SPARKS, Nev. -- Keeper of Reign is an enchanting tale that takes readers on a magical journey. Emma Right has crafted a world of characters that are as entertaining as they are thoughtful.
The novel takes place in the mythical world of Reign, a land besieged by war and destruction between the two kingdom’s groups, the Handoverans and Elfies. Jules Blaze is part of a group called the Elfies who are cursed targets of elimination by the Scorpents and their evil leader, Gehzurolle. When he becomes separated from his parents, he must search for Ancient Books that were written by the King of Reign before he disappeared. On his quest to help find his parents and reverse the curse, Jules has numerous harrowing adventures with his four siblings and neighbor, Miranda.
Jules is the perfect protagonist with his virtuous search for his parents and his protection of his younger siblings. While Jules is always honest, there are many characters that keep the reader guessing as to their real identities and motives, which makes the book compelling to read. It’s also refreshing to have female characters in a fantasy novel that are just as adventurous as the boys. Miranda often dares to fearlessly run across Reign with Jules and his siblings. Tst Tst (pronounced Sit Sit) is also precocious and uses her big words to show how smart she is.
Keeper of Reign is a book in the rich tradition of fantasy novels like Lord of the Rings. The novel has cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, which makes it impossible to stop reading. Young adult readers who are fans of Lord of the Rings should make this book an addition to their reading lists. Fans of the spiritual and allegorical elements of C.S. Lewis novels will also enjoy this book.
While the book is for young adult readers, fantasy fans of any age will want to visit Reign. The characters of Elfies, Handoverans, and Hanfies (half Handoveran, half Elfie) are all engrossing characters with rich histories readers will delve into with great enthusiasm. Right has also made Reign a place readers will actually want to visit with vivid descriptions of places like Brooke Beginning and even a map of Reign in the novel. Keeper of Reign is an excellent novel that will take readers on an adventure that should be the start of a long-running series. Right has written a book that should bring many readers to the fascinating kingdom of Reign.
