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Labyrinth
Fearing for her life, Otta has left the protection of the House of the Half Bloods in Orosturbe, and is determined to reach the relative safety and freedom of the caldera known as Fulagunh.
“I really loved Otta. From the start there was so much in her to admire, starting with her thoughts about Ogany in chapter one.” S Moore
Knowing she will be pursued by the kaerlings, Otta tries to navigate the subterranean roads between the six craters that make up the kaerling stronghold.
Hopelessly lost, she is haunted by a chilling presence that always disappears just as she catches sight of it out of the corner of her eye.
Meanwhile, Tari tries to come to terms with being The Sacrifice that High Priest Kenril insists she is. Otta’s brother Erl, together with Lored, Ashlar and Stio, adapt to their new life as fighting slaves in Irak Tam, whilst trying to work out a way of escape in order to rescue Rue, Tari, Otta, Lally and Derri.
If you love books by D Wallace Peach, Chris Sendrowski and Scott A Tirrell, you’ll love this tale!
contains scenes, language and concepts that some readers may find upsetting.
“I really loved Otta. From the start there was so much in her to admire, starting with her thoughts about Ogany in chapter one.” S Moore
Knowing she will be pursued by the kaerlings, Otta tries to navigate the subterranean roads between the six craters that make up the kaerling stronghold.
Hopelessly lost, she is haunted by a chilling presence that always disappears just as she catches sight of it out of the corner of her eye.
Meanwhile, Tari tries to come to terms with being The Sacrifice that High Priest Kenril insists she is. Otta’s brother Erl, together with Lored, Ashlar and Stio, adapt to their new life as fighting slaves in Irak Tam, whilst trying to work out a way of escape in order to rescue Rue, Tari, Otta, Lally and Derri.
If you love books by D Wallace Peach, Chris Sendrowski and Scott A Tirrell, you’ll love this tale!
contains scenes, language and concepts that some readers may find upsetting.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 27, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 9, 2026
Labyrinth is book 20 in Pickard’s Kaerling fantasy series. Lored, Tari, Otta, and Erl are on a mission to rescue Darri and Lally from the Kaerlings. But Otta is still under a forgetting spell; Tari is a prisoner in a tower and was told she is to be a sacrifice to an evil god; and Lored and Erl have been captured and are now slaves in a fight arena. All seems hopeless!
Much of the worldbuilding has been done in previous books of this series, so in Labyrinth, the pace picks up. Things are coming to a head.
Otta has escaped the Kaerlings. She has flashes of memory and insight that give the reader hope that her memory is returning. She has some scary scenes in which she’s lost in underground tunnels (a maze) with darkness and danger or the unknown around each corner. These scenes are so well written!
There’s another scary scene, downright terrifying, actually, in which the evil, cruel high priest Kenril invades and takes control of the mind of a certain character. Makes a reader thankful for mere human non-ESP minds.
Knowledge and a friend is gained in this book, but story threads are left for the next book. I am itching to read the next book (Blood, which comes out March 27, 2026). Five stars!
Much of the worldbuilding has been done in previous books of this series, so in Labyrinth, the pace picks up. Things are coming to a head.
Otta has escaped the Kaerlings. She has flashes of memory and insight that give the reader hope that her memory is returning. She has some scary scenes in which she’s lost in underground tunnels (a maze) with darkness and danger or the unknown around each corner. These scenes are so well written!
There’s another scary scene, downright terrifying, actually, in which the evil, cruel high priest Kenril invades and takes control of the mind of a certain character. Makes a reader thankful for mere human non-ESP minds.
Knowledge and a friend is gained in this book, but story threads are left for the next book. I am itching to read the next book (Blood, which comes out March 27, 2026). Five stars!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Full disclosure: Labyrinth is dedicated to me (thank you, Freya!) so I may be somewhat biased.
Freya has a real gift for making you care about her characters. The story draws you in and makes you want to know what happens next. I had to give only four stars because the book ends on a cliffhanger, and now I'm forced to wait for the next volume. If you like fantasy and don't mind a little waiting to find out what happens next, definitely give the Kaerling series a try.
Freya has a real gift for making you care about her characters. The story draws you in and makes you want to know what happens next. I had to give only four stars because the book ends on a cliffhanger, and now I'm forced to wait for the next volume. If you like fantasy and don't mind a little waiting to find out what happens next, definitely give the Kaerling series a try.
March 17, 2026
Fantastic cover - eerie, almost creepy, which totally defines this story! The author makes Otta’s journey in the dark relatable and terrifying. And the chapters about the warriors in the fighting arena are a welcome break from the grim darkness of Otta’s part of the story. DO NOT miss this episode!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews