| Dark sorcery, fearsome supernatural beings, and | | | | the Dare Dynasty, led by King William. His younger |
| a potent history combine in the fantasy world | | | | brother Prince Robert presents himself as a fairly |
| created by author Greg Keyes in The Briar King, | | | | obvious villain, but men apparently under the |
| the first book in the Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone | | | | direction of the Church are plotting the deaths of |
| fantasy series. Published in 2003 by Del Rey | | | | the entire Dare family as well. They want to kill |
| Books, The Briar King welcomes fantasy readers | | | | the Queen and all the Dare heirs, especially the |
| into its adventure with familiar themes but without | | | | female heirs. Presumably this ties in somehow |
| being overly formulaic. | | | | with the belief that a queen must be present |
| It Opens With A Curse | | | | when the Briar King wakes. Whether the |
| The setting of the fantasy novel is twenty two | | | | presence of a queen will help, it is not made clear |
| centuries into the Age of Everon that began | | | | and the motives of the assassins are murky. |
| when humans defeated the Skasloi, a powerful | | | | The youngest daughter of King William, Anne |
| and mysterious race that enslaved humans and | | | | Dare, is a major character in the book. She has |
| put them through cruel labors and tortures. The | | | | appeal as a headstrong teenage female character. |
| Skasloi were defeated after much epic struggle | | | | Anne's strong will should be endearing to readers |
| by the Born Men, who were people from outside | | | | because the author managed to create a spoiled |
| the enslaved societies of the Skasloi. Genia Dare, | | | | princess that is not annoying. |
| known as the Born Queen, led her fighters | | | | The rest of the characters also come across as |
| beyond the killing fields of grim struggle and used | | | | genuine and several are interesting and |
| the sedos power to defeat the Skasloi. | | | | entertaining, especially Stephen Darige and Cazio. |
| In her moment of triumph, though, the Skasloi | | | | In some instances, however, a character will fall |
| lord beneath her boot heel declared that she had | | | | flat and feel like just filler, like Winna, the love |
| cursed her heirs by using the sedos power. The | | | | interest for Aspar White. |
| day would come when the world would rot and | | | | A Fantasy Novel With Light Wounds |
| consume humanity. Genia Dare cares little for his | | | | The Briar King has more complexity to its plot |
| prophecy because the Skasloi are despicable and | | | | than what can be described in this review. The |
| to vanquish them is good. | | | | story unfolds comfortably as Keyes lets the |
| Faded Legends Come To Life | | | | reader know just enough to stay interested |
| After a stunning opening in which this crucial scene | | | | without getting frustrated. This book blessedly |
| between Genia Dare and the Skasloi is revealed, | | | | avoids the propensity of many fantasy novels to |
| the novel begins anew over two thousand years | | | | keep everything a mystery until the fourth book. |
| in the future. The power of the sedos still exists | | | | Yes, you will get to see the Briar King. |
| in certain places, but the curses of the Skasloi | | | | Although this is an enjoyable and intelligent fantasy |
| have faded into legend. Keyes does a good job of | | | | novel, my main criticism is the author's overuse of |
| weaving into the novel bits of folklore and songs | | | | the device in which a character reaches a crisis |
| that describe the ancient forces that are soon to | | | | and then the narrative jumps to the person |
| trouble the land. For example, the Briar King is | | | | waking up in someone's care who then explains |
| known in some regions as Baron Greenleaf, which | | | | how the character escaped death. It would have |
| is a nice touch that adds to the depth of the | | | | been better to simply read how the action played |
| story because regional differences in myth and | | | | out. This happens several times in the book. |
| legend typically occur. | | | | Then, near the end, the narrative gets choppy. |
| It is within the vast King's Forest that the first | | | | Some of this is understandable because it is |
| rumblings of trouble emerge. This forest was | | | | difficult to interweave action sequences of |
| originally set aside as a reserve for the Briar King, | | | | numerous characters in multiple locations all in |
| and if his forest is violated by human | | | | crisis on the same night. However, there was an |
| encroachment - which has been happening - he will | | | | overuse of the device of leading up to an |
| wake and crush humanity and remake the world. | | | | interesting conflict or meeting and then switching |
| In this forest Aspar White, a gruff and | | | | to something else. The narrative was trying too |
| dependable character, serves as the guardian of | | | | hard to force me to keep reading when I was |
| the land and enforces the law of King William | | | | already interested in reading. I would have |
| Dare. When Aspar begins to investigate the | | | | preferred fewer interruptions and bouncing around. |
| mysterious murders of some forest squatters, he | | | | Whether Keyes did this or an overzealous editor |
| assumes it will be a routine mission. But then he | | | | had at it, I don't know. |
| finds the gruesome leavings of human sacrifices | | | | Aside from a few forgivable flaws, The Briar King |
| and encounters a beast called a greffyn. Its very | | | | is an exciting story placed within a well thought |
| image is poison and even touching those who | | | | out and creative world of magic, religion, politics, |
| were killed by the greffyn can kill a person. | | | | and myth. I would call it an above average |
| Meanwhile, as supernatural horrors are brewing in | | | | fantasy novel but not place it in the awesome |
| the King's Forest, multiple conspirators plot against | | | | category. |