Book Review: The Reckoning of Roku

Look at that young Roku giving face! Photo by Kate Ota 2024

The Reckoning of Roku by Randy Ribay is the latest novel in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe. This is the first novel about Avatar Roku, Aang's predecessor, and also the first avatar novel by Randy Ribay. As a longtime fan of the avatar series, I knew I'd be reading this book the moment it came out.

The Reckoning of Roku follows a young Roku as he leaves for the air temple to begin his avatar training and his first adventures there. If you think you know Roku from the flashback episode (Season 3, episode 6 "The Avatar and the Firelord") think again. Roku is thrust into his first major conflict, but nothing is what it seems on a mysterious island, and with his new friend Gyatso, Roku must learn how to trust himself, and how to let go of the past.

I liked learning more about Roku, though I didn't expect to. Some of his deeper past added depth to his relationship with Sozin, though also explained how it broke down so easily. The new location and new angles on bending were also interesting, especially considering how much I know about the avatar world.

No major complaints about this book, honestly. I could have used a little bit of a clearer picture about the island, and there were a few minor mistakes, but nothing to put me off the next one. 

This book is for you if you enjoy Avatar: The Last Airbender, elemental fantasy, or the Kyoshi and Yangchen novels in the same series. It's not for you if you are wildly unfamiliar with the TV show, because the book doesn't stop to explain things like what is an avatar and what the world is like for new audiences.


Have you read the Reckoning of Roku? What did you think of that new character from Roku's past?! Let's discuss in the comments.