3 out of 4 stars
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Sulphurium, an ancient, peaceful country, at one time had only three races: elves, orcs, and humans. Time, ever cruel, bred out the races’ connections to nature. Eventually, a new race emerged: the enlighten, a blending of ancient elf and human abilities with a dash of magic. Humans, fearing the enlighten’s power, determine to enslave every enlighten. This forces many parents to send their enlighten children into hiding, no matter how young. One such child, at five years old, is found and taken as a ward in a mage school. Eight years later, at this same school, we encounter our protagonist, an enlighten child called Leaf. He has no memory of his life before coming to the school, not even his name.
Countrywide, every child is now tested for any hint of enlighten ability. When detected, the child is sent for training to see if the talent can be developed to mage level. After their fourth year of learning, they become eligible to choose one of three tests to show their mastery of one of the elements: earth, air, fire, or water and earn the title of Mage. At thirteen, Leaf has yet to have his power manifest. He has only one final attempt at succeeding in the trials, but even the easiest seems insurmountable. Bullied, mistreated by his peers, and hopeless, Leaf determines to end his life one way or another by choosing the most difficult and deadly of challenges: the duel. Thinking to end Leaf’s pain quickly, his opponent sends forth an enormous burst of energy, engulfing Leaf entirely in flames. Miraculously, Leaf survives. He chooses the mage name Brimstone. Immediately recruited as a Battle Mage, Brimstone’s training is brutal but thorough. When he is challenged to a duel by a former tormentor, it ends with his challenger’s death. This fuels his growing reputation as a Fire Mage of power.
Brimstone builds three close friendships. Together, they form the fellowship “Crimson” and are soon inseparable. A cascade of events sets the youths forth upon a dark path, placing Brimstone and his crew squarely at the center of a civil war. Crimson becomes known by some factions as a force for good and by their opponents as a force to be feared. Brimstone himself is slowly built into a figure of legend by a populous desperately searching for hope. Can a band of a few children and young teens truly save an entire empire which rests on the threshold of destruction?
End of the Last Great Kingdom by Victor Rose is the first in the series The Brimstone Chronicles. It is a well-written, dark fantasy novel which whisks the reader into a world of sorcery and mystery. Rose blends storytelling and world-building in such a way that the reader is carried along with the characters throughout the novel, albeit with a few bumps and bruises along the way. In some ways, it strongly resembles Piers Anthony’s Xanth series and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter, but Rose’s creative twists effectively distinguish it from both series. Following the theme of a hero’s journey, Crimson faces diabolical villains, undertakes epic quests and seeks to solve troubling mysteries, while never wavering from their bonds of loyalty and friendship. Rose includes several themes relevant to the young adult (YA) target audience: self-discovery, redemption, kindness, change, taking responsibility, and even a hint of romance.
The author’s character development is superb and extends not just to the main characters. It ranges outward to include others as well. Every notable character, hero or otherwise, no matter their race, is given a backstory and represented as their own person with their own motives, desires, ambitions, hopes, and viewpoints. The book spans several years, and I loved watching our heroes grow from child to teen and seeing how their perspectives and behaviors were affected and changed.
I greatly enjoyed reading the novel but did encounter a few problems. Though the book is well edited, there are a few proofing errors. The most notable, which left me laughing hysterically, and perhaps inappropriately, is “The squid stretched out its testicles as Brimstone was lifting Neutron from the water and handing him to Brick.” There are also a few issues with commas, which makes following the action a bit confusing. Another problematic issue deals with the inconsistent flow of time. Some aspects of the novel, such as travel, are given many pages of description and attention. Others, equally or even more important, such as the growing relationship between Brimstone and Heat and the entirety of the last few chapters feel as if they are smushed together in a matter of moments in a hurry to finish the book!
My major problem with the novel, however, is the treatment of the characters' ages. From the very beginning of the novel, aside from Leaf’s understandable insecurities, they speak and act as much older characters would. This affects their believability throughout the novel. There are also a few plot inconsistencies mainly dealing with the speed at which the children’s powers grew and matured, but they did not overly affect the flow of the story itself. Frequent, awkwardly placed flashbacks may also confuse less experienced readers.
Warning! Though the book is targeted for a YA audience, it gives no quarter in its descriptions of war’s grim realities. In addition to acceptable themes of politics and racial prejudice, it includes mention of child sex-slavery, graphic death/murder scenes which include the deaths of children, and extremely realistic and descriptive battle scenes. I would emphatically not recommend it for children or younger teens. Older teens or adults who like dark fantasy, mythical creatures, political intrigue, and mystery will find this book quite enjoyable.
Due to the number of issues I encountered, I am unable to award the novel full stars. Rather, I give it 3 out of 4 stars with the stipulation that if judged by the story alone, it deserves 4 out of 4. The author shows great potential in this debut novel. Personally, I am eager to discover answers to the questions left open at the end of the novel!
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End of the Last Great Kingdom
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