SL Wilton
Fantasy, 366 pp
August, 2021, Atmosphere Press
In a world of strange magic, dangerous creatures, and villainous wyverns, an ousted young queen struggles to regain her throne.
Sophia Pendergast’s quest is complicated by deep-rooted misogyny embedded in
her culture and religion. Her lover, a dashing young knight, offers her a life
in obscure comfort, but she refuses to abandon her people to the usurper’s
whims. To retake her throne and set prophecy on its path, she must embrace a
long-denied secret and discover a prophecy’s hidden meaning.
In S. L. Wilton’s Queen of Crows, we discover simple truths may not exactly be
simple.
My Review:
Wilton has created a wonderful new realm of epic fantasy in his debut novel. Warriors and magic, when it works, and wondrous deeds of valor and sacrifice combine with wyverns and even a little romance to right the wrongs caused by all greedy throne-stealers.
Sophia
is a spoiled young princess who thinks she has plenty of time to grow up and
step into her father’s kingly slippers and, with his guidance, lead her people
with justice and dignity. But stuff happens, and that time is now, and without
her papa. Who can she trust?
Follow
Sophia and her ragtag band of faithfuls, ousted and abandoned knights, and the
downtrodden “crows,” commoners, as she learns how to fight for freedom and her
rightful throne while having her eyes opened to the plight of everyday folks.
“Why can’t the people rule themselves?” Sophia’s young ward asks at one point
when Sophia tries to explain their quest. A thoughtful question indeed.
Told
mostly through Sophia’s point of view but with a healthy sprinkling of other
colorful characters, readers of fantasy slanted less toward magical creatures
and more toward occasional magic and plenty of sword-fighting and things
soldiers do will find much to love about Queen of Crows.
S.L. is a retired Non-Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army. He and his wife live in rural central Wisconsin with their Chihuahua, Willie.
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