pair, and one lands an arrow in the horse’s haunches while other soldiers on horseback pursue. Lady Talli and Alan manage to evade capture in the next town over with the help of a bumbling old man and his grandson. The two agree to take Lady Talli to the port in exchange for lots of money. Lelo, the grandson, and Pavel, the old man, have some secrets of their own - Lelo is a highly skilled fighter with unnatural speed, and Pavel used to be a famous adventurer and treasure seeker. The four are helped along the way by true believers who recognize Talli for who she really is: a descendent from the Moon Goddess, and the last Summoner.

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This was a decent fantasy story, albeit a little bit formulaic. The main girl has no idea of her hidden past and the power she truly possesses; she comes to have a protector who is really lazy but actually incredibly strong; there's a bumbling, jolly old man who secretly has had a powerful life; and she's shadowed by a knight who wants everything done on the up-and-up. These characters and the story seem right out of a D&D campaign, so this might have a following among readers who also enjoy role-playing games. There's a lot of action and the story moves along at a decent pace. This might not be a smash hit flying off the shelves, but it's satisfying enough to see a decent amount of readership from fantasy fans. The cliffhanger will definitely hook readers and lead them right into the second volume.

There is some violence on the page with some blood, but so far, this would be appropriate for younger readers as well as high school.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 5-12

This review was made possible with a digital reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley.

Publisher: Oni Press
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
ISBN: 9781637150825 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Elementary School, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Fantasy, Magic, Survival, ​Oni Press