Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsFun YA fantasy that deserves more attention
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2016
I like this series and I think it deserves much more attention and lots more reviews, but first I'm going to praise it with faint damn. It isn't as detailed as, say, Robin McKinney, nor as rich as Patrick Rothfus. It isn't a literary masterpiece. And it doesn't need to be, because it is a lot of fun to read and it is smartly written. The narrative structure is simple with a consistent point of view that follows the perspective of the young disinherited prince Pol, but the plot keeps you thinking. Betrayal can come from anywhere at anytime in a Guy Antibes book - it's almost his hallmark - but the betrayals aren't random, they are understandable once the plot unfolds.
In this story you root for the disinherited prince and his friends, you worry over the danger that can come from any corner, and you are carried along by the circumstances that the erstwhile prince must face. It's a coming of age book with magic, one of my favorite genres. It's also "moral fiction" - I don't mean that in some sort of puritanical way, but rather that the books generally end well, with the hero prevailing over multiple villains. There is some nuance, though. Mostly, it is adventure against odds, by a character who has to punch above his weight class to survive.
Recommended.
