Truth Bearer

by Althea Damgaard

Kingship changes and a sweltering summer. What could possibly go wrong?
Versont made a promise to a dying king, who ruled by the Dark. Now he must step out to claim the reign of Palanon or determine which prince should gain the right to rule. Will the kingdom have an alcoholic free spirit on the throne who is only betrothed to one of its princesses? As the Truth Bearer for the Light, he can’t tell a lie, even to himself. The Dark pushes him in the hopes he would falter into a lie or succumb to the truth.

Rhoanda, tenth princess of Palanon, seen as the baby of the family betrothed to a besotted king of a tiny mountain kingdom, must prove herself worthy. Her sanctioned training by an assassin clashes with Palanon’s expectations of a prim princess, or does it? She must step out as her true self in the Light to become the queen Versont truly needs at his side.

They must survive the onslaught of storms and accusations to break the Dark of Palanon.

412 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2024

About the author

Althea has always loved writing stories and reading since she was a kid. Now disabled with Multiple Sclerosis, she spends most of her time writing, reading and improving her craft. Her go to fiction is fantasy and science fiction, but she will read any story that promises some adventure and the need to overcome. When not doing that, she is spending time with her husband, playing with her cats or playing games.

Follow her fiction writing blog at Tales of Karnum and Beyond

Find her on Facebook at

Reviews

[Jenelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a lot of ways, this story was kind of reminiscent of stories in the Old Testament. Not that it was a retelling of any particular story in the Bible, but just that it kind of had that feel to it. The characters are learning to fully rely on Leuvin Trus (the name for God in this series), and it's neat to see a fantasy book where the characters main struggle is to speak truth and wait on God's power to beat back the darkness. This was a unique feature to the story that was intriguing.

While I started this series here with book 2, I didn't feel lost. There were plenty of summations and explanations of things that I'm assuming happened in book 1 so I wasn't confused. (Though I'm sure that it would be better to read the books in order, starting at the beginning... it usually is!)

The story is well-written, and the author handles a fairly massive cast well. I felt like each of the family members and side characters were introduced in ways that kept them distinct and easy to keep track of.

I think the parts I enjoyed the most were the parts where Versont and Rhoanda got separated and had their own storylines that kind of flipped back and forth. It was fun to watch them working towards the same goal but from opposite sides of the map and without any knowledge of what the other was doing. They really had to trust each other to stay the course, and that was neat to see.

[Emilie Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The protagonists in “Truth Bearer” develop into their respective roles in a way that honors their unique strengths and personality. I appreciated that even while separated, they not only remained true to their shared goal, but to each other. Their integrity allowed one of the central themes of the book to shine through: overcoming challenges to live more fully into the person God has called you to be.

“Truth Bearer” also handles warfare with an emphasis on reconciliation that is basically absent from most fantasy novels. This isn’t a story about conquest, but one of truly noble leadership. Both protagonists are invested in the wellbeing of every member of their kingdom, from the commoner to the ruling class.

I really enjoyed the second installment of the “Champions of Light” series. One of the best things about engaging with the work of a new author is watching their craft grow, and I feel like I’ve had the opportunity to do that with “Truth Bearer.” The pacing felt natural and each character brings their own motives and personal struggles to create an engaging story.

[Sharron Loughran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed book 2, couldn't put it down unless I had to. Looking forward to book #3 of the series to see what happens next!