Talha Mumtaz's Key Ideas from ILLBORN
by Daniel T. Jackson

Arion is the son of a Duke Conran and is bound to join the Holy Church on the orders of his father despite not being religious at all. It wasn’t until his brother secretly joined the religious order that Arion was allowed to join a military academy. In that academy, Arion discovered his powers which gave him superhuman strength and speed. Arion fought and won battles on his own and met two of his own kind. But the journey afterwards sent his life into a spiral.

Allana, the daughter of the courtesan, was living happily with her mother until the wasting sickness took her away. Since her mother’s illness forced them to sell everything for food, Allana had to reach out to one of her mother’s admirer “a hugh priest” for help. However, the priest attempted to force himself on Allana and was instantly killed by her. Later, Allana fled the scene and requested a captain to give her passage to some other city. When the captain refused, Allana realised she had the power to induce lust in men and used her powers to craft a different (and difficult) life for her.

Corin is part of a warrior clan but he himself has never been an active warrior. In fact, when his brother was about to be killed in a clan vs clan raid, Corin ran away. Later, he was banished from the village and had to live in a remote place with his best friend Agbeth. It was there that Corin discovered his powers to tame others when he used his powers to tame the wildest beast known as a felrin. He comes back to his village, kills the clan chief and assumes the role of chief for himself. However, his new role will set him challengesle never before heard of.

The girl had always been devoted to the Lord Aiduel and was already completing her 12 years at the school when she had the first vision. Thinking the visions were sent by the Lord himself, Leeana ran away from her home to offer herself as a priestess at the Church. It was there that she discovered her powers to see and control emotions. Later, she met with Arion and realised her powers increase vehemently when she is near someone like her. It was when she saved a dying prince using her powers. However, Leeana was accused of heresy and will be taken to the pyre to be burned. Would she survive?

The story is powerful, the dialogues are interesting and the character development is more than savoury for the readers interested in a good fantasy novel. The book picks up pace quick enough and the reader is immediately submerged in the storytelling of each character’s storyline. From fierce wars to survival from burning, taming a wild beast to seducing the alpha males, each character’s storyline is invigorating. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger and you will often find yourself reading more and more to discover what happens next.