A Step Through the Empty by H. E. Salian is a debut novel. It is a fantasy story.

King Brynte has not been king very long and he faces many challenges, one of which is gaining the trust of his people. He is also faced with an arranged marriage he is unsure of.

Princess Istoria leaves her home to marry a king she is certain will make her life miserable, and soon finds herself thrust into a position where she must determine whom she can trust and whom she cannot trust.

In another world, an assassin has no loyalty to his master, which puts his life in danger, and could jeopardize other secrets he keeps.

Also, on earth, someone has sent information to a man who works in cyber security, information that is important for those in another world.

I found A Step Through the Empty a very unique story, in that it is a fantasy story that includes a king and princess in a castle that, at first, seems to be set in medieval times, but quickly proves otherwise as computer type technological devices are used. This led my mind to consider the possibility of “steampunk”. However, that idea was also put to rest as one very interesting character was introduced — a fantastical character. Then there are the different worlds, not to mention the Empty.

The most unique thing I found was how the author incorporated earth and some humans, like me, into the story, and how most of the characters from the other worlds were also normal humans.

Most of the characters in this story are endearing and I found myself rooting for quite a few of them and hoping they would survive until the end of the book. Many of the characters have become favorites, and their relationships with one another varied from delightful, witty, fun, and endearing.

Then there were the few characters I disliked and couldn’t wait to see them get what I thought they deserved.

A Step Through the Empty kept me turning pages from start to finish, and now I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I cannot wait to reconnect with these characters and see what happens to those I have come to dearly love.

This is definitely a book deserving of 5 stars and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy or any great story.

I received an ARC of this story. I was not obligated to write a review, and this review is my honest personal opinion of this book.