Book reviewed by Chris J Kenworthy, for Armadillo magazine.
The Iron Sword, by Julie Kagawa, is a fantasy novel and spin-off of Kagawa’s ‘Iron Fey’ series, that follows Prince Ash as he ventures to save his son Keirran of the Forgotten.
The first book in this series was told from Puck’s perspective, whereas Ash’s POV is the focus of ‘The Iron Sword.’ Although that means this book is a sequel, Kagawa has intertwined the action with some contextual backstory, so that new readers can easily connect the dots. That means that all readers will find themselves immersed in the story, trying to solve the mystery of Keirran’s disappearance.
While trying to find Keirran, the gang discovers that Faery isn’t what they thought it would be – the past has a way of sneaking up and changing everything they ever knew.
Throughout the narrative, it’s clear that Ash is protective of those around him. For fans of the series, it’s refreshing to not only see things from his point of view, but also to get to know him better. In previous books, the mere thought of having access to his thoughts and feelings was a frightening prospect.
Author Julie Kagawa is skilled at world-building, as the plot is both compelling and engaging. Fight scenes are refreshingly non-linear and exhilarating to read – far more so than in many other young adult fiction books. Kagawa brilliantly captures the physicality of violent conflicts, rather than just the action itself.
All of that makes for a great novel, especially as each book in the series seems to be from a different character’s perspective, and it ends with an epic cliffhanger worthy of a young adult fantasy novel.
Stowmarket Reporter 