ARA Review by davidmwpowers of King's Envoy

[davidmwpowers]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, King's Envoy.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In the fourth Realm, Albia, the Artesan powers and gifts are all but gone. Taran Elijah has the gift, and an apprentice but no mentor. He sees no choice to but to venture to the fifth realm, Andaryon, and challenge to win the right to be trained.

But things don't go to plan, and he survives only by wresting a strange and dangerous Staff from his opponent. Back home, he has barely survived, and the Staff is a problem he can’t deal with. Also, it turns out, all is not as it seemed in Albia either. With Apprentice Cal and Healer Rienne, he sets out in search of a Major Sullyan who just might have the answer to some of his problems, who at least needs to know what he did, who just might be able to halt the incursions that follow his disastrous duel. But Major Sullyan is not what they expect.

King's Envoy is Book 1 of the Artesans of Albia trilogy, itself the first of three trilogies. The major arcs set in motion are still building as this Book 1 finishes, suddenly, after a relatively minor climax that is really a setup for a significant cliffhanger.

The start is also a little unprepossessing with an infodump disguised as a vague conversation between Journeyman Taran and Apprentice Cal. This could perhaps have been much tighter and raised the stakes by being more precise about the nature of the challenge and the dangers and risks faced, although that might reduce the impact of the duel - which is foreshadowed in only the most shadowy of terms. Being clearer about the challenge and the expectations of a fair and honorable duel would show the risks and risk-taking as reasonable without diluting the impact of the duel itself, or its outcome and consequences.

So while I really enjoyed the saga, and its is generally well written and immaculately edited, the start and end of this volume had an unsatisfactory flavor. Thus I will award it 4 out of 5 stars.

However, I do strongly recommend it - though would suggest getting the Artesans of Albia trilogy as a 'box set' given Book 1 finishes mid-stride.

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