Royal Exile (Valisar, #1)

by Fiona McIntosh

[wyvernfriend]

Cannibalism, murder, plotting and barbarians all come together in this story to produce quite a complex story. I did quite enjoy the story and some of the characters were seriously interesting.

The story opens with a barbarian hoarde invading the Denova Set, a peaceful set of kingdoms with the Valisar Monarchs at the core. The Vasilar Monarchs have a legendary power that the barbarian covets, the power of compulsion. King Brennus is the current Vasilar monarch and he knows he's going to die, all he can do, on the day of his latest child's birth is to try to make sure that some of his family survive. The pain and terrible decisions he has to make are quite clear. He keeps trying to do the right thing, up to the end. As the Barbarian Loethar takes control and cannibalises Brennus in front of his wife, you can see where people make terrible decisions, often to try to do the right thing.

It's an interesting read, I did have some moments in the middle where I was almost lost but I'm looking forward to the sequel.