The Last Child of Leif by Chris Pridmore
This book is on my top readings for this year. An epic fantasy that deserves its five stars without a shadow of a doubt.
A young boy is forced to flee from his home when his father is brutally murdered and barely escapes with his life. Accompanied by his mother and their faithful protector Sebastian, the young boy finds himself travelling with a circus in order to hide from the enemies that seem to be lurking in every corner. The boy is Prince Valiant, a Child of Leif, heir to the throne of the Munich and this is the beginning his journey.
From where do I start after this amazing read?
The plot is great both in construction and in its depth. The story starts with a flash forward to the present and then the reader is taken back in time in order to understand how the characters arrived at that point. The novel is told, in most part, from the perspective of young Valiant, smoothly moving to a third-person perspective in certain chapters. The rhythm of the story is perfect: the plot develops at a steady pace with enough action and adventure to keep the reader interest at all times. It creates a solid foundation for future books that might come, since it gives the perfect background of who the characters are and how they overcome enemies and grow, especially prince Valiant. Better than being just fast-paced it's the level of suspense the author manages to maintain and develop throughout the pages and the fact that we go from a simple plot to something a lot more complex with each passing chapter.
The style of writing is mesmerising and it creates a perfect, solid narrative with no loose ends. The world that the author created is breath-taking and every element comes together beautifully, from the narrative settings and the colourful characters. The author has a great sensibility towards what the readers need to adapt to an event or character, something I consider a gift. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want to.
The characters are, for me, the best part of the novel; they are unique with their own personality traits and their own story. Despite the fact that there are quite of a number of them, the reader doesn't get lost or loses track of who is who, especially when it comes to the people of the circus. All the characters are very likeable: Sebastian, the brave and faithful protector of the prince, whose loyalty and love knows no bounds; the kind owner of the circus, Konrad, that doesn't hesitate in helping them and welcoming them into his family. I really enjoyed reading about the circus, it brings a feeling of nostalgia of sorts that got me even more involved in the story and it portraits perfectly the tricks and traits of what happens before and after the curtain opens and closes. Each character develops throughout the book and each has an impact in the story,
An action-packed, adventure fantasy novel that got me completely immersed and that I can highly recommend to all the fans of the genre.
I want to thank Chris Pridmore for reaching out and sending me a digital copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.