Lucien (James Moloney, HarperCollins)

This is the third and final book in James Maloney’s fantasy series, which began in 2011 with Silvermay. It picks up the story with the arrival of Silvermay and her companions in the lands of the Felan. Their hope is that the Felan can remove the Wyrdborn magic (and the callous nature that goes with it) from Tamlyn, the man she loves, and Lucien, the child she has sworn to protect. Since Lucien is also the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy—destined to be a force for destruction—there are many who seek to control or destroy him. Can Lucien’s fate be changed or is the prophecy inevitable? This is a fun YA series which sits somewhere between Tamora Pierce and Robin Hobb. The romance between Silvermay and Tamlyn is a major part of the story but does not dominate it. The magic is interesting but not overused and the battles and skirmishes are detailed enough to be exciting without taking up too much of the book. This feels like an attempt to reflect many of the darker elements of modern fantasy within YA boundaries, and it succeeds. I would have preferred a bit more action towards the end, particularly when Lucien comes into his power, but this is still a great example of why some of the most interesting fantasy recently can be found in the YA section.

Stefen Brazulaitis is the owner of Stefen’s Books in Perth

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews