Born blind, Daemus, Keeper of the Forbidden, is the only one of his colleagues that can truly see. His nightmares are the key to stopping Graytorris and his mad quest for revenge against the order that cursed him.
On the other side of the kingdom is Ritter and Addilyn, who sacrifice much to discover the source behind the realm’s instability. All roads lead to Castleshire however, and the two different groups must in the end unite to confront the threat menacing all.
Graytorris’s introduction in the first chapter was both unnerving, and sympathetic. I found it an excellent marker to reference while analysing this book, because later when we return to him, the deterioration and changes to the character are clear. Alone such a narrative decision – off-scene character development – could be construed as lazy. However, coupled with Daemus’s nightmares, well paced touches of lore, and the deftly written growth of the other characters, it adds weight to the world. Gravity, and depth in the passage of time. Not an easy task, and something that as mentioned, could go awry. But one that demonstrates Hillard’s skill.
Where the author shines, though, is with characterisation. While the world building is excellent, and the action scenes are exciting, the cast – from the lowly tertiary to the main protagonists – really carry this novel. As alluded, they are complex creatures, with diverse personalities, aided by engaging dialogue. Personally, I connected well with both Ritter and Daemus, and enjoyed following them as they grew and struggled, thrown into situations beyond their kenning. Even the romance was well handled.
Now, I did did have a few issues with the storyline. Conversely to most books who eek out in the middle, and end strongly, I found this novel’s strengths were the beginning and middle sections. Whereas the later chapters felt somewhat bloated, meandering, almost as if the author was more focused on the setup for the next book.
The non-keeper orientated political machinations I also found to be the weakest of the narratives. Less intriguing, and more plot devices – moving one set of characters to where they needed to be. Now, there is nothing wrong with that in of itself, and it is a well-used tradition which if done right can merge seemingly with the rest of the plot, un-affecting the pacing. However, in this case I think it was overlong, and dangerously bordered on being stale. Such narratives need more suspense and must be properly baked, to work.
These last observations do not poison the well, to speak figuratively. They are, as anything, subjective. Even so, what remains is a worthy fantasy adventure with deep characterisation, stunning action sequences, and strong world building. The Last Keeper, by J.V. Hilliard, is a series to keep an eye on.
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