This series came recommended to me from one of my students and now I want to share it with you. With forbidden magic, epic fights, and dangerous quests, this series has a lot to offer.
Before we dive in to the review on the book, here is a reminder of how I rate what I read (these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):
- Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
- Character Development: Level of growth a character achieves and how well the author makes them feel “real.”
- Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
- Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
- Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.
Here are the star ratings and what they mean:
MUST READ!
LOVED IT!
WORTH READING
Anything less than three stars will not be posted as I don’t want to waste your time or mine.
If you would like an editorial review for your own book with content ratings, you can contact me directly, or request me as your reviewer on Reedsy Discovery.
Disclaimer: The more I write, the harder I critique books on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow book lover, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.
Book Descriptions:
Kestra Dallisor has spent three years in exile in the Lava Fields, but that won’t stop her from being drawn back into her father’s palace politics. He’s second-in-command to the cruel king, Lord Endrick, which makes Kestra a valuable bargaining chip.
A group of rebels knows this — and they snatch Kestra from her carriage as she reluctantly travels home.
The kidnappers want her to retrieve the lost Olden Blade, the only object that can destroy the king, but Kestra is not the obedient captive they expected. One of the rebels, Simon, has his hands full as Kestra tries to foil their plot, by any means necessary.
As motives shift and secrets emerge, both have to decide what — and who — it is they’re fighting for.
Kestra Dallisor has finally gained possession of the Olden Blade. With the dagger in her control, she attempts to destroy the tyrannical Lord Endrick.
But when Kestra fails, the king strips her of her memory, and leaves her weak and uncertain, bound to obey him. Heartbroken, Simon is desperate to return Kestra to the rebel she was, but refuses to use magic to heal her.
With untrusting Coracks and Halderians threatening to capture and kill her, and war looming on the horizon, Kestra and Simon will have to learn to trust each other again if they have any hope of surviving.
But can a heart once broken ever be healed?
Simon and Kestra are hurtling down paths ever farther from each other as the battle for control of Antora rages.Simon, newly king of the Halderians, is pressed on all sides by royal duties.
Harlyn Mindell is his betrothed and intended queen, but Simon can’t give up hope for a life with Kestra.Kestra, exiled, feels her magic growing — and despite everyone’s warnings, she knows she must embrace it.
That power is the key to the kingdom’s future.Both still strive to defeat the evil Lord Endrick, but danger awaits them on the murky road forward.
And is a common enemy enough to help them survive — or to carry them back to each other?
My Review:
**There will be very light spoilers in this review as I am covering the whole series, but I do not give specifics.
Jennifer A. Nielsen has long been a name on my list of clean authors. She writes both middle grade and YA, and crosses between genres. Sometimes choosing fantasy, and other times choosing more historic genres.
This series is a YA epic fantasy that sends the reader on a quest for the “Olden Blade,” the one object destined to kill Lord Endrick. If they can only find and use it. Once the blade is found, Kestra and Simon Hatch work together to save their homes and their friends.
Nielsen does a fantastic job of weaving a complex storyline. We follow Kestra and Simon’s perspectives. However, we are given glimpses into other character’s heads as well. The plot thickens as we get into book three, and Kestra fights a curse from Lord Endrick. Simon deals with dragon-sized problems and the reality of being a king.
I liked that the magic in this series had a severe cost. The more Kestra used it, the more it corrupted her, until she was nearly as evil as Lord Endrick. Her path back to the light makes the resolution feel earned.
One thing that could have been better for me is that Simon fell for Kestra really fast. I know the one true love scenario really lights up some people, but not me. I appreciated, however, how Nielsen made up for that by having both Kestra and Simon explore other possibilities in later books.
Another thing that could have been handled better, and this is common in many fantasy books (including some of my older works), was the fact that Kestra got powerful very quickly. With the chosen one trope, this is an easy trap to fall into. Again, Nielsen does a pretty good job of accounting for this by making the consequences of the magic turning Kestra evil more personal. Each time she uses her magic, it affects not only her, but everyone around her.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this series and highly recommend it to anyone who loves epic fantasy. It is clean and appropriate for all ages.
How I rated this series:
Structure: 8/10; The plot progressed well throughout the series. We faced new dangers, and the problems either twisted or become bigger, and the characters rose to the occasion. One place this could have been improved was to not hinge every level of character growth on a romantic element, either by marriage alliances, or by a relationship change. This element makes me want to categorize this series more as romantic fantasy.
One aspect that dragged it down for me was the way Simon handled being king. He was too demanding, and did little to earn the respect of his soldiers. He was impetuous and immature (To be fair, he is only about eighteen and has no experience).
Character Development: 8/10; Kestra and Simon both grew as characters. Sometimes together and also apart. They learned what they really wanted and both experienced positive character arcs. The majority of the other characters all had flat growth, but helped to propel the plot forward.
Language: 1/10; There are no language triggers in these books.
Violence: 4/10; While there are incidents that happen throughout the book, nothing is very graphic. Usually when something traumatic happens, we are given only a highlight view and don’t get into any gory details. There are several large battles, characters are thrown into prisons, and some are coerced into doing things they wouldn’t normally do.
Sexual Content: 2/10; Kestra and Simon kiss, hold hands, and hug. We even get a kiss with Simon and Harlyn. This is the extent.
Conclusion:
The Traitor’s Game Trilogy is a great addition to add to your reading shelf.
