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Series Review: The Kingston Cycle by C.L. Polk

Greetings and welcome to Reviews That Burn: Series Reviews, part of Books That Burn. Series Reviews discuss at least three books in a series and cover the overarching themes and development of the story across several books. I'd like to thank longtime Patron Case Aiken, who receives a monthly shoutout. This episode discusses The Kingston Cycle by C. L. Polk.  Full Audio Here    In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own. Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after...

Animorphs Book 33: The Illusion by K. A. Applegate

Tobias volunteers to be captured in order to trick the Yeerks, knowing he might be tortured. He accepts the unsettled nature of his existence and gains a piece of his heritage. This closes the several-book AMR arc for the team.

This book contains depictions of psychological torture, extended sequences of it. It's a tricky bit of world-building, because the nature of the torture involves using painful memories alternating with pleasant memories, most of which haven't been specifically shown in the books. It puts more detail into Tobias's backstory without being sudden revelations, and I think it manages the balance well.

A hawk (Tobias) turns into a blue centaur-like alien (Andalite)

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