In Beneath the Lanterns, the readers are introduced to a slightly different world to that of our own. Through prose that could easily place this book among the classics of literary fantasy, we have unique time keeping and the otherworldly feeling that only skies with multiple sources of different colours can achieve. The time is counted in seasons (and because I am bad with numbers, I couldn’t quite figure out what a season amounted to but it made things all the more excotic as opposed to being an element of annoyance), and the sky is a firmament with blue and yellow lanterns, and there are Dark Days and Bright Days. I believe they would work similarly to the polar day and night, but in this case we do not have a cold northernly feel to the atmosphere. In fact, the atmosphere is warm and vibrant and lively.

Amidst the books with all the frantic axe wielding and guts flying, intense magical systems and gods and what-nots, this title delivers a gentle adventure. It’s like an elfish garden of serenity with just enough excitement for the road. Note, there are no elves in this story. This book is not doing anything for the shock factor’s sake, it delivers twists and surprises without making them feel shoehorned and over the top. The conflict of the book is about political means by marriage. It’s about forced duty that one does not want. And it’s about dealing with consequences of wanting to be selfish, free, happy. But! The way it’s delivered feels gentle. Beneath the Lanterns presents a case for a freedom that even women in high places deserve- such as the freedom to marry for love if they so will, the freedom to stand up against the shackles of their society, the freedom to enjoy life, the freedom to look the way they feel comfortable with and the freedom to act ’out of sorts’ or different than what is epxected. And, be positively badass whilst doing so.

What might not work for some readers? The prose. I don’t know what it is that makes readers shun lyrical prose these days. It’s like an insurmountable mountain that masses, looking for quick and easy gratification, are unwilling to climb. But when you get into the prose, when you start to go with the flow, when you give it a chance, the reward is worth it. I wouldn’t say this title is overly descriptive, it is exactly what it advertises itself for – an old fashioned novel of adventure.

For all of the above mentioned, Litka strikes me as a confident author. Confident in what he does and how he wants to tell this story. He doesn’t need to rely on the shock factor to keep the hooks in the reader. For one, I was quite invested. He has given the reader a steady drum of solid scenes which take us from A to B, during which the characters flourish and reveal themselves. I read 100% of Beneath the Lanterns and was left with a satisfied sigh at the end.