The One Kingdom: Book One of the Swans' War (Swans' War, #1)

by Sean Russell

From their home in the Vale of Lakes, a group of young traders embark on a quest to make their fortune. Carrying a cargo of ancient artefacts, their journey along the River Wynnd will take them into a world both strange and terrifying. They will meet extraordinary people, witness unforgettable events and discover something that will change their lives for ever.

For the world is a far more complex place than the adventurers could have imagined. In the aftermath of a terrible war, political upheaval and family rivalries threaten to plunge the land into a new dark age. The past, it seems, is far from forgotten. And the consequences of that long-ago war are by no means played out.

Look out for more information about this book and others on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk

• ISBN10: 0380792273
• ISBN13: 9780380792276
• Publish Date: 5 February 2002 (first published 18 January 2001)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Imprint: HarperTorch
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 544
• Language: English

Reviews

[Metaphorosis Reviews]

3.5 stars, Metaphorosis reviews

Summary
Three young men from the remote Vale plan to set out for a little adventure to civilized lands. But before they can even begin their trip down the river Wyrr, they're attacked by mysterious met at arms and their boat is stolen. Daunted but not stopped, they take up with a story-finder, gradually learning that their woes are part of a much larger, much darker, much older feud.

Review
Unusually, for Sean Russell, this is the start of a trilogy rather than a duology. And it’s clearer than his Darwinian books, which, while I enjoyed them, I found heavy on vague mysticism, to the extent that I often wasn’t sure what was happening.

Here, as in the Initiate Brother books, we have more concrete action and plot. That’s not to say that I wasn’t sometimes confused; there are many players and identities, and Russell’s not always good about giving contextual clues to remind us who is allied with whom. To be fair, the players themselves are often pretty unclear about where they are, and would benefit from a map as much as readers would.

All that said, this is a fairly strong character-based story centered on three rural boys going out into a world of would-be sophistication, ancient rivalries, and even more ancient magic. This first book essentially sets the stage for what will happen next, and takes its time doing so. Generally, that’s a plus, but Russell (perhaps worried about the page count) crams in a final scene that I found extremely hard to follow. You get the gist of it reasonably well, but the actual action is both frenetic and frustratingly vague.

A decent start to an intriguing fantasy series.

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2019/10/27/the-one-kingdom-the-swans-war-1-by-sean-russell/

Written exceedingly well, this series belongs on the shelf next to greats such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and Tad Williams. It’s the sort of story world I happily get lost in, peopled by characters that are flawed, dangerous, brave, loyal, and incredibly real.

There are multiple story-lines in this book that seem very disparate, but eventually become tangled up in interesting ways. A good chunk of this book follows the Hero’s Journey, through the character of Tam. Tam is one of a group of traders, hoping to buy more horses and, ultimately, return home wiser in the ways of the world. It’s a very hobbit-esque origin, without being a rip-off. Unfortunately for Tam and his friends (but fortunate for the reader), the wide world has other plans.

At the same time, Toren Renee is the first of his house to hope for peace. It’s a hope that is threatened on all sides, as those from both the Renee house and the Wills plot to prevent that. Never come between a powerful person and his feud. On top of the political intrigue, there’s an unwanted marriage in the Wills family, and- underneath it all, an ancient and powerful revenge story that threatens everything.

One of the things I loved about this book is that it doesn’t rely on quick slash ’em up battles. Any action is there to further the story. Because of this, the pacing can seem a bit slow at the beginning. Trust me; the setup is worth it. The prose drew me in, and the way the characters evolved kept me interested. The ending of the first book had me rushing to grab the second.

A good chunk of the book takes place on the river Wynd. Normally books that involve sitting on boats or ships for long periods of time bore me, but such was not the case here. The river itself is an intriguing, and sometimes creepy, character. I love when a setting becomes more than just the backdrop!

If you’re a fan of The Wheel of Time series, like a good fantasy, or just want a well-written book, don’t pass up the chance to grab The One Kingdom.