Wells, Angus
In a pattern similar to David Gemmell, Angus
Wells writes fantasies of heroism with a dash of romance. Unlike Gemmell,
though, all of Angus Wells' stories have a young man as a hero. Wells'
stories are easy and delightful reads.
Yesterday's Kings, is set in what could be
Medieval times but in the magical land around the Alagordar river. Cullyn is
just a lone woodsman, or so he thinks. His family died years ago, though
Cullyn never moved to town--preferring the solitary life on the border of two
kingdoms. It is an uneasy peace between men and the Durrym, ever since the
Durrym were chased off their own land and across the river Alagordar where
they are protected by a natural barrier of magic. The fey Durrym live with
the land and take their magic from it [I am reminded of elves]. The peace
will not last because the king of Kandar and his priesthood see expansion
still farther into Durrym land as a good thing for their people.
So Cullyn is caught in the middle, and in
more ways than one. A princely Durrym has ventured not only into friendship
with Cullyn, but also into romance with Lord Bartram's daughter Abra. Lord
Bartram rules the border area where Cullyn lives. Initially, the Durrym
Lofantyl had come to spy on Lord Bartram so his people could be forewarned of
the next "Garm" invasion, but Lofantyl inadvertently falls in love with Abra
and it is a love that risks all. Lofantyl is captured and tortured as a spy.
His brother Afranydyr, with Abra's help, breaks Lofantyl out of the dungeon
then knocks Abra out so she can be carried away as a prize and a hostage.
Lord Bartram's men give chase. The magical barrier of the Alagordar prevents
them from winning Abra back. Laurens, Lord Bartram's most loyal man-at-arms,
is injured. His men take him to "a forester's hut" where a man Laurens knows
can help him survive his wound.
Thus Cullyn is immersed into this battle
between Kandar and the Durrym. He cannot deny his friendship with the Durrym
Lofantyl, or to Lord Bartram's weapon's-master Laurens. The priest Per Fender
denounces them both as traitors and is set upon torturing them for
information. Cullyn and the injured Laurens escape to another forester's hut,
to a man named Eben who is half Durrym and strong in magic. But Eben is not
as strong in magic as the priest Per Fendur who chases Cullyn, Laurens, and
Eben deep into Durrym lands where they are also an enemy. Eben says that
Cullyn is a "syn'qui," a "confluence ... a person who gathers events to
themselves, so that the world revolves around them, and others are swept along
in the train of events." And once Cullyn gets involved, everything that is
important in this new war immediately gravitates toward him. "All lives
depend on him." Cullyn's innocence is caught by more than world-turning
events, Cullyn also finds love amid turmoil. Eben says Cullyn can help bring
a peace to their troubled world, but it is a complicated and dangerous path
they have chosen.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 the highest, I
would rate this book a seven. I liked it for the qualities listed in the
first paragraph above, and because Mr. Wells does not inundate his readers
with too many characters. But, ironically, it is this lack of multiple
characters that also limits my enjoyment because of the plotting depth that
can be accomplished therein. I much preferred some of Angus Wells' other
stories: The Godwars Trilogy, Lords of the Sky, and the
Exiles Saga [in that order].
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