Dark Blade

July 1, 2020
Altruistic orphan Lann is destined to be paired with the Dreadblade, a magical, deadly sword that demands fidelity of its bearer as it eliminates evil. After his mother dies in childbirth and his father is fatally attacked by a wolfish creature, humble Lann takes refuge with the witch Fleya. While there, Lann learns that her sister was his birth mother and receives a visit from Rakur, a trickster god who gives him the Dreadblade. Now Fleya and Lann, plus Dreadblade, are driven to save Stromgard from a conspiracy as well as from the monsters from the Void. All of this is orchestrated by the vengeful prince Kelewulf and the villainous sorcerer Yirgan. Kelewulf is determined to ruin the Rivengeld royals with dark Art and gain power. The tropes are familiar but don't feel formulaic thanks to a cast of characters with well-developed backstories. Even Kelewulf is viewed with sympathy by his cousin, King Erik. Historical events are seamlessly interspersed with present-day action, contests fought at close range, and a hint of romance, leaving readers cheering for the hero. Lann maintains his appealing humanity because it is the Dreadblade who identifies the evil, allowing Lann to make peace with delivering justice. Kelewulf's comeuppance will have to wait since the book ends with a cliffhanger. In this Scandivanian-inspired setting, characters default to white. The promise of more clashing action will have readers clamoring for the next book. (map) (Fantasy. 12-15)

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November 1, 2020

Gr 6 Up-Lann was raised to be a cattle farmer, until the day monsters tore through his family home, changing his future forever. Lann becomes the wielder of the Dreadblade, an ancient sword with a mind of its own, determined to kill all the monsters it can find. Lann's new sword and strange visions send him and his magical guardian Fleya on a quest to save their kingdom. The king has been murdered, his son is on trial for the king's death, and Princess Astrid is tenuously trying to hold her country together and save her brother's life. Evil is stirring across the six kingdoms, and only Lann and his sword have the power to save their world. Feasey crafts a detailed universe filled with magic, swordplay, and mythology. While the fast-paced plot, decent character development, and world-building keep readers engaged, overall, this feels disappointingly male-centered and short on diversity. While strong female characters exist and play vital roles, the focus is clearly on two young white boys and their very different coming-of-age stories. Glimpses into the abusive childhood of the young villain, Kelewulf, make him the more interesting character, but his journey from an angry and hurt child to a world-destroying monster isn't fleshed out enough to quite make sense. VERDICT A satisfactory fantasy book for readers who enjoyed Lloyd Alexander's "The Chronicles of Prydain" and John Flanagan's "Ranger's Apprentice," this serves as a good filler for fantasy-hungry readers but falls short in diversity and brings nothing new to the genre.-Annamarie Carlson, Westerville P.L., OH

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