The Unbroken

The Unbroken is a 2021 epic fantasy novel, the debut novel by C.L. Clark. It is the first book in a planned trilogy entitled Magic of the Lost. It received critical acclaim for its exploration of colonialism in the setting of an epic fantasy novel. It was nominated for the 2021 Nebula Award for Best Novel and 2022 Ignyte Award for Best Novel. Plot The Empire of Balladaire rules over the colony of Qazāl, formerly part of the fallen Shālan Empire. Balladaire has banned all religion as “uncivilized”, but pockets of resistance still practice religion and its associated magic. Balladaire kidnaps Qazāli children to be conscripted into the Balladairan army; Touraine is one such child. As an adult, Touraine and her company of conscripts (called Sands) are ordered to return to El-Wast, the Qazāli capital. They accompany Princess Luca, heir to the throne. Luca's uncle Nicholas currently holds power. She hopes that performing well in managing Qazāl will allow her to claim the throne in her own right. As the princess arrives in the city, Touraine saves her from an assassination attempt. Touraine is falsely accused of murdering a Balladairan guard, but Luca rescues her. Dismissed from the military, Touraine becomes Luca's servant. On Luca's orders, Touraine secretly negotiates for peace with the Qazāli rebels, while developing romantic feelings for Luca. Luca grows interested in Shālan religion and magic, knowing that openly supporting these concepts would not be accepted in Balladaire. Touraine discovers that her birth mother, Jaghotai, is a leader of the rebellion. Other rebellion leaders include Djasha, an apostate priest who has lost her magic, and her wife Aranen, a healer.