Publication Date: August 14, 2024
About the Book:
Dark forces are trying to overthrow the Seven Kingdoms. Can Calderon, the orphaned Kusarku prince, master a powerful magical weapon—and learn to trust his own abilities—in time to save his race and others?After the devastating Grey War and the death of their beloved king and queen, the Kusarkus, descendants of minotaurs, reluctantly relinquished their independence and accepted the “generous protection” of the elves.Since then, Calderon, the only heir to the Kusarku throne, has had to hide his true identity.But when the Seven Kingdoms come under attack by unknown forces and the Kusarku are blamed, the young prince must journey to the human capital of Alezadria to defend his race and accept the responsibility of his birthright.If not the Kusarku, though, then who is leading the hordes of goblins and trolls against innocent citizens? And who can Calderon trust, even within his own kingdom?To aid in his struggle against evil, Calderon’s adoptive father, Bard, presents him with one half of his father’s powerful magical sword – The Dragon’s Tooth.Working together with his friends, can Calderon master the legendary obsidian weapon and his own magical abilities in time to save the Seven Kingdoms?
I was very surprised by this book. It was pitched as a young adult, fantasy, and a standalone - all things I enjoy reading, but it was also only 186 pages, so you never know what you will get with that. I am still not completely sold that this is a standalone though - while pitched that way and no series associations online, I felt like this was a good start to a series.
I really enjoyed that the main character isn’t human but a descendant of the minotaurs. This was a refreshing change from the typical fantasy hero, he is still pretty green and has a lot of reservations about what lies ahead. The adventure was engaging, and the trouble across the lands gave the plot enough climax points to string the reader along. I felt that the worldbuilding struck a nice balance of being both believable and distinctly fantastical. While I wanted a bit more description, it was a shorter book, it was also enough to tell the tale so to speak.
The book does a great job of setting the stage for what’s to come, especially as Calderon begins to uncover his heritage and face the challenges ahead of him. I wanted a needed a bit more resolution here... and hope that the series does continue. Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read. I think if you are looking for something with fantasy, diverse population dynamics, action and adventure this could be a great book to pick up.
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