by Sherwood Smith
ages: 13+
First sentence: “You’re a new one.”
Review copy won from Charlotte’s Library

First off: this has the ugliest. cover. ever. After I got it in the mail, I took a look at it and thought: man, they’re not doing much to promote what hopefully will be an awesome story inside.

Then I stuck it on my shelf. Every time I looked at it, I just thought: ugh.

Eventually, I did crack it open. Partially because I loved Crown Duel and this is billed as the “exciting prequel”. Partially because I was looking for some good sweeping fantasy, and hoping this would fit the bill.

Unfortunately, I bailed halfway through. The book wasn’t doing it for me. It’s the story of Vidanric as a 15 year old, sent off to a military school in a far-away kingdom because his king is killing off all the heirs in his kingdom. He has to adjust, to learn, to fight homesickness… blah, blah, blah.

It was glacially slow; I made it through Vidanric’s (now known as Shevraeth) first year and about halfway into his second when I just got bored. I put it down, and now, two weeks later, have no desire to learn any more about Marloven’s military tactics, their boy-king, the prophecy, or the unseen force that’s rising in the north. (Or wherever.)

I wanted this one to be so much more. Disappointing.