This is Mr. Batson's latest series, which of the ones I've read, (All but GHOST) is by far the best. It's my favorite fantasy series for sure. Yes, even above LotR. It's going to be seven books long, and the two publish so far have both been over 400 pages long. Unfortunately, I haven't read The Errant King yet.
I'm waiting for Christmas. Series Summary: A noble king discovers what happens when he leaves a door open for evil. The disastrous consequences impact generations, leaving the throne of Anglinore to a wicked despot, the kingdom in ruins, and Aravel's son Loch in exile. To throw down the vile new authority, Loch will need to find the fabled Halfainin and raise a new army from a world of reluctant citizens. Together with his archer friend Ariana, Loch will face adventures that span the world of Myriad, creatures that defy imagination, and choices great and terrible—all these recorded in The Dark Sea Annals.
Sword in the Stars: Haunted by memories of a violent past, Alastair Coldhollow wagers his life on the hope that a sword will appear in the stars and the foretold Halfainin, the Pathwalker, would come. Meanwhile, tensions simmer between Anglinore and the murderous Gorrack Nation, threatening war on a cataclysmic scale. The fate of all could rest on an abandoned child and the decisions of those who desperately seek to identify him. Sword in the Stars is the first release in The Dark Sea Annals series.
The Errant King: Deep in the caves of the distant Hinderlands, an ancient menace stirs. Townsfolk shudder at violent memories of The Red Queen and even dare to whisper the name Raudrim. At the same time, word comes to Alastair that Cythraul has at last resurfaced, seeking a devastating weapon in the ruins of Grayvalon. Blood-soaked clues lead Alastair into a confrontation from which only one warrior will return alive. Meanwhile in Anglinore, young Lochlan Stormgarden, the new High King of Myriad, leaves the pomp and politics of the throne once too often. While blending in with the people of his kingdom, Loch suddenly realizes that he's put them all at risk. The fate of his new found love Arianna, his best friend Telwyn, his family, and indeed the world of Myriad all depend on the decisions of the errant king.
Looks really good, doesn't it? The story never stops moving forward. Characters are human. Alistair has all the trappings of an epically cool hero. He's an ex-assassin with really good sword skills. That's enough to make an entertaining story from, but there's more. He feels guilty, struggles with faith and hope, struggles with Witchdrale (Sounds like one of my characters
) and he loses his struggles at times. Then he comes back fighting. The characters are all human, well, except the creepy guy in the Bone Chapel. Well, he might be. I doubt it. The world-building is astounding as well. Each chapter starts with a quote from a writing in the story-world. No outside sources. The allegory is clearly there, but subtle enough to keep you guessing. The races are all unique, there's a complicated and realistic political situations. Best of all, there are no elves! That's an immediate win in my book.
For those worried about content, it's completely clean.
I heartily and strongly encourage y'all to read it. For those of you who have, what did you think? Was my review accurate?
Disclaimer: I am in a several month long promotion contest hosted by Mr. Batson.
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