A ferocious, compulsively readable tale of loyalty and survival…
After his kingdom falls to a rival house, a legendary knight must protect its last surviving prince in Eanes’s sweeping epic fantasy. Bound by an oath to the late King Orrin Edenfield, Robert Hanlon, the formidable Great Knight, flees with fourteen-year-old Gabriel, the last surviving heir of a conquered dynasty. Hunted by House Tanis, Robert disguises Gabriel as his squire and heads west in search of sanctuary. Meanwhile, rivalries among the victors threaten to widen the conflict.
Eanes gives familiar epic-fantasy ingredients—fallen kingdoms, contested crowns, prophecy, blood magic, and warring dynasties—fresh emotional weight by grounding the story in Robert and Gabriel’s evolving relationship. Robert is particularly compelling: an almost mythic warrior whose greatest challenge is not defeating enemies but keeping a boy alive. Gabriel proves equally engaging, his pride, fear, wit, and gradual hardening making his transformation persuasive.
Eanes deftly blurs the line between conqueror and victim, revealing flaws and ambitions on both sides. The resulting moral ambiguity gives the fight for the throne real bite. The supernatural elements are deployed with similar restraint: ominous visions and blood magic hint at larger forces without overwhelming the human drama. Though the expansive narrative occasionally slows as it establishes the larger conflicts to come, muscular action, sharp dialogue, flashes of humor, and mounting tension keep the pages turning. Most impressive is the bond between Robert and Gabriel, which develops into the novel’s emotional core and gives its battles and betrayals genuine weight.
A blood-soaked, exhilarating start to a promising fantasy saga; a must-read.
Hanlon Books
Pub date July 6, 2026
ISBN 979-8996243501
Price $19.99 Paperback
I’ve never heard of this author before, but I do love the sound of the ingredients used to make this story! Thanks for sharing and nice to meet ya! 😀