BRINGER OF JUSTICE
by V C Angell illustrated by Teddi Black
From the author of The Last Holey Man (2002) comes a medieval fantasy in which a displaced warrior must rally his adopted people against the persecution of a mad king.
Vir, from the land of Munerel, is being chased by an angry mob. He knows he’s far from home—after using a magical portal—because the nighttime constellations aren’t familiar. To escape his pursuers, he uses a spell of his own to blind them; as he does so, another portal opens, and a woman calls to him. When he jumps through, he lands in New Seersha, populated by Magic Users who have been expelled from the kingdom of Nepalle by King Kellum. When Kellum hears of Vir, he believes the newcomer is the legendary Bringer of Justice because he can wield both a sword and magic simultaneously. Vir, meanwhile, befriends a New Seersha elder named Freelim and his daughter, Kee, and learns that he’s in the land of Reini. They warn him that when the cold weather fades, Kellum’s army will arrive to destroy the Magic Users. Vir must decide to help his new friends survive or focus on getting back home. Author Angell places his hero in a deep quandary when the Bringer prophecy stipulates that “[h]e will find the ancient key that will open the portal home, but he won’t find a home of peace with the Reini.” Sharp dialogue helps characters stand out in a complex world where magical abilities come from eating Whole-Fruit, and history is passed on orally; after ordering Vir killed, Kellum says, “There is no need to bring a legend to life.” The complexity, however, is often introduced through fables, which can feel like infodumps. That’s balanced by thoughtful scenes involving ancient portals that point to Vir’s origin. Elsewhere, Angell mistakes “lightening” for the weather phenomenon, and better punctuation is sometimes needed—“Vir reached into the Herric for his words a small circle appeared in the clearing not far in front of them.” Nevertheless, Angell delivers the noble message of standing tall during tragedy.
A measured, not totally fulfilling, adventure for classic fantasy readers.