The Blue Are Coming

FULL DISCLOSURE: I was a beta reader for King Hunters, for which I received no compensation. I purchased the Kindle version after it was published. The following review is for that edition. TBH… there isn’t much difference between beta and published versions. I think he got tired of us telling him how to write his book and finally went with his gut. Good for him.

King Hunters is the second in the Feydern series. Please read The Trouble with Prophecies first. This book will be more enjoyable and make a lot more sense if you do. In fact, stop reading this review if you’ve not yet read Prophecies. Seriously… stop right now. There are implicit spoilers here related to the previous work.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

*** A nearly spoiler-free review awaits you ***

Muse is a halfling who’s in a bit of a jam. You see… he’s swindled some bad guys out of a lot of gold. It’s no matter the gold was stolen in the first place; they want it back. There is no honor among thieves.

Muse’s mission is simple. Get away with the gold and not die. Tall order for a three-and-a-half-foot person. Yet he has the power of Bardic magic to help him. He plays his lute and others are compelled to follow his commands. Unfortunately, all good magic has rules – and those keep getting in the way.

Thieves and magical limits aren’t the only things keeping Muse from the prize. There’s also bad luck. He crosses paths with a seven-foot battle maiden with a short temper, a healing knight with a glowing sword, and a brooding teenage girl with some magic of her own. They’ve been hired to look for a missing king. You’ll recognize this group from The Trouble with Prophecies. Unfortunately for Muse, their mission runs headlong into his.

In addition to sleuthing, there’s a lot more intrigue here than in Prophecies. The world of Feydern hasn’t yet recovered from the fallout precipitated by the events in the first book. Hard work, harder decisions, and a dose of realpolitik are needed to fix the mess.

This author knows how to write a fight. There are several intense one-on-one contests, skirmishes, and a wicked battle between armies. The scenes are meticulously scripted and well-developed – and sometimes brutal.

I enjoyed the magic in this world. Some of it is pretty damn clever. I can’t say how without spoilers. Trust me on this… your inner geek will smile.

Then there’s the world building. Much of it is done through exposition. There are no infodumps to slow the pace of the story. However, the characters occasionally wax nostalgic about events that occurred off page between novels. Just a brief exchange here and there – usually for comedic effect. At times I felt like I missed out on something, though.

As in the previous work, the author makes an occasional reference to the current state of our society. These allegories are subtle and brief. I wish the found-family trope was handled a bit better, though.

If you’re annoyed by SPaG errors, you’ll appreciate this book. I found only a few in the whole thing. There are also good grammar and word choices throughout. I wish more indies had this level of editing.

Back to Muse… he’s a bit like Derrick from Prophecies – but with a lot less magic and a much longer rap sheet. He’s not an especially nice guy, but neither was Derrick. He gets himself tangled in all sorts of situations, and has to make tough choices. Once again, like Derrick. See a pattern here?

Actually… Hunters is full of tough choices. Pretty much every major character has to make them. The fallout isn’t pretty. There’s not as much of the Pratchett optimism and lightheartedness within these pages. The characters are more world weary. The plot takes some dark turns – especially toward the end. To be honest, I didn’t think the author had it in him. I mean this in a good way.

Unlike the previous novel, this one sets up an obvious sequel. I feel it was a bit rushed and could’ve used more denouement. However, it ends with an ominous tone that really piqued my interest for what comes next. There’s no doubt I will read it.

Clever thieves, bumbling thieves, and a den of thieves. Bardic magic, Elvin magic, and blue magic. Brawls, battles, and barbarians. Kings, knights, and pawns. Long swords, battle axes, and… fluffy handcuffs? All wrapped into an epic tale that’s cheeky and humorous – but with a dark edge that’ll cuts slowly and surely.

That’s the trouble with consequences. Even if you don’t see them coming, you will hear them (read the book and understand).

*****