And all this is backed by a metaphysical tapestry of supernatural beings of all descriptions, evil and good, pictured for us with similar creativity.

The general plot follows the three separate heroes as they each take a different role in the defeat of evil. This plethora of strands, bolstered by numerous sidebars and flashbacks, leads to a complex interweaving of storylines.

There are two difficulties inherent in this approach. First, there is so much description and narration that the overall action proceeds very slowly. This is partially solved by the numerous and well-described battle scenes. However, this in turn leads to the next difficulty, caused by the creative abundance of the supernatural.

When a new conflict is required, the author often comes up with a completely new evil creature. Then, instead of letting the characters solve the problem, the author creates a new supernatural being or magical technique to manage it for them. This pattern actually reduces the suspense, because after a while we just assume the problem will be solved, instead of worrying about how the characters are going to handle it.

The other main strength of the writing is the characterization, especially of the heroes, who develop and mature quite naturally, considering the supernatural qualities they demonstrate.

The writing style is appropriately descriptive and lavish, although the complexity of the sentence structure sometimes interferes with the readers’ understanding of the meaning.

A book for YA fans of the creativity of Fantasy who are not too worried about a constant barrage of action or much veracity in the technical details or mechanics.

Five Stars

This review was originally published on Reedsy Discovery.