Two Crowns, Three Blades

Two kingdoms must unite to defeat a powerful thieves guild in Walker’s fantasy novel, the second in a series.

In the bloody aftermath of the first novel in the author’s Legends of Baelon series, the kings of Baelon and Tegan plan to strike back against the Takers Guild, an organization of thieves who murdered many high-ranking members of the Baelon court. King Axil of Baelon mourns his wife and daughter and thinks only of the destruction of the guild by whatever means necessary. Sibil Dunn, rumored to be the mythical Wisperal (a spirit of a vengeful warrior), also seeks revenge for her parents’ deaths and is determined to join King Axil’s assault. When Sibil is rejected by the king’s army, she sets off to confront the Takers Guild alone, intent on assassinating their magister. Noticing her disappearance and feeling protective of Sibil after her parents’ deaths, King Axil sends retired warrior Rolft Aerns to find her. Meanwhile, at the Guild, the magister sets plans in motion to assassinate both King Axil and King Tygre of Tegan to send the kingdoms further into chaos. Walker is extremely adept at writing action scenes; even in the midst of pitched battle, the action is clear and easy to follow: “Their blades clashed, but Rolft was heavier and stronger. He pushed the soldier backward, then held the rest at bay with sweeping arcs of his broadsword.” The novel has multiple point-of-view characters, though Sibil, Guild overseer Reynard, and Marshal Erik Carson of Axil’s army take most of the narrative reins; each have distinct voices. Reynard especially stands out as the comic relief; while he is one of the main antagonists, Walker writes him as extremely likeable and amusing (“What if… his weak heart gives out whilst you’re tickling him?”). The shifting points of view help build tension and suspense, though occasionally this can sometimes lead to confusion. Ultimately, though, the action and engaging dialogue make for an enjoyable fantasy romp.

This fantasy sequel heightens the action while building toward a satisfying conclusion.