Scorpica

Sometimes it is hard to see that something is not quite right as it has always been that way. Why in children’s cartoons does there always seem to be a misbalance between the male and female characters? Will boys not watch girls on screen? Will men not read about women in books? Fantasy has more than its fair share of male protagonists, so it is great to see a book that has a female one. In Scorpica by G. R. Macallister there is more than just one female protagonist and the male characters play background roles at best, as this is a land of Queendoms. 

The Five Queendoms have lived in peace for centuries as the nation's balance out one another. Some are strong in warriors, others have magic, diplomacy, farming, or leadership. It is not until the drought appears that the dynamics begin to shift. No females are being born, this means no new warriors or magicians or diplomats. What is causing this curse and how will the different Queens deal with the issue? Sparing against one another may not be the answer as a larger threat looms from within. 

Having a strong female representation in Scorpica plays into how the entire world is structured. Macallister has considered what it would be for women to rule in five different states, this includes the likes of childbirth and how to deal with the male population. The different Queendoms deal differently with the issues, but in all cases, they include the act of procreation and birth as part of society. The warriors of Scorpica are not hampered with their children, but instead rejoice in the creation of a new generation of warriors. 

In many ways Scorpica has the aspects of typical epic fantasy. The multiple cast members, the in depth world building and a story that looks to be carried over into several books. The fact that the cast is female just adds something different for a fantasy fan to enjoy.  

As the first part of a series, Scorpica could have fallen into the trap of being all about a coming-of-age story as the last girls are born and grow into a world in which there are no younger sisters. This is an element of the tale, but Macallister intelligently makes it a multigenerational story. Is as much about the mothers and proxy mothers as it is the children. These characters may not make it as far into the series as the younger characters, but they have a key role to play in shaping the world and the next generation. 

If you are a fantasy fan that enjoys the multiple narrative, there is a lot to enjoy in this book. The different Queendoms have unique aspects to them. The countries of magic and warriors are explored the most, but the reader does learn about the world. The reader may find themselves disappointed when some of the characters meet an untimely end, but that adds to the tension as you never know which characters will be victorious. 

Book 1 ends in an interesting place. As well as learning about new characters, there is a lot of world building in Scorpica. By Book 2, the Queendoms are established in the mind of a reader, and it is going to be interesting to see what happens. It is a vastly different setup by book’s end, the potential for even more action and political intrigue is there. I would recommend Scorpica to the epic fantasy fan who likes their tales told over several tomes and a thousand pages plus. It has the scope that they will enjoy, but also treats the concept of Queendoms in an intelligent way, giving more female characters the chance to shine.