In Madeley’s medieval adventure novel, a disgraced duke begins to discover what it takes to rule as he confronts a vengeful king hell-bent on war.

Jarek, the brash duke of House Wancyek raised to one day assume the throne of the kingdom of Wancyrik, essentially throws it all away: After becoming angry that his uncle, King Julian, disciplined one of his riders, Jarek slaps the king and loses an ensuing duel with his cousin, Duke Lenn. His punishment is banishment. Now cut off from royal support, Jarek is allowed to keep his province and ferociously loyal soldiers—but only under the promise that he’ll never return or attack the capital. Meanwhile, in a different land, King Elcimer has managed to form a peaceful coalition with his neighbors. But an assassination attempt by one of his allies, combined with the ruthless manipulation of powerful King Jonnecht of Kensrik, spurs Elcimer to unleash war on the land. Jarek, wallowing in his solitary misery, receives a much-needed wakeup call during a discussion with Galyna, a villager who explains to him the hardships that Jarek’s people have endured under his leadership. With Elcimer’s war making life for his people even more difficult, Jarek faces a choice: Admit defeat, or step up and be the leader he was born to be. Natural dialogue and striking action scenes combine to paint a vivid portrait of a land in chaos. Madeley constructs a world full of danger with both style and wit: “Elcimer is a young man with the loftiest ambitions. Having not faced a moment of substantial adversity or terror in his life, nothing limits the heights which he imagines he could achieve.” There isn’t any real question as to whether or not Jarek will choose to help his kingdom’s people, so the true tension lies in Elcimer’s strategic decisions and in his confrontation with Jarek. That tension, along with the enjoyably flawed characters whom readers meet along the way, ably carries the novel forward to a satisfactory conclusion.

An enthralling epic that balances politics and morality with dramatic battle scenes and complex characters.

In Madeley’s prequel novel, a young prince must choose between his loyalty to his father or his duty to the people.

Prince Ewald is the eldest son of the ruthless and violent King Jonnecht in the land of Kensrik. He has a younger sister, Princess Isabel, who has many secrets, and a younger brother, Bonifaz, who doesn’t trust anyone. Their mother, Queen Dulcibella, does her best to protect her children from her bad-tempered husband. One day, Isabel approaches Ewald with a proposal: She’ll show him “the life [she] call[s] fun,” and in exchange he’ll allow her to control of all aspects of the evening. He agrees and, to his surprise, finds that Isabel has been leaving the castle to party with strangers—something he soon enjoys, as well. Eventually, however, Jonnecht discovers their secret and punishes them severely, brutally attacking Ewald while Isabel runs away to hide. Dulcibella tries to protect them, but Jonnecht disowns Isabel, claiming she’s corrupted the prince. When the storm of Jonnecht’s hatred calms momentarily, Ewald understands that his father is beyond redemption and must be stopped. Madeley offers a great tale of royal intrigue; it’s a prequel to his Gift-Knight Trilogy, but it can easily be read on its own. Ewald is an appealing hero, overcoming his fears and revealing a heart of gold in his defense of loved ones. His quest to end his father’s reign of cruelty is a complete character arc with a satisfying ending, aided by a brisk narrative pace and well-developed characterization. The story’s depiction of Dulcibella, Isabel, and Bonifaz effectively shows the different ways that people deal with abusive situation, and how they learn to survive them. Newcomers are likely to be as pleased with this installment as those familiar with the author’s previous series.

A fine fantasy story with a satisfying narrative about family struggles.