The Keeper of the Crystal Blade

Winterthorn Saga #3

by Nathan Taylor

Destiny balances on a dagger’s edge, and where it will tip is anybody’s guess.

The Knights of Despair are free to invade Euryma—if there is anything left to conquer. Remnant Magic continues to scour the land, obliterating everything in its path.

While the Dominion crumbles, Declan’s attention turns to the magical blade that has taken so much from Winterthorn.

As alliances shift, the dead rise, and the nature of magic itself comes into question, Declan is left with a terrible choice.

It is easy to kill your enemies. It is harder to murder your friends.

The Keeper of the Crystal Blade is the third instalment in the Winterthorn Saga. A contemporary fantasy for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy.

Buy now and continue the adventure of the Winterthorn Saga.

454 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2024

About the author

Nathan Taylor is an independent author based in Queensland, Australia.

He made his first professional short story sale in 2018 to Underground Writers Monthly. At this time, he was teaching in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. Writing on the weekends and during school holidays, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels. In 2023, Nathan started his indie publication process with Magpie Drive Press with his contemporary fantasy, ‘The Non-Magical Declan Moore’ and short story collection ‘Puppies, Pizza, Magic and Murder’.

Reviews

[Bevany · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third installment of the series takes a dark turn as the characters battle to save magic.
The character growth was really fun to read in this book and the twist at the end, I didn't see coming!
I'm excited to see how the journey continues.

[Fallon O'Fae · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great continuation of the books so far.

Formatting, spelling and grammar are all good so an easy read. The story continues with the various characters on their individual paths to foil the villain. But who is the villain? Lines between good and bad become less certain as each person serves their cause as best they can.

An interesting tale that weaves through the different countries showing the civil unrest, the damaging storms that scar the land, and the war that threatens the borders.

The puppetmaster is hinted at throughout and revealed at the very end of the book, setting the stage for the fourth and final (?) in the series. Bring it on.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third installment of the Winterthorn series, and holy smokes, this book takes you on a ride! Characters that you initially thought were bad were merely morally gray, and characters you initially thought were good turned morally gray. The multiple perspectives gives a great view of not only the different story lines all happening at once and culminating towards similar goals, but it also gives great character development and growth of those you loved and those you didn’t. I love the story progression in this series, it definitely has progressively gotten darker as the books progress!

[Leslie Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Winterthorn series, and wow, what an exciting ride it is! You’ll find that some characters you thought were the “bad guys” actually have a lot of depth and moral ambiguity, while others who seemed good might surprise you. The multiple perspectives really help to showcase how all the different storylines are interconnected and build towards similar goals. Plus, it allows for some fantastic character development, whether you’re rooting for them or not! I absolutely love how the story has progressed in this series.

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the first two books in this series, I was happy to see the third book out and dove into reading it. I love the way Taylor has built this rich world within parts of our own and drawn you into a story that takes you through all the highs and lows. I didn’t realise there was another book after this, and I need to know what happens. The characters are engaging and relatable and the whole series just leaves you hungry for more. I ended up reading it in one sitting, and I can not wait for the finale. Very much recommended!

[Tyranamar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hated this book

So I'm becoming incredibly frustrated with this series. They are leaving Declan powerless for so long it's ridiculous. Why have a main character and then leave the character out of about 1/2 of the book. And the ending is so confusing. I don't remember the names of any of these people from the beginning of the book. More clues to their identity would've been great. Going to try to read the next book. But if they keep Declan powerless through the whole thing I'm out.

[Kaylea Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much pain, in each character you encounter, pain and hatred and a want for revenge. The story continues to unfold, more twists, more connections and stories untold. I would be reading and then throw my hands up like "what just happened?!" Jaw dropping, throw your book across the room ending. A never ending spiral that drags you in and doesn't let go of you. Definitely one for the bookcase to re read for years to come.

[Mike D-i · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compared to the previous two parts, this instalment has a much darker vibe to it, which I really enjoyed. There's a lot of character development here, and more than enough action to keep the readers engaged. Once you get to know some characters' motivations, you will discover that sometimes there is indeed a fine line between good and evil.
I really look forward the final part in this series, and I'm sure it's gonna be epic!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, this is the book where we've seen the most character development overall! Seeing the depth of the characters in this one and feeling how human they are despite their magical ability or lack thereof was a real treat. Good and evil aren't always black and white; this book will show you that.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark. Too dark, I think, for juvenile lit. Don’t see myself picking up the fourth when it drops.

[Verity Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

So...this isn't a trilogy. This book went through so many twists and turns, it completely subverted any expectations I had. Unfortunately, the next (maybe final?) book doesn't seem to be available. I really want to see how the *real* plot plays out, and the way that it relates to everything that came before. But where's the next book?