In Dylan Madeley’s saga of royal intrigue, a son learns to defy his powerful father.

Kensrik is ruled by the dynastic Kenderley family, headed by the cruel tyrant King Jonnecht. His wife, Queen Dulcibella, has gone to great lengths to shield her three children, Ewald, Isabel, and Bonifaz, from her husband’s malign influence.

Isabel has grown up to be a free spirit who regularly sneaks away from the castle to consort with the common folk, inviting her older brother Ewald along; Bonifaz is a quiet, thoughtful artist who keeps people at arm’s length; and Ewald, heir to the throne, is a good-hearted young man who realizes his father must be stopped at all costs.

As the story unfolds, Isabel realizes that Ewald is the best person to stop Jonnecht, while Ewald experiences more of the world outside the palace.

This is a solid conceit, and the plot is well paced. There are interesting incidents—including Isabel’s love affair with a female commoner and a messy war Jonnecht is too violent and impatient to win—but the story never feels overstuffed. Additionally, the political machinations of Ewald’s plan to depose Jonnecht (e.g. Ewald appealing to the House of Lords) are absorbing.

Some elements of the story strain credulity, however. It’s hard to believe, for instance, that despite being raised by an all-powerful tyrant who had the chance to mold them since birth, none of Jonnecht’s three children inherited any of his ugly worldview.

More importantly, the prose tells far more often than it shows. For example, as he steps onto the dance floor, readers learn that “Ewald was a visual and a tactile learner. Every move in his repertoire of spontaneity came from something he saw others do. He had practiced at home to understand which moves could belong to which simple beat he might imagine…” Such exposition greatly slows momentum.

Nonetheless, the story has solid fundamentals and could entertain those who appreciate medieval intrigue.

Also available as an ebook.