An intriguing and spiritual YA fantasy tale.
In Zartman’s debut young-adult novel, a high schooler gets thrust into a fantasy realm under siege, spurring his transformation from an “epic nerd” to a king.
Rory Anderson is in the middle of a field trip when a strange purple mist beckons him to the dimension of Zed. Once there, the King of the Fountain of Life sends Rory and Adam, a skilled stranger chosen as Rory’s helper, to the medieval-style land of Petla. They immediately meet Lady Serena, who’s thrilled by their arrival. It was foretold that the High King of Petla, Roderick Gilroy Montgomery, Son of Anders—aka Rory Anderson—would return to the land to dispel an invading menace. That menace is the Iverns, who are invading Petla from another world. Rory must use his skills to rid the land of these hostile forces. He adapts quickly to his new, unusual circumstances and treats the responsibility of saving Petla with appropriate seriousness. Some fantastic technology, such as flying vests, already exists in this fantasy realm, and merely requires someone to figure it out. Other inventions, such as gunpowder, are only possible thanks to Rory’s knowledge, and he applies this knowledge so effectively that he proves his worthiness as a ruler. Rory frequently asks the King of the Fountain of Life, in a prayer-like manner, for guidance along his journey; although the book has notable Christian undertones, it never becomes preachy. However, the book’s romance element doesn’t shine as brightly as its main plot, as tensions between romantic interests never get very high. Overall, the novel’s greatest strength lies in its appealing, clever characters, who keep readers engaged throughout the story.
An intriguing and spiritual YA fantasy tale.Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2011
ISBN: 978-1463696559
Page Count: 426
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.
A young Navarrian woman faces even greater challenges in her second year at dragon-riding school.
Violet Sorrengail did all the normal things one would do as a first-year student at Basgiath War College: made new friends, fell in love, and survived multiple assassination attempts. She was also the first rider to ever bond with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon with a distinguished battle history, and Andarna, a baby dragon too young to carry a rider. At the end of Fourth Wing (2023), Violet and her lover, Xaden Riorson, discovered that Navarre is under attack from wyvern, evil two-legged dragons, and venin, soulless monsters that harvest energy from the ground. Navarrians had always been told that these were monsters of legend and myth, not real creatures dangerously close to breaking through Navarre’s wards and attacking civilian populations. In this overly long sequel, Violet, Xaden, and their dragons are determined to find a way to protect Navarre, despite the fact that the army and government hid the truth about these creatures. Due to the machinations of several traitorous instructors at Basgiath, Xaden and Violet are separated for most of the book—he’s stationed at a distant outpost, leaving her to handle the treacherous, cutthroat world of the war college on her own. Violet is repeatedly threatened by her new vice commandant, a brutal man who wants to silence her. Although Violet and her dragons continue to model extreme bravery, the novel feels repetitive and more than a little sloppy, leaving obvious questions about the world unanswered. The book is full of action and just as full of plot holes, including scenes that are illogical or disconnected from the main narrative. Secondary characters are ignored until a scene requires them to assist Violet or to be killed in the endless violence that plagues their school.
Unrelenting, and not in a good way.Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781649374172
Page Count: 640
Publisher: Red Tower
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
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SEEN & HEARD
Dark magic, romance, and divinity.
What do you do when the voice in your head is real?
Lore, Bastian, and Gabe are all still alive following the events in The Foxglove King (2023), despite a ritual meant to take Lore’s life and usher in a new age for the god Apollius. But Lore, determined to live despite—or perhaps because of—her deep and unyielding connection to the magical death force Mortem, is unwilling to be used as a tool. Now that Bastian is no longer prince but Sainted King, Gabe is Priest Exalted, and Lore is the king’s deathwitch, her safety should be secure. The court, however, distrusts Lore and her uncanny powers, and even more dangerous are the gods, leaning ever closer and perhaps not so separate from the world as a thwarted ritual might imply. Bastian has been changing, able to control Spiritum, Mortem’s mirror image, in new and powerful ways, but also acting more erratic and strange. Meanwhile, the voice in Lore’s head is growing louder. To make matters worse, Gabe and Bastian can hardly look at each other, while Lore feels torn between the two of them and in need of both. In the second volume of the Nightshade Crown series, things go from bad to much worse, while a familiar gothic atmosphere looms oppressively around the characters. As Lore strives to keep as many people as safe as possible, others scheme with sinister forces and powerful magic. In a tense and atmospheric installment, Lore moves quickly between heart-pounding romantic encounters and adrenaline-filled moments facing danger and death.
Dark magic, romance, and divinity.Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780316435291
Page Count: 480
Publisher: Orbit
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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