Book Reviews: Royal Exile
Valisar by Fiona McIntosh. Book 1.
Normally I like to start these reviews by acknowledging any misgivings I may have had coming in to reading a book but in this case I can’t do that. I’ve read other books by this author and I haven’t regretted a one. So I knew going in to Royal Exile I was in for a good read.
Royal Exile begins just as the main antagonist, Loethar, is about to enjoy victory in his campaign to conquer the Denova Set, an alliance of several kingdoms. He moves into the last kingdom standing and takes it with very little resistance.
Of course it would have been a very short book if it had been about his war. The king of Penraven was able to ensure the safety of his son and Royal Exile follows Leonel’s story as he watches the fate of his parents from the secret passages within the palace. He and his guardian, Gavriel, need to find a way out and to safety.
As I mentioned, I went into this book expecting to enjoy myself. I just didn’t anticipate how much. Loethar is a delightfully ambiguous character who, while clearly not a nice person, shows glimpses of hidden depths. He’s surrounded by people who want different things from him instead of simply because they enjoy his company and he knows it. His vendetta against the Valisars (the ruling family in Penraven) seems somehow personal and not just a grab for power.
Of course the protagonist deserves a mention too. Twelve-year-old Leonel was mature, though not so much as to make his stated age ring false but the character I most enjoyed, after Loethar of course, was Kilt Faris, the charming bandit. I’m a sucker for a lovable rogue.
The trademark graphic brutality is there of course, so I wouldn’t recommend it for children or the weak-stomached. Give it a try if you’re not easily deterred by a little gruesomeness.