The Briar King by Greg Keyes

I find Keyes a bit footloose with the health of his characters.  He builds a relationship with his character, gives them personality, and kills them off.  I appreciate his storytelling skills but I get dismayed when a character I have invested in, is gone.   The story begins with the end of a war and the seeds of the next war are sown.   It then fast forwards to a time when things are going well and the seeds start to bear their deadly fruit.

Treachery seems to be a major theme in this book.   There are a wealth of disagreeable characters who seem to get away with murder.   Keyes has done a terrific job in creating an environment that is fantasy but still believable.  I’m guessing he has had experience with a teenager as Anne is accurately portrayed.

I really enjoyed the book and am already in the next one in the series.

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