The True Blade of Power

Lowthar's Blade #3

by R.L. LaFevers

Time is running out. The old king is dying, and evil Mordig escaped his stone prison. Humans, Fey, and goblins of Lowthar must unite and forge a true blade of power or fall to Mordig. Kenric, human son of a blacksmith, with friends Fey Princess Linwe and lowest goblin caste Hnagi, seek help of unwilling goblin king Orlegg via rescue of goblin Prince Durrig.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade

148 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

R.L. LaFevers (Robin Lorraine when she’s in really big trouble) grew up surrounded by shelves of old dusty books and a passel of brothers. She has also spent a large portion of her life being told she was making up things that weren’t there, which only proves she was destined to write fiction. She is the author of over fourteen books for young readers, including THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) which received starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Booksense Summer Pick, and nominated for the Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award, and the NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST series. R.L. also writes the His Fair Assassin books using her full name, Robin LaFevers, but cannot get Goodreads to link the two, so you have to check out a separate profile for that. So sorry for the inconvenience!

Reviews

[Christine Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion to a wonderful trilogy!

[Anne Patkau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awkward not having read previous two installments; I meant to read the first of the trilogy, not the last, where "old lore .. learned from the Fey .. Grim Wood .. the poem .. from Thulidor, the Fey smith" p 61. I don't like rhymes and oracles that puzzle decoding; this verse is both. Plot and characters are not exactly predictable, just so many elements seem familiar from a Tolkein-style world ("Three rings for the Elven-kings .. One ring to .. bind them"), that somehow strangely spelling out details lessens overall liveliness, thrill. Maybe because this book is conclusion?

Kenric has to get three stones, or Mordig dooms all.

Out of the ancient murky gloom
Three powers arose: earth, fire, and moon.
Each contained within a stone,
Each is needed to keep the throne.
United together brings strength and power,
But twisted in evil brings our final hour"

p 61.

Kenric is the son of the blacksmith "smith's boy" p 114, again takes friends "Princess Linwe of the Fey" p 4 guided by Hnagi, lowest caste "finboggi" of goblin, against evil Mordrig. Mordrig turns out to be descended from goblin, fay, and human blood combined. "Erdig young goblin warrior .. Kidnap Princess Marílla to punish Fey king" p 69, bore "Ilgorm. Mordig's father .. Kidnapped human queen for wife. King Thorgil's mother .. so Mordig born. Son of goblin, son of Fey, and son of hu-man" p 70.

When Mordrig escapes, the trio follow while the trail is fresh so Hnagi can smell. Tall cloaked skeletal Sleäg send "a pack of snapping, slavering Mawr hounds" p 29 in pursuit and as a trap in a tavern. Sounds like the Nazgûl Ringwraith Black Riders from Tolkein "Lord of the Rings", and hell-hounds are a typical monster in much fiction. Kenric races to reach the forge where smiths from three races use their three kinds of blood - goblin, fey, human - to make the true blade before the villain arrives.

Goblin King Orlegg is uncooperative until Kenric offers to rescue his only son. Prince Durrig is imprisoned with, to Orlegg valueless, finboggi and grymclaws, fierce "giant bird"s p 130. "The fortress had been designed to keep things in, not to keep them out" p 97. Two higher-caste boulder-like "massive .. Urgol" warriors p 39 are spies -- extra little problem doesn't affect much.

Hnagi "piggyback" p 101 atop Kenric, face "a handful of goblin dust .. like ashes .. Linwe pulled a piece of charcoal from her pocket .. smudged dark shadows around his eyes and mouth" p 100 and throw around a Sleäg cloak to complete disguise as Sleäg, just long enough to sneak into prison. Grateful finboggi and grymclaws then save Kenric and team. Three birds "will carry us wherever we want to go .. the wardstone" p 131.

Kenric arrives too late at the forge. Mordrig already stands between the trio and the blade. The "enormous wyrm wrapped around the chest" protects Mordrig's "black metal wrist guard"s "A large bloodstone in the right, a large moonstone in the left" p 115.

The wyrm bites Kenric. "Flames ran through his veins instead of blood" p 121. He grows delirious. If his tongue turns black, he could die. "Hnagi is going to use the firestone to try and draw the poison from the bite .. The burning pain grew sharper and sharper" p 123. "Tongue pink again. All better" p 123.

[Kerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review can also be found on: Paein and Ms4Tune’s Book Blog

And so we reach the end of this series and honestly I can say this: there wasn't enough depth and detail for me. But considering it was more of a childrens book and was more of an introduction to the world of fantasy, this isn't surprising, especially compared to the length of some of the mammoth books I've recently read. Had I read these when I was younger I'm sure I would have loved them.

The conclusion was what we adults would call utopian, or a HEA, but possibly to a child it would simply be sensible. Stuff happened, they sorted it and went home; it all worked out perfectly.

The world had the foundations for being far more complex and an 'adult' version of this series could have been written, there was enough world building to allow it, but perhaps the ability to keep it simple is far more skillful. I've enjoyed this brief sort of re-visit to childhood and my only regret is that I didn't find them when I was at the right age to enjoy them.

[Denae Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent ending. Mostly predictable. I liked the different kinds of goblins. Like the others of the series, it's a good introduction for young readers to the world of fantasy (and the idea of evil Dark Lords and young heroes and quests and whatnot).

[Treyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to read the first two first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!