Review by raqstar1 -- In Pursuit of The Pale Prince

[raqstar1]

[Following is a volunteer review of "In Pursuit of The Pale Prince" by Mark Wallace.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Arestus is the young son of a healer who has recently passed away. His mother is deathly ill and not far behind her husband. One morning before sunrise, Arestus’ uncle Axton arrives with a group of soldiers and demands hospitality. Arestus attempts to protect the home from a man he does not recognize and who seems to pose a threat. He quickly learns that Axton, his father’s brother, is very powerful and not a kind man. While on her deathbed, his mother tells Arestus that he needs to leave on a journey to The Haunted Isles in order to retrieve a crown left to him by his father. Axton wants the crown for himself and she warns that he will only use it for evil.

Arestus escapes in the night to The Haunted Isles and is met by Gerlund. She gives Arestus the crown, which his father had left in her care, and gives him two options. He can go with her to a new world and they can drop the crown in the sea where it cannot be used by anyone for evil or he can do as his father wished and take the crown to The Pale Prince in an effort to unite the land. Arestus decides that he will do what his father would want him to and embarks on a journey across wastelands in order to take the crown to the prince. He is joined on his journey by Cirin, an old friend of his father. Cirin knows the ways of the world and feels compelled to keep Arestus and the crown safe on their journey to find The Pale Prince.

In Pursuit of The Pale Prince is a fantasy story told in the first person. The first chapter introduces it as a story being told to a young boy in need of comfort. This introduction sets the scene for an informal style of writing that works well for the story. The structure is very much what one would expect when portraying a story for a young audience. The sentences are brief, many of them incomplete, but the way they are written makes you read in a more animated way. I found myself putting the emphasis where the author would put it if telling a story aloud. This type of structure actually kept me very engaged. The chapters are short and it was very easy to read ‘just one more’ and not put the book down.

I enjoyed the story immensely and applaud the author for building the characters and the landscapes without going into too much detail. The story flowed well and I felt a connection with the main characters. The descriptions of action scenes were good enough that I could see the movement in my head. The few violence scenes add to the story as appropriate but are not dwelt on.

Because this was set up as a personal story being told, it leaves ample room for more books and more adventures. It even alludes to them. In the first chapter, there is one section in which he is describing himself to the boy. It reads, “I’ve heard them tell of how I fought dragons or sailed around the world.” He also talks of a nose “crooked from too many fights” and once fine clothes that are now almost rags. All of these descriptions make me hope that there are more stories to come.

This book would be good for fantasy and action audiences both young and old. It is a quick read and would be fun for a family to read together. As there is some violence, I would limit the ages to 12 and over. If you are looking for a mystery, romance, or something with a lot of violence then this would not be a good pick. But if you want a pleasant story with a hint of the unknown, then definitely give this a try.

The book feels professionally edited with minimal spelling and grammar mistakes. It is well rounded and the plot is executed nicely. The characters are engaging and the reader is left excited for more adventures to come. For these reasons, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I hope to see another book by Mark Wallace Maguire come across my path soon!

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In Pursuit of The Pale Prince
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