SAINTS OF THE WATERS FORD
by James McEachern
In this coming-of-age fantasy novel, a teenage knight errant pledges to root out supernatural evil.
On the Isle of Breton, a former outpost of the shattered empire of Britannia, “long ago and far away,” the inhabitants are threatened by monstrous supernatural creatures that infest it. The one man who could be counted on to defend them has gone missing and is presumed dead. His 18-year-old son, Elis Aveleonous, determined to prove himself worthy of becoming a knight protector like his father, Thomas, seizes his chance when a sheep farmer’s herd is massacred by a red dragon. The ensuing vicious battle validates Elis’ purpose, haunts his dreams, and sets the intriguing, if sometimes overly expository, tone of this debut fantasy. Written in Elis’ introspective voice and consistently tinged with a nostalgic sense of a bygone literary era (“One cannot help but feel alive on the Isle of Breton, for the old primordial things of creation are preserved here”), the novel offers a rich brew of alternative history, elements of fairy tales and Celtic mythology, and the tradition of the medieval, religious knight-paladin, liberally interspersed with scenes of demonic possession, blood, and gore. (Arachnophobes, read at your own risk.) The horrors here aren’t for the fainthearted; Elis’ battles with such foes as a demon bear and a giant kraken are graphic and prolonged. There are also lengthy ruminations about the near and distant history of Breton and Britannia, among other subjects. This slows the pace, but it’s absorbing enough not to derail the narrative, despite a smattering of distracting errors, such as “they had somehow saw” and throws instead of throes. The prose features some small gems, though, as when Elis’ mother is vague on details because “she is full of generalities and poetry.” Overall, Elis’ inner struggle to honor his faith by serving the people of Breton rings true as he gradually tempers his rigid regard of all supernatural creatures as evil after meeting a giant fox king and others.
A relatable tale of a young man’s physical and spiritual struggle in an engaging world of horrors.