Book Review: The Legend of the Dagger Prince by T.A. Gallant

The Legend of the Dagger Prince, by T.A. Gallant
2016, 182p, YA Medieval Fantasy/Adventure
My Rating=4 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the author for an honest review



In the days of King Tsedecc, the seventh generation after Qccesed the Great, a kidnapping shatters young Prince Korbin's idyllic world. In short order, everything he knows is called into question as he hears horrifying things about the world around him. In the deadly aftermath, nothing can ever be the same. A twisting tapestry of virtue and intrigue, The Legend of the Dagger Prince is much more than a coming-of-age tale or an adventure story, although it could aptly be described as both. This carefully-woven medievalesque fantasy is a rich journey toward redemption, exploring hard lessons regarding the cost of loyalty and honor--and the price of deceit. Eminently quotable and flavored with a subtle Old World literary feel, The Legend of the Dagger Prince is the opening salvo in T. A. Gallant's exciting new series, The Annals of Adamah.

I've been a bit burned out on fantasy lately but liked the idea of fantasy and medievalism mixed together. Prince Korbin gets kidnapped early on and is told things that change his world. He then does something which changes everything even more and starts a battle for a kingdom.

This book had a lot of twists and turns! I wasn't sure who to trust. Prince Korbin is manipulated and deceived, which creates a dilemma for several other people. He's resigned to what must happen but there are other things that factor into a final decision. There's quite a bit of strategy going on throughout the book. At times, I was a little confused but it all came together in the end.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who like low fantasy (no magic), medievalism, adventure, strategy and suspense. This is a solid start to a new series and I look forward to reading more!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

T. A. Gallant learned to read at age four, and was an early fan of the great literature of Dick and Jane and The Bobbsey Twins. It was somewhat later that he came to appreciate other giants: Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, C. S. Lewis, Jane Austen, Eco, Potok, Graham Greene, Anthony Trollope, and of course, Bill Watterson.

T. A. tried his hand at fiction as a kid, but delayed becoming a novelist until middle age. He still loves the giants, but writes nothing like them. His fantasy style borrows vaguely but quite unmistakably from unlikely sources, such as the King James Bible and old newspapers. The occasional lyrical quality of his prose springs from many years of songwriting.

Since transplanting from the Great White North, Gallant lives in a hobbit-hole near Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Kristi and a herd of children.

Website  * Facebook