The Last Culling (Book of Sigils)

I’m an apprentice mage, so when my best friend turned mage I was supposed to turn him in. I couldn’t do that so instead I taught him how to control. Thats when I found my brother died in vain. Now its up to me to prove to others that the lies must stop. Its up to me to find the answers and put a stop to the slaughter. So I turned to my aunt just to find she was also having doubts so now there were three of us to stop this slaughter of young people. So this is our story.

I really enjoyed the very creative world that was created. The characters were interesting.I especially like plot. it was very exciting at times and it really kept my attention. I usually don’t enjoy the Epilogue but this one was really great.

The Last Culling is the debut fantasy novel from author Rachael Vaughn. As an avid and lifelong reader of fantasy, my already high expectations for this novel were well exceeded. The story begins in the city of Merilaad, where protagonist Elena has lived and served her entire life. The reader immediately becomes familiar with Merilaad’s culling ceremonies that control the population of male mages. Elena, whose immediate family has been affected by the culling ceremonies, navigates her life and career as a mage while remaining faithful to the decisions of Merilaad’s council of female mages. When an unexpected change happens right before her eyes, Elena begins to question her loyalties.This story features all of the classic elements of witchcraft fantasy with new and creative twists. The author welcomes the reader into the world they have created and further places the reader right alongside the characters, making one feel as though they are a natural part of their lives. The writer brilliantly builds suspense as well as connection to the characters. The engaging and pondering prose will leave you pinned to every word.The paperback includes a preview of the author’s next book, Blood Rose. After my experience with The Last Culling, I could not bring myself to read the preview just yet because I knew it would be excruciating waiting for more once I started. While I wait for the publication of the next book, I can confidently say that The Last Culling is the start to a promising writing career.

I enjoyed the first half but the last half fell flat. Unfortunately I can’t even say what was lacking. It just became difficult to connect with the characters or plot somewhere after she started helping him. I just wasn’t as interested or invested in the story and found myself skimming the last part just to finish.

I really loved this! A fantastic fantasy read where only females are allowed to have magic, if men develop magic they are executed immediately! The world building is fantastic, the storyline gripping and exciting and the characters relatable and intriguing. Danger, deception, secrets, magic and twists and turns makes me eager to read book two!

I loved the story line; the story itself had a nice balance between the story line and society today. The society presented In "The Cullng" seemed very similar to many of the current societies that are present in our world today. A some what scary thought.

Characters are people you'd like to befriend, magic is just mysterious enough to be cool but limited in a way that requires the characters to use creativity to problem solve, and the content is free of vulgarity. Some death and violence, both magical and natural, always brief but to a sensitive person might be a little tough. An enjoyable read overall!

This is not my typical genre of choice but I was in the mood for something a little different when I downloaded The Last Culling. And I am so glad I did! I fell in love with the characters and was able to connect with their personalities immediately. I was impressed with the way the author connected a magical theme with real-world issues. I finished this book with not only a new appreciation for reading outside of my standard box, but also with an enlightened perspective on community and leadership problems that we often choose to overlook, or simply accept, when we should be questioning and taking action instead. I cannot wait to read more by this author!