New Book Alert: The Last Keeper (Book One of The Warminster Series) by J.V. Hilliard; Gripping Epic Fantasy About a World Coming To An End or At Least a Transformation

 

New Book Alert: The Last Keeper (Book One of The Warminster Series) by J.V. Hilliard; Gripping Epic Fantasy About a World Coming To An End or At Least a Transformation

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: When an Epic Fantasy begins, usually it shows a slightly lighter world. It introduced us to the plucky characters at the start of their adventure. They are going through their daily lives ignorant of what monumental changes are going to affect their world.

Rare is the epic fantasy that starts out dark and just stays that way throughout the entire series.

J.V. Hilliard's The Last Keeper, book one of The Warminster Series is that book. When the first chapter begins with a character painfully transforming into a demonic creature then you know we are in for quite a somber ride and all of the elven creatures, magic spells, and sword fights aren't going to change that.

This is the typical Epic Fantasy in which there are several characters involved in this disturbing quest. However, there are three main protagonists.

There is Daemus Alaric, a member of the Keepers of the Forbidden, scribes who write and protect arcane historical archives. Besides having a tremendously important profession, Daemus also has a gift of prophetic dreams. Lately, he has been dreaming of a demonic figure in the mist who calls him by name and taunts him.

Another important protagonist is Sir Ritter Valkeneer, a warrior. Half-elven and half-human, Ritter and other human/fantasy creature hybrids are called by the derogatory term, Trollborn. Despite the slurs, Ritter is a greatly respected knight and warrior. Normally, they battle cryptid creatures. However, now he and his fellow knights have to take on a more otherworldly magical foe.

The third protagonist is Addilyn Elspeth, a noblewoman and daughter of an ambassador. She also has dreams but her dreams are more symbolic than those of Daemus. She dreams of a herd of tetrine, ten foot tall black unicorns. To dream of a tetrine signifies death and destruction and judging by what's been happening to the rest of the world, that dream is spot on. Daemus, Ritter, and Addilyn's stories eventually converge when they realize the depths of their antagonist's dealings in murderous dark magic and how many will suffer.

There are many moments that bring fear forward that transform an Epic Fantasy into a Supernatural Horror in a Fantasy world. The dreams of tetrines are not of a herd of majestic pure unicorns. Instead, they are more like the steeds of the Hundred Riders of the Apocalypse. It's easy to see why Addilyn and others are fearful of this nightmare and what it represents. In a world which takes dreams and omens seriously, this is a disturbing one.

It doesn't get any better after that. The Reader and characters are subjected to various violent scenes. In one harrowing encounter, a shape shifting assassin kills the relative of one of the main characters. The grief is insurmountable and puts the character into a severe depression that motivates their actions through the rest of the book transforming their personality immensely. While many are determined to catch this murderer, there is a realization that this is a hard task because the assassin is a shape shifter. By definition, they could hide anywhere and become anyone. Justice may take awhile to be met, if indeed it can ever be.

There is also a visible darkness within characters as well. We learn the backstory of the main antagonist. They are not some god or demon. Instead this person is all too human. Just someone whose ambition and passion got in the way of common sense and reason. It's frightening because this character is so relatable. In a fantasy world, their villain could be any one of us.

We also see a more troubling nature in characters who believe that they are on the side of good. At one point, Daemus goes on the run and encounters a group of friendly and helpful outlaws. Unfortunately, when they return to Daemus' home and his wealthy noble family, his family doesn't want to have anything to do with the people who saved their son's life. They cite rivalries and family grudges, but the truth is they are prejudiced against these people and want them arrested.

 Not to mention the term Trollborn is meant to convey many of the slurs that are heard in modern day. Those like Ritter can be as heroic as anyone, even be held up as Legends but to some that won't matter. They only see their appearance or family lineage.

The Last Keeper is one of those fantasies that makes real world commentary in a fantasy setting and does it well.

Sometimes with Epic Fantasy, darkness spills into a formerly light world making the characters wait for the light to return. However with The Last Keeper, the demons both outside and within the characters, the light may never appear. The darkness may remain for a long time, even forever.