YA Review – Earthking – young adult fantasy

Hall, Christopher C. Earthking. 2015.

The Earthking Chronicles  book 1

Summary

When a killer strikes from the shadows young prince Colmeron is torn from the comfort of his father’s castle and sent into hiding with the man he’s sure is the traitor. Secluded in a distant refuge, Col comes to know the power of his ancestors, the Earthkings: men with the power to shape and control the land. But will that be enough to save the kingdom when an ancient enemy returns to free their long captive master?

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My Review

Col’s world is falling apart and he doesn’t know who to trust. He is the second prince and acts like it, knowing he will never come to power. Until, his brother is killed by evil forces. His father sends him and his younger brother to safety with two different trusted people in two different directions. 

Christopher C. Hall has developed his characters into believable people. Readers will wonder, along with Col, who is trustworthy and who has been overtaken by the evil forces who oppose the Earthkings. 

Earhking is an epic fantasy. The setting is not earth. It is like earth in many ways but there are different plants, different creatures, and different cultures. There is a world-level conflict. The evil forces who are inhabiting “good people” have a goal of taking over the world and doing away with all that is good. There is a hero. Prince Col is an unlikely hero but he works his way into the role as the story progresses. There are fantastic creatures. Hall has created the Kheva Adem and the Noflim, believable but fantastical creatures. Another characteristic of epic fantasy is historical or unusual technologies. Hand-to-hand combat is the form of most of the fights in Earthking. The final characteristic of epic fantasy is magic. The evil forces in this story appear to use magic in their dealings with others. 

Earthking is the first book in The Earthkings Chronicles. I can’t wait to read the next book. I found the book very enjoyable to read and hard to put down. 

Earthking would be a great addition to the fantasy section of a K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for middle school and up. 

I received a complimentary copy of Earthking. This is my honest review.