The Waning: Age of Realignment I

Genuinely could not put this book down. The characters feel real, the universe is robust and new, but the criticisms against monarchy and classism really hit home. I cannot recommend this enough. It is captivating, stressful, sexy, curious, philosophical, and so much more. Absolutely loved. Can't wait for more.

This book is good. Worth the Read. There are editing errors that I hope will be corrected down the line. I enjoyed the story. I am looking forward to reading the second book where I hope experience and better editing will flesh the story out. Otherwise, I was hooked onto the mythology of the story and I want MORE.

Wow I'm so glad I stumbled upon this break out author who self published this book. The story was unlike anything I have ever read and kept my attention and left me wanting more. I absolutely loved the African culture that is the foundation of this story and it's anti capitalism themes. I cant wait for more in this series and from this Author! Well done!

I loved the story! It didn't dwell forever on pointless detail, and yet still built an interesting world to explore. One of the few books I couldn't put down. Looking forward to the next installment!

First of all, read this book for the story. I recommend the Waning and look forward to future installments.The world Aramiji builds pulled me in and I understood the caste system in place and know what the characters are working towards. I was rooting for them as they worked through their external and internal conflicts, and as their weaknesses led them down winding and uncertain paths.The story started strong and fast and hit me with mystery and questions quickly. But it didn't take long for things to start unraveling, not because the story/plot wasn't there, but because this book is self-published. If it was edited, it was done so haphazardly or by someone with little experience.There were moments when grammar mistakes and continuity errors pulled me out of the world of Ile-Oja and into reality. It was like walking along smoothly, then suddenly finding myself looking up from the floor and wondering how I tripped and got there.There were moments when I re-read a passage more than once to fully grasp Aramiji's intentions. Usually, I (think) I figured out her intentions, but being knocked out of the flow made it difficult to pick up again and move on. The pacing wasn't consistent, but again, that's due to the lack of editing. It's fixable once a publishing house picks her up. And I believe this work should be picked up.That said, she's created diverse characters and a world I am invested in. The lore, the rituals, the factions, and the relationships are well established. And the different levels of intimacy between characters are at times revealed beautifully.There are well-placed breadcrumbs along the way. Certain scenes could use massaging, but the plot is enjoyable and it's incredibly nice to see African stories and fantasy world-building with gods, heroes, villains, and savior characters who are representatives of Global South populations.As I said in the beginning, I recommend The Waning and I hope Wunmi Aramiji gets the opportunity to continue this story with a publisher who will take care of her. For a self-published first outing, I am impressed.