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Fool
Kyrien's ascendancy from a prisoner of war to the trusted "Fool and Advisor to the God-King" has been the stuff of storybooks. He owes his dramatic reversal of fortune to Vaerain, the God-King himself. Kyrien's life in the capital city is blessed with fame, riches, and a beautiful young family.
But when a group of unknown conspirators kidnaps his son, his charmed world collapses. The people holding his son have one demand, which they believe Kyrien is in a unique position to grant-they want to know where the king, the only person in the world who wields god-like magic, derives his powers.
As Kyrien and his wife, Acali, begin to unravel this mystery under the watchful eyes of the king and his religious zealots, they learn that their blessed life has always come at a steep cost and that a revolution is brewing among the city's poor and trampled.
The deeper they dig, the more Kyrien questions his reverence for the man he once saw as his savior.
Kyrien and Acali will stop at nothing to find answers and get their son back, even if it means tearing the kingdom apart.
But when a group of unknown conspirators kidnaps his son, his charmed world collapses. The people holding his son have one demand, which they believe Kyrien is in a unique position to grant-they want to know where the king, the only person in the world who wields god-like magic, derives his powers.
As Kyrien and his wife, Acali, begin to unravel this mystery under the watchful eyes of the king and his religious zealots, they learn that their blessed life has always come at a steep cost and that a revolution is brewing among the city's poor and trampled.
The deeper they dig, the more Kyrien questions his reverence for the man he once saw as his savior.
Kyrien and Acali will stop at nothing to find answers and get their son back, even if it means tearing the kingdom apart.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2026
About the author
K.R. Lockhaven
1 bookI'm the artist formerly known as K.R.R. Lockhaven, but I lost an R. If you find it, please let me know. Apparently goodreads won't let me link the two profiles...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 19, 2026
The last book I read by this author was a charming capybara-infused cozy fantasy. Needless to say, Fool is incredibly, astonishingly different. And it’s utter genius. The tone and atmosphere of this book highlight a truly nuanced story. Ostensibly about a married couple rushing to find their kidnapped son, there is so much more to the story.
Kyrien is the King’s Fool, there to entertain and basically spread whatever propaganda the king decides he wants to share. He walks a bit of a tightrope; his life is wonderful, but for only as long as the “God-King” (who has magical powers, more on that later) is happy with him. Kyrien and his wife and son orbit each other, almost close but with a gap that is widening with each day. While he convinces himself that he does everything for them, he is depriving them – and himself- of a meaningful relationship.
Author K.R. Lockaven does a fantastic job of balancing a relationship with cracks showing with a much larger, but more catastrophically dangerous, kingdom on the tipping point. One tiny touch could plunge everything into disaster. That final touch comes when Kryien’s wife, Acali, witnesses her son being kidnapped, used by a shadowy group to compel Kyrien to find the answers to the God-King’s powers.
I loathed Kyrien. Familial relationships go through rough patches, but his lack of willingness to do anything to rectify the situation irritated the snot out of me. He seemed perfectly content being the object of appreciation and applause, and not at all inclined to stick his nose out for anything. That being said, as much as I hated him, I was engrossed by his character. I rarely see such believably nuanced characters in books. His personality was so raw, with his flaws as easily visible as his strengths, that it was impossible to not be sucked in. He was a large part of why this book works so well on so many levels. I still hate him, though.
I loved his wife, Acali, just as much as I hated Kyrien. Poor Kyrien had to stick to manipulation and games, but she wasn’t patient enough for that (I wouldn’t have been either). Instead, she charged straight into danger with no regard for her own safety, looking for her own solutions. I respected her willingness to give up anything she had to. She was all gas and no brake. That’s not to say she didn’t have her own flaws or struggles. And while the book has plenty of intrigue, its strength lies in the complex characters and their ever-evolving relationships.
There are so many ways to write a good book. A book that I personally find truly great needs to have complicated and believable characters. The plot and pacing are always important, of course, but it’s the characters that make or break a book for me. Fool was amazingly written with characters that drew me in and a story that kept me fully invested.
I absolutely loved this book! Fool is a must-read for anyone who enjoys adventure, intrigue, and deeply flawed yet incredibly compelling characters.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book. My review is voluntary and my opinions are completely my own.
First appeared on my blog: https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
Kyrien is the King’s Fool, there to entertain and basically spread whatever propaganda the king decides he wants to share. He walks a bit of a tightrope; his life is wonderful, but for only as long as the “God-King” (who has magical powers, more on that later) is happy with him. Kyrien and his wife and son orbit each other, almost close but with a gap that is widening with each day. While he convinces himself that he does everything for them, he is depriving them – and himself- of a meaningful relationship.
Author K.R. Lockaven does a fantastic job of balancing a relationship with cracks showing with a much larger, but more catastrophically dangerous, kingdom on the tipping point. One tiny touch could plunge everything into disaster. That final touch comes when Kryien’s wife, Acali, witnesses her son being kidnapped, used by a shadowy group to compel Kyrien to find the answers to the God-King’s powers.
I loathed Kyrien. Familial relationships go through rough patches, but his lack of willingness to do anything to rectify the situation irritated the snot out of me. He seemed perfectly content being the object of appreciation and applause, and not at all inclined to stick his nose out for anything. That being said, as much as I hated him, I was engrossed by his character. I rarely see such believably nuanced characters in books. His personality was so raw, with his flaws as easily visible as his strengths, that it was impossible to not be sucked in. He was a large part of why this book works so well on so many levels. I still hate him, though.
I loved his wife, Acali, just as much as I hated Kyrien. Poor Kyrien had to stick to manipulation and games, but she wasn’t patient enough for that (I wouldn’t have been either). Instead, she charged straight into danger with no regard for her own safety, looking for her own solutions. I respected her willingness to give up anything she had to. She was all gas and no brake. That’s not to say she didn’t have her own flaws or struggles. And while the book has plenty of intrigue, its strength lies in the complex characters and their ever-evolving relationships.
There are so many ways to write a good book. A book that I personally find truly great needs to have complicated and believable characters. The plot and pacing are always important, of course, but it’s the characters that make or break a book for me. Fool was amazingly written with characters that drew me in and a story that kept me fully invested.
I absolutely loved this book! Fool is a must-read for anyone who enjoys adventure, intrigue, and deeply flawed yet incredibly compelling characters.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book. My review is voluntary and my opinions are completely my own.
First appeared on my blog: https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
September 26, 2026
This review was originally featured on Behind the Pages: Fool
Thank you to K. R. Lockhaven for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Kyrien has built himself a privileged life as the god king's fool. However, most do not realize the choices forced on Kyrien to achieve it, and the continued sacrifices to keep the king happy. When Kyrien’s son Pavi is kidnapped, Kyrien is given an ultimatum. Uncover the god king's source of power, or lose his son.
K. R. Lockhaven has created complex and heartfelt characters in Fool. Even before additional pressure is placed on them, Kyrien and his wife Acali are struggling to connect. Kyrien neglects his family in the sad reality of a poor work-life balance. When their son is kidnapped, the miscommunications and lack of trust only cause them to make greater assumptions and mistakes. Readers will be pulled into their relationship and feel the emotional hardships right alongside the characters. Kyrien and Acari truly love each other, but time has eroded their marriage.
Yet despite the challenges they face, both parents are determined to get their son back. Though they each go about it in their own way, Kyrien and Acali put themselves into dangerous situations with absolutely no experience in spy craft or stealth. This creates difficult situations they must find themselves in. K.R. Lockhaven captures their efforts with accurate representations of their skills and harrowing ordeals the readers will be pulled into, hoping desperately for the characters not to be discovered.
And let’s not forget that while all this is occurring, Kyrien must still be both the fool and advisor to the king. Through Kyrien’s plays and jokes, readers will see how the king’s jests eat away at Kyrien mentally. There are so many layers of character development and twists readers will not see coming. This is one book that kept me hooked from the first chapter all the way through to the end.
Fool is a great standalone novel for those who enjoy darker fantasy tales and deep relationships. The dynamics created for Kyrien and Acali are wonderful, and character driven readers would thoroughly enjoy this novel.
Thank you to K. R. Lockhaven for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Kyrien has built himself a privileged life as the god king's fool. However, most do not realize the choices forced on Kyrien to achieve it, and the continued sacrifices to keep the king happy. When Kyrien’s son Pavi is kidnapped, Kyrien is given an ultimatum. Uncover the god king's source of power, or lose his son.
K. R. Lockhaven has created complex and heartfelt characters in Fool. Even before additional pressure is placed on them, Kyrien and his wife Acali are struggling to connect. Kyrien neglects his family in the sad reality of a poor work-life balance. When their son is kidnapped, the miscommunications and lack of trust only cause them to make greater assumptions and mistakes. Readers will be pulled into their relationship and feel the emotional hardships right alongside the characters. Kyrien and Acari truly love each other, but time has eroded their marriage.
Yet despite the challenges they face, both parents are determined to get their son back. Though they each go about it in their own way, Kyrien and Acali put themselves into dangerous situations with absolutely no experience in spy craft or stealth. This creates difficult situations they must find themselves in. K.R. Lockhaven captures their efforts with accurate representations of their skills and harrowing ordeals the readers will be pulled into, hoping desperately for the characters not to be discovered.
And let’s not forget that while all this is occurring, Kyrien must still be both the fool and advisor to the king. Through Kyrien’s plays and jokes, readers will see how the king’s jests eat away at Kyrien mentally. There are so many layers of character development and twists readers will not see coming. This is one book that kept me hooked from the first chapter all the way through to the end.
Fool is a great standalone novel for those who enjoy darker fantasy tales and deep relationships. The dynamics created for Kyrien and Acali are wonderful, and character driven readers would thoroughly enjoy this novel.
September 12, 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader. If you like this post, you might like others on that site. Consider checking it out!
---
WHAT'S FOOL ABOUT?
The God-King Vaerain is a generally benevolent ruler—under the broadest definitions of both of those terms, and for those who aren't on his bad side, things in the kingdom's capital seem okay. This is definitely the case for his "Fool and Trusted Advisor"—almost his most trusted Advisor—and friend, Kyrien Meras. Not terribly long ago, Kyrien was a prisoner of war with a very short life expectancy, but now he finds himself in a very different position. He's successful, has no real material concerns, his wife and child enjoy comfortable living—basically, everything's coming up Millhouse for him.
But there are forces who are not content with Vaerian's rule. Those who see him as a tyrant and want to see him replaced with something better—there are differences, naturally, in what might be considered the better alternative. But that's not important for now. What is important is that some of them have decided it's time to act.
They do so by kidnapping Kyrien's son, Pavi. They promise to treat him well and not harm him while Kyrien accomplishes a task for them—they want to know the source of the God-King's magic. If Kyrien can use his position and wits to uncover that source, Pavi is returned. It's just that simple.
Of course, everyone "knows" that Vaerain was given his powers by the gods Wrath and Mercy—like all his predecessors. All Kyrien has to do is disprove a core tenet of a centuries-old religion, call into question the bedrock of the government, expose his friend/benefactor, and do so without tipping off the most powerful figure in the world in just a few days.
That should be a piece of cake for a comedian/comic actor—any fool would know that.
Acali, Kyrien's wife, is not content to sit and wait for Kyrien to do the nigh-impossible. She grew up in the lower-class areas of the capitol and thinks she still can find her way around sketchier areas—so she sets out to discover who took Pavi to get him back the more direct way.
THE RELIGION
The first time I read through this, I didn't pay as much attention to the religion as I should have. It seemed a little better designed than your typical Fantasy religion. This time, I paid it more attention.
It's essentially a take on the dualism so popular in philosophy and in some religions (including heretical versions of Christianity), a combination of eutheism and dystheism. The Father God is Wrath, the Mother God is Mercy, and the followers of this religion (which don't, incidentally, include Acali) will cry out to either, depending on the circumstance—while it does appear that many individuals tend to invoke one over the other.
Lockhaven does a fantastic job of laying out this religion in a phrase or two early on, and then seeds references throughout the rest of the text in a subtle way so that it permeates the book—it feels real; people invoking the name of one of the deities doesn't feel tacked on, but genuine—routine.
We don't get a lot of detail about the faith—we have no need to, it's not that kind of book. Just enough to let us know it exists and that it means something.
WHY DID I PICK THIS UP? WHY DID I KEEP READING?
I picked this up because I beta read this months ago and wanted to see what it was like in its final form—also, honestly, because it’s a new Lockhaven novel and I’m a sucker for those.
I stuck with it because of the combination of family drama and palace intrigue—plus, I wanted to know how the King got his powers. Okay, sure, I knew already—but that’s why I stuck with the book the first time. This time it was more about seeing the pieces come together for Kyrien. That was super-satisfying.
THE FOOL
[this feels spoilery, even as I try to make it vague]
It’s an apt title for Kyrien*. Kyrien dedicated his life to his family—first his parents, and then his childhood friends. He sacrifices a lot for those friends, and later gains a wife and son. His relationships with his mentor and cast are familial, too. Theoretically, all he does is for his wife and son, but at some point that starts to slip (as we see in the opening pages).
How this happens, why this happens—is partially understandable. Maybe it’s completely understandable. But it is foolish. He's gotten complacent, he's grown comfortable, he's started (maybe) to buy into his own hype—and his priorities shifted without his notice. And when he does catch a glimpse of that, he doesn't seize the opportunity to correct it.
The nice thing is that foolishness can be cured. But there’s no guarantee that Kyrien will realize his need for a cure—or that he will in time.
* And maybe a couple of other characters, but let’s stick with the clear example.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT FOOL?
There's just so much that I want to say here. Let's see if I can keep myself concise.
I've read everything that Lockhaven has published. Well, I thought I did, until he mentioned a novel published under a different variation when I interviewed him this week, so I guess I should say every Fantasy novel he's written. We're going to have to wait a month or two for me to polish off his works. Regardless—I've enjoyed all of them. But this is the best thing he's written, and it ain't even close.
There's a lot going on here beyond just the story of the kidnapping and the search for Vaerain's power source, and I'd like to blather on about them, but you'd enjoy them more when you encounter them yourself.
There's not a tremendous amount of action—but when it shows up, Lockhaven nails it. There's a large-scale battle, there's some hand-to-hand combat, there's some magic battles, and some great chase scenes.
But this book lives in the quiet moments, times of introspection and conversations between two or three people. Where people can be honest and vulnerable, or vague, misleading, and maybe manipulative. Lockhaven uses both well to show what's going on with our characters. While the action scenes show what they're capable of—these scenes are about why they're capable of them.
I really like the children's songs, incidentally. When I picked up The Name of the Wind the next day, I couldn't help but think of them as I read the children's songs that Kvothe recounted. In fact, while reading this both times, I drew comparisons to works by Scott Lynch, M. A. Carrick, Christopher Buehlman, M.L. Wuang, and Patrick Rothfuss. With all due respect for Lockhaven—I'm not suggesting he's quite at the level of all of them yet, but there are elements of this novel that drew on similar themes, characteristics, and ideas. And people who appreciate what those authors were about should find plenty in Fool to appreciate, too.
This is a novel about parenthood and family, of caring for those who don't have the same kind of power and privilege you do (which can be considered a kind of parenthood and family writ broadly). That's tucked away in a story about palace politics, intrigue, and danger—with a side order of satire and appreciation for the comic arts.
I strongly urge you to make the choice to pick up Lockhaven's Fool, to do otherwise would be (forgive me) foolish.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader. If you like this post, you might like others on that site. Consider checking it out!
---
WHAT'S FOOL ABOUT?
The God-King Vaerain is a generally benevolent ruler—under the broadest definitions of both of those terms, and for those who aren't on his bad side, things in the kingdom's capital seem okay. This is definitely the case for his "Fool and Trusted Advisor"—almost his most trusted Advisor—and friend, Kyrien Meras. Not terribly long ago, Kyrien was a prisoner of war with a very short life expectancy, but now he finds himself in a very different position. He's successful, has no real material concerns, his wife and child enjoy comfortable living—basically, everything's coming up Millhouse for him.
But there are forces who are not content with Vaerian's rule. Those who see him as a tyrant and want to see him replaced with something better—there are differences, naturally, in what might be considered the better alternative. But that's not important for now. What is important is that some of them have decided it's time to act.
They do so by kidnapping Kyrien's son, Pavi. They promise to treat him well and not harm him while Kyrien accomplishes a task for them—they want to know the source of the God-King's magic. If Kyrien can use his position and wits to uncover that source, Pavi is returned. It's just that simple.
Of course, everyone "knows" that Vaerain was given his powers by the gods Wrath and Mercy—like all his predecessors. All Kyrien has to do is disprove a core tenet of a centuries-old religion, call into question the bedrock of the government, expose his friend/benefactor, and do so without tipping off the most powerful figure in the world in just a few days.
That should be a piece of cake for a comedian/comic actor—any fool would know that.
Acali, Kyrien's wife, is not content to sit and wait for Kyrien to do the nigh-impossible. She grew up in the lower-class areas of the capitol and thinks she still can find her way around sketchier areas—so she sets out to discover who took Pavi to get him back the more direct way.
THE RELIGION
The first time I read through this, I didn't pay as much attention to the religion as I should have. It seemed a little better designed than your typical Fantasy religion. This time, I paid it more attention.
It's essentially a take on the dualism so popular in philosophy and in some religions (including heretical versions of Christianity), a combination of eutheism and dystheism. The Father God is Wrath, the Mother God is Mercy, and the followers of this religion (which don't, incidentally, include Acali) will cry out to either, depending on the circumstance—while it does appear that many individuals tend to invoke one over the other.
Lockhaven does a fantastic job of laying out this religion in a phrase or two early on, and then seeds references throughout the rest of the text in a subtle way so that it permeates the book—it feels real; people invoking the name of one of the deities doesn't feel tacked on, but genuine—routine.
We don't get a lot of detail about the faith—we have no need to, it's not that kind of book. Just enough to let us know it exists and that it means something.
WHY DID I PICK THIS UP? WHY DID I KEEP READING?
I picked this up because I beta read this months ago and wanted to see what it was like in its final form—also, honestly, because it’s a new Lockhaven novel and I’m a sucker for those.
I stuck with it because of the combination of family drama and palace intrigue—plus, I wanted to know how the King got his powers. Okay, sure, I knew already—but that’s why I stuck with the book the first time. This time it was more about seeing the pieces come together for Kyrien. That was super-satisfying.
THE FOOL
[this feels spoilery, even as I try to make it vague]
It’s an apt title for Kyrien*. Kyrien dedicated his life to his family—first his parents, and then his childhood friends. He sacrifices a lot for those friends, and later gains a wife and son. His relationships with his mentor and cast are familial, too. Theoretically, all he does is for his wife and son, but at some point that starts to slip (as we see in the opening pages).
How this happens, why this happens—is partially understandable. Maybe it’s completely understandable. But it is foolish. He's gotten complacent, he's grown comfortable, he's started (maybe) to buy into his own hype—and his priorities shifted without his notice. And when he does catch a glimpse of that, he doesn't seize the opportunity to correct it.
The nice thing is that foolishness can be cured. But there’s no guarantee that Kyrien will realize his need for a cure—or that he will in time.
* And maybe a couple of other characters, but let’s stick with the clear example.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT FOOL?
There's just so much that I want to say here. Let's see if I can keep myself concise.
I've read everything that Lockhaven has published. Well, I thought I did, until he mentioned a novel published under a different variation when I interviewed him this week, so I guess I should say every Fantasy novel he's written. We're going to have to wait a month or two for me to polish off his works. Regardless—I've enjoyed all of them. But this is the best thing he's written, and it ain't even close.
There's a lot going on here beyond just the story of the kidnapping and the search for Vaerain's power source, and I'd like to blather on about them, but you'd enjoy them more when you encounter them yourself.
There's not a tremendous amount of action—but when it shows up, Lockhaven nails it. There's a large-scale battle, there's some hand-to-hand combat, there's some magic battles, and some great chase scenes.
But this book lives in the quiet moments, times of introspection and conversations between two or three people. Where people can be honest and vulnerable, or vague, misleading, and maybe manipulative. Lockhaven uses both well to show what's going on with our characters. While the action scenes show what they're capable of—these scenes are about why they're capable of them.
I really like the children's songs, incidentally. When I picked up The Name of the Wind the next day, I couldn't help but think of them as I read the children's songs that Kvothe recounted. In fact, while reading this both times, I drew comparisons to works by Scott Lynch, M. A. Carrick, Christopher Buehlman, M.L. Wuang, and Patrick Rothfuss. With all due respect for Lockhaven—I'm not suggesting he's quite at the level of all of them yet, but there are elements of this novel that drew on similar themes, characteristics, and ideas. And people who appreciate what those authors were about should find plenty in Fool to appreciate, too.
This is a novel about parenthood and family, of caring for those who don't have the same kind of power and privilege you do (which can be considered a kind of parenthood and family writ broadly). That's tucked away in a story about palace politics, intrigue, and danger—with a side order of satire and appreciation for the comic arts.
I strongly urge you to make the choice to pick up Lockhaven's Fool, to do otherwise would be (forgive me) foolish.
October 31, 2026
Goodreads prompts authors to rate their own books, so I'd be a Fool not to...
...oh Gods...what have I become? My teenage kids are right. I'm cringe. The cringiest. Why do I keep doing this? Why shout into the void and/or bang my head against a brick wall over and over and over? Even the void cringes at my efforts. Do I persist because I love it? Yeah, I guess so. The writing part, anyway.
But seriously, this is the best thing I've ever written. The few who have read it seem to agree. One reviewer, whom I really respect, said it was "utter genius." That was very nice to hear! So, give it a try. I promise it's not objectively bad.
...oh Gods...what have I become? My teenage kids are right. I'm cringe. The cringiest. Why do I keep doing this? Why shout into the void and/or bang my head against a brick wall over and over and over? Even the void cringes at my efforts. Do I persist because I love it? Yeah, I guess so. The writing part, anyway.
But seriously, this is the best thing I've ever written. The few who have read it seem to agree. One reviewer, whom I really respect, said it was "utter genius." That was very nice to hear! So, give it a try. I promise it's not objectively bad.
September 13, 2026
This book is such an amazing read, I was so glad I got to read it!
Lockhaven does an amazing job at creating this world where a magical king rules all, even the minds of his people, and Kyrien his Fool helps win over their hearts using wit and the stage. But darkness and frustration lies beneath the surface, and when Kyrien's son is kidnapped, he has to deal with the issues he's been ignoring in his own family.
Lockhaven does such a good job of giving us a nuanced look at a failing man with Kyrien. I was so frustrated with him at every turn. But at the same time I understood how he got where he was and what led him down this road to ruin. He cuts this tension so well with Acali, Kyrien's wife, who at every turn is ready to jump into danger and push against Kyrien's own reality. They are lost at the beginning, and they don't agree on the right path forward. But together they will get to an end that will work for them both, and Lockhaven moves us through both their worlds so deftly, I loved every second of it.
Mixed with this is a world that I loved being in - I was never overexplained to, but was always finding things out as I needed to, and the magic and worldbuilding was spot on for this type of dark but amusing world. Lockhaven does a great job, and I can't recommend this book enough.
Check out OWWR interview with Lockhaven for more discussion!
This book is such an amazing read, I was so glad I got to read it!
Lockhaven does an amazing job at creating this world where a magical king rules all, even the minds of his people, and Kyrien his Fool helps win over their hearts using wit and the stage. But darkness and frustration lies beneath the surface, and when Kyrien's son is kidnapped, he has to deal with the issues he's been ignoring in his own family.
Lockhaven does such a good job of giving us a nuanced look at a failing man with Kyrien. I was so frustrated with him at every turn. But at the same time I understood how he got where he was and what led him down this road to ruin. He cuts this tension so well with Acali, Kyrien's wife, who at every turn is ready to jump into danger and push against Kyrien's own reality. They are lost at the beginning, and they don't agree on the right path forward. But together they will get to an end that will work for them both, and Lockhaven moves us through both their worlds so deftly, I loved every second of it.
Mixed with this is a world that I loved being in - I was never overexplained to, but was always finding things out as I needed to, and the magic and worldbuilding was spot on for this type of dark but amusing world. Lockhaven does a great job, and I can't recommend this book enough.
Check out OWWR interview with Lockhaven for more discussion!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1696630/ep...
Lockhaven does an amazing job at creating this world where a magical king rules all, even the minds of his people, and Kyrien his Fool helps win over their hearts using wit and the stage. But darkness and frustration lies beneath the surface, and when Kyrien's son is kidnapped, he has to deal with the issues he's been ignoring in his own family.
Lockhaven does such a good job of giving us a nuanced look at a failing man with Kyrien. I was so frustrated with him at every turn. But at the same time I understood how he got where he was and what led him down this road to ruin. He cuts this tension so well with Acali, Kyrien's wife, who at every turn is ready to jump into danger and push against Kyrien's own reality. They are lost at the beginning, and they don't agree on the right path forward. But together they will get to an end that will work for them both, and Lockhaven moves us through both their worlds so deftly, I loved every second of it.
Mixed with this is a world that I loved being in - I was never overexplained to, but was always finding things out as I needed to, and the magic and worldbuilding was spot on for this type of dark but amusing world. Lockhaven does a great job, and I can't recommend this book enough.
Check out OWWR interview with Lockhaven for more discussion!
This book is such an amazing read, I was so glad I got to read it!
Lockhaven does an amazing job at creating this world where a magical king rules all, even the minds of his people, and Kyrien his Fool helps win over their hearts using wit and the stage. But darkness and frustration lies beneath the surface, and when Kyrien's son is kidnapped, he has to deal with the issues he's been ignoring in his own family.
Lockhaven does such a good job of giving us a nuanced look at a failing man with Kyrien. I was so frustrated with him at every turn. But at the same time I understood how he got where he was and what led him down this road to ruin. He cuts this tension so well with Acali, Kyrien's wife, who at every turn is ready to jump into danger and push against Kyrien's own reality. They are lost at the beginning, and they don't agree on the right path forward. But together they will get to an end that will work for them both, and Lockhaven moves us through both their worlds so deftly, I loved every second of it.
Mixed with this is a world that I loved being in - I was never overexplained to, but was always finding things out as I needed to, and the magic and worldbuilding was spot on for this type of dark but amusing world. Lockhaven does a great job, and I can't recommend this book enough.
Check out OWWR interview with Lockhaven for more discussion!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1696630/ep...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews