Title: Talli: Daughter of the Moon Issue #1
Author: Sourya
Publisher: Oni Press
Language: English
Format: Digital
Pages: 178
Genre: Fantasy, Action
Publication Date: October 25, 2022
The Story
Ten years ago, Lord Borin took in the daughter of a woman. She was forced to stay in the castle for her own protection; however, on the day she blossomed as a woman, her power had been unveiled. Fearing something called the “Chimera War,” Lord Ulric ordered her capture. Not wanting to hand her over, Lord Borin assigned her to his best knight Alan and had them escape.
As they attempted to evade capture, they run into an old merchant and a young boy named Lelo. In exchange for 500 in their currency and some royal jewelry, they talked the merchant into helping them escape. Of course, escape doesn’t come easy as Lord Ulric’s forces are on their tail. Despite being chased, they stop off at a town to rest and we begin to learn a bit about our characters!
After that pitstop, it’s off to their destination; however, the Royal Guard, captained by a highly-skilled archer named Mina, awaits them! Can they escape!?
Characters
First up we have Talli. While I won’t reveal what her power is, I will say that because of that power, the kings branded her people as heretics. They fear that left unchecked, they would bring about the second chimera war. While Talli hasn’t mastered her power as of yet, because she has begun her menstruation cycle, the power has awoken. As you can guess, the power needs blood to activate. As for her personality, Talli is a mixture between a stuck-up princess and a curious innocent girl. She has never been outside of the castle walls so something as simple as wildflowers tantalizes her senses but she also commands respect when she’s spoken to. She does kind of look down upon common people as peasants even though she accepts their generosity and protection out of necessity. I’m hoping that she will get humbled a bit as the story progresses because she could use a bit of grounding.
Alan is a boisterous knight who loves to talk about the militia’s creed of might and mercy. A noble knight who holds steadfast to his beliefs, he can get a bit loud at times. I think he just gets a bit over-excited and takes his duties a little too seriously. He’s not stern or disciplined by any means but he’s rather jovial and quick to regale you with tales of the militia. He’s highly skilled and known throughout the land as someone who has one quite a few tournaments. Even Lelo recognized him and has a man crush on his abilities! While he can be a bit annoying at times, he is the perfect protector for Talli as he is loyal and loving of her. He’s the type who would lay their life down in an instant if it meant her survival.
The old merchant is named Pavil and he has a bit of a past to him. Alan thought he recognized him and we do learn his true identity once we stop off at the first town; however, I will keep those details hidden to avoid spoilers. Pavil is an old merchant who tries to swindle people into buying junk by using his golden tongue to make it seem worth way more than it really is. It doesn’t mean he has no skills, though… he does have a nose for treasure and was easily able to identify Talli almost instantly. He knew exactly what her jewels were worth which is why he accepted them as part of their payment. When it comes to treasure, his instincts are hardly wrong. While he does seem a bit shady, he has a certain nobility to him… like someone who has changed their ways. These days, he’s about adventures and treasure so getting Talli to safety is right up his alley!
Lelo is a male tsundere! Very fast and highly skilled with a sword, he makes the perfect protector but he has a bit of a dark past and it’s the reason why he only sleeps during the day. He stands guard at night and is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to his personality. There are times when you think he’s going to crack and open up but he just goes back to being pouty and gloomy. When it comes to protecting Talli, he does what he must but he doesn’t really act that fondly around her. He’s more enamored with Alan and his militia skills than anything
Final Thoughts
Talli: Daughter of the Moon is your typical fantasy story about a girl with a forbidden power sought out by those who fear it. While things are just getting started, I can already see the potential in this series as the first issue was a great read! Every page was engaging and as you learned about the characters, you became more and more invested in them. They each have their own unique personalities that you would think would mix like oil and water but they gel together perfectly and play off one another very well.
The action scenes were pretty nice and Talli’s power is a bit surprising. Especially when you learn about her past and lineage, things get a bit more interesting. It’s pretty easy to see why the kings and lords fear her powers and want to keep her contained as left unchecked, it could spell disaster for the lands. Talli doesn’t seem like the type of person who would use those powers for that. In fact, there was a moment when she did use them but it was to protect those who were trying to protect her. Even when she learned about her lineage, she still remained grounded in reality and didn’t really think about bringing the kingdom to its knees.
I’m really looking forward to the second issue as I’d like to see if they escape and what will happen once they reach their destination! If you’re looking for a good, old-fashioned fantasy series, this should be an instant pick-up for you!
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This item was provided for review by Oni Press
