An Exile of Water and Gold is the first novel in the dark epic fantasy series The Song of the Sleepers, written by Joshua Walker; a story of ambitious scope, with a really original worldbuilding, and deep touching. Deep themes that are enclosed into this fantasy mystery that represents also a great character study, combined with brushes of ecology and class-fight.

Drift, a young and cynical Aobian, is exiled from the Great Tree after what it's supposed to be an accident; while he's not able to understand the reason for his punishment, he will be forced to travel through the human lands, and find a new purpose to his life. However, he will discover that the human world is not exactly as they were told in the Great Tree.
Tarri, his betrothed, would like to take Drift home; however, Drift's disappearing marks just the rising of tensions across the Tree. When the Sleeper Nischia asks her to investigate the circumstances behind Drift's accident, she will establish a complicated relationship with the Sleeper in order to take her lover back. An investigation that will be the perfect excuse to learn more about the Great Tree and the systems that rule above the Aobian society.
With Nischia's thread, Walker portrays more about the Lumonisity and how the magic works in the Aobian society, putting those Sleepers that can access it over the rest; and we can appreciate how there are different factions craving for the power, risking all in order to go over the rest.
And we have a non-Aobian perspective with Queen Esme, a young girl that is forced to assume the responsibility over her kingdom, a formative journey that she will have to take as fast as possible if she wants to keep the equilibrium of Q'ara.

All the threads are woven into a complex and ambitious story, full of twists and revelations that are, on many occasions, hidden behind different layers; not only that, but Walker takes the opportunity to weave a really emotionally impactful story. We can see how this novel is preparing the world for bigger moments, slowly setting the pawns on the chessboard, while perfectly fleshing those characters through their experiences and their targets.

Not only the plot is ambitious, but the themes deserve their own spotlight: the destruction of the ecosystems and how it is possible to regenerate them after enough work, the idolatry of those with power as gods and the injustice behind a locked class society. All of them are extensively explored, creating a thought-provoking experience.

The pacing is close to a slow-burn style, alternating between the POVs and slowly unraveling the whole plot; however, despite it, it doesn't feel slow at all, as every single page is full of meaningful moments for the plot.
The worldbuilding is quite original, and it especially shines how Walker decides to go with mostly Aobian POVs, only having a single human perspective. It is interesting how the magic system is tied to the ecosystem, and Lumonisity itself is well explained alongside the novel.

An Exile of Water and Gold is an excellent debut novel, perfect for those that love ambitious worldbuildings mixed with a well-developed characters; an epic first novel that leaves you craving for more of Q'ara. Do yourself a favour, and read it!