They ride in hovercrafts, use out-of-this world technology, participate in richly imagined cultural experiences, fight in arenas and are willing to die to rescue loved ones and vanquish their enemies. Roth places her characters in a stunningly imagined world, setting them on wondrous planets made of fire, ice or water. In time, not surprisingly, they join forces to battle Ryzek's plan to take over the planet. At Ryzek's insistence, Akos becomes Cyra's servant because his currentgift helps relieve her pain. The stories of Cyra and Akos intertwine when Akos and his brother Eijeh, a rising oracle, are kidnapped by the Shotets.

This makes her a dangerous adversary - Ryzek uses her as a weapon - but she lives in constant pain as a result. (Handout / Handout)Ĭyra's gift, which seems more like a curse, causes her to absorb other people's pain and gives her the ability to force that pain into other people. 'Carve the Mark,' by Veronica Roth, Katherine Tegan, 480 pages, $22.99. Fights to the death are memorialized by carving a slash in one's arm.

This current is 'an invisible power that gives people abilities and can be channeled into ships, machines, weapons, etc.' Similar to the 'Star Wars' lightsabers, the weapon of choice in Roth's galaxy is the currentblade. 'Star Wars' has the 'Force,' and 'Carve the Mark' has 'the current.' Everything in the galaxy is powered by the current, which is explained as a natural phenomenon that powers the universe. In 'Carve the Mark,' people are judged by their 'currentgift' which imbues them with certain powers or abilities. In 'Divergent,' individuals are forced into factions to prevent them from exercising free will. Cyra's male counterpart and eventual love interest is Akos Kereseth, the gentle son of a farmer and an oracle. Following in the footsteps of young warrior heroines like Tris Prior ('Divergent'), Katniss Everdeen ('The Hunger Games'), Rey ('Star Wars: The Force Awakens') and Jyn Erso ('Rogue One: A Star Wars Story') is Cyra Noavek, the teenage lead in 'Carve the Mark.' Cyra's brother Ryzek is the cruel tyrant who rules the Shotet people on the planet Thuvhe.

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