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Two Heirs
The entire Ystrad royal family was thought to have been massacred during an invasion by their planetary neighbours, but when evidence emerges that one of the family may have survived, agent David Held is despatched to find and protect the royal heir.
Denied his usual array of hi-tech equipment, he is forced to seek the help of an outcast prince determined to unite his people and reclaim their ancestral homeland.
As the fates of the two young heirs become increasingly intertwined, can the race to find the one, help to fulfil the ambitions of the other? Or will both be destroyed by a ruthless enemy who has no qualms about bringing advanced warfare to a pre-industrial society?
Denied his usual array of hi-tech equipment, he is forced to seek the help of an outcast prince determined to unite his people and reclaim their ancestral homeland.
As the fates of the two young heirs become increasingly intertwined, can the race to find the one, help to fulfil the ambitions of the other? Or will both be destroyed by a ruthless enemy who has no qualms about bringing advanced warfare to a pre-industrial society?
398 pages, ebook
First published November 12, 2014
2 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Peter Kenson
5 books2 followersPeter Kenson was born in Bristol, UK and grew up in an era when computers were new, exciting and the chairman of IBM forecast that there was a world market for maybe five computers. He graduated in Mathematics with a Masters in Operational Research and spent the next forty years working in IT at all levels from programmer to IT director.
He has always enjoyed reading, particularly science fiction and fantasy and wrote his first book, Sertian Princess, commuting on a train in and out of London. The family loved the story and eventually they bullied him into taking the plunge and publishing it.
After a writing gap of many years, Peter now lives in Spain with his wife Diana, where he has rediscovered his passion for creating new worlds for his stories. The climate, relaxed way of life and the odd glass of wine probably help.
He has always enjoyed reading, particularly science fiction and fantasy and wrote his first book, Sertian Princess, commuting on a train in and out of London. The family loved the story and eventually they bullied him into taking the plunge and publishing it.
After a writing gap of many years, Peter now lives in Spain with his wife Diana, where he has rediscovered his passion for creating new worlds for his stories. The climate, relaxed way of life and the odd glass of wine probably help.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 23, 2016
The review
What I didn't like: The book synopsis/blurb is misleading; most of the book is about David Held leading an army and helping a group of displaced people reclaim their homeland in a very traditional fantasy epic kind of way. There are science fiction portions, but not nearly as many as the synopsis would lead you to believe. Similarly, most of the book is more directly about David rather than the two heirs of the title. I personally found that when the author switches between the two different groups (one with each heir), there isn't any obvious indication that you've switched groups until a character name is mentioned to be slightly jarring. Finally, occasionally the writing feels a little dry, almost clinical, with some commas here and there in odd places (a personal preference, but one I felt worth mentioning).
What I did like: Everything else. The setting was interesting, with nods to classics like Lord of the Rings and the legend of Arthur, but different enough to not feel like a re-hash. The battle scenes are detailed enough to be clearly visualized but not to the point that it's graphic. The characters are engaging and it's easy to care about what happens to them. David Held is the most developed character and I very much want to know more about him. I also like that Seb is left something of a mystery. It leaves readers wanting to read a sequel without the jarring aspect of a cliff-hanger. I also very much enjoyed the science fiction aspects were woven into the fantasy setting.
Overall, this is a book I would read again and recommend to friends.
Book Rating: 4/5.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I didn't like: The book synopsis/blurb is misleading; most of the book is about David Held leading an army and helping a group of displaced people reclaim their homeland in a very traditional fantasy epic kind of way. There are science fiction portions, but not nearly as many as the synopsis would lead you to believe. Similarly, most of the book is more directly about David rather than the two heirs of the title. I personally found that when the author switches between the two different groups (one with each heir), there isn't any obvious indication that you've switched groups until a character name is mentioned to be slightly jarring. Finally, occasionally the writing feels a little dry, almost clinical, with some commas here and there in odd places (a personal preference, but one I felt worth mentioning).
What I did like: Everything else. The setting was interesting, with nods to classics like Lord of the Rings and the legend of Arthur, but different enough to not feel like a re-hash. The battle scenes are detailed enough to be clearly visualized but not to the point that it's graphic. The characters are engaging and it's easy to care about what happens to them. David Held is the most developed character and I very much want to know more about him. I also like that Seb is left something of a mystery. It leaves readers wanting to read a sequel without the jarring aspect of a cliff-hanger. I also very much enjoyed the science fiction aspects were woven into the fantasy setting.
Overall, this is a book I would read again and recommend to friends.
Book Rating: 4/5.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 13, 2015
Two Heirs is a first-class science fiction tale with elements not normally found in the genre -- among them, swordplay, horses, and telepathic princes. In fact, this first part in a three-part trilogy has all the makings of an epic classic.
David Held is not the man he appears to be. A deadly swordsman, he's also a natural leader. So, when he appears out of nowhere to take the lives of two very bad men, the band they were leading begin saluting him and calling him "milord."
It's just a side benefit in a perilous quest for Held -- the quest to find and save the heir to an entire planet.
He traces the teen-aged Lord Jeren to the dusty plains of a world dominated by warlords and peopled with a pre-industrial civilization. Many are wandering gypsies, like the tribe to which Jeren belongs.
Trouble is, Held can't use any of his off-world fighting expertise in recovering the lad. They've all been stripped away -- along with the knowledge of who he really is -- so that he doesn't violate any of the Imperial dictums for interfering in a backward culture.
Still, he does the best he can, skillfully dispatching marauding renegades and rescuing dozens of kidnapped children in the course of his mission.
Young Lord Jeren surprises everyone -- including his elders at the council -- by declaring that he will march at the head of a conquering army to retake the glittering city of Marmoros in the fabled Neverwinter valley -- their ancient homeland. The fact that he does not yet command such a fighting force is immaterial. His vision is contagious and he soon even has Held agreeing to oversee the arrangements.
Meanwhile, in the faraway city of Puerto Reis, Josep and Agnes Benyahim have heard of the prince's bold vision and are making plans to meet up with him and join the cause. With them are Zak, his wife Beth, Rachel and a mysterious young swordsman named Seb.
The parts they play, and the adventures of Jeren, Held and the others makes for great reading as they pursue their respective journeys. And, amidst all the warmongering, there is still room for a love story.
The author sets a good pace in telling this epic tale of kingdoms lost and brave warriors doing great deeds of valor and honor. Indeed, in many places, it reads like portions of The Lord of the Rings, in which military strategy against superior forces comes in mighty handy. The author clearly either has had military training or is well-read on the topic. The main character even has a coat of mithril chain mail.
But, it is the detailed descriptions of the countryside and reality of the characters that brings the book to vivid life, and you'll soon be immersed in this faraway land, well-caught up in the quest yourself.
Five stars to this opening narrative in The Marmaros Trilogy. All fans of a good, old-fashioned, swashbuckling story should love it.
David Held is not the man he appears to be. A deadly swordsman, he's also a natural leader. So, when he appears out of nowhere to take the lives of two very bad men, the band they were leading begin saluting him and calling him "milord."
It's just a side benefit in a perilous quest for Held -- the quest to find and save the heir to an entire planet.
He traces the teen-aged Lord Jeren to the dusty plains of a world dominated by warlords and peopled with a pre-industrial civilization. Many are wandering gypsies, like the tribe to which Jeren belongs.
Trouble is, Held can't use any of his off-world fighting expertise in recovering the lad. They've all been stripped away -- along with the knowledge of who he really is -- so that he doesn't violate any of the Imperial dictums for interfering in a backward culture.
Still, he does the best he can, skillfully dispatching marauding renegades and rescuing dozens of kidnapped children in the course of his mission.
Young Lord Jeren surprises everyone -- including his elders at the council -- by declaring that he will march at the head of a conquering army to retake the glittering city of Marmoros in the fabled Neverwinter valley -- their ancient homeland. The fact that he does not yet command such a fighting force is immaterial. His vision is contagious and he soon even has Held agreeing to oversee the arrangements.
Meanwhile, in the faraway city of Puerto Reis, Josep and Agnes Benyahim have heard of the prince's bold vision and are making plans to meet up with him and join the cause. With them are Zak, his wife Beth, Rachel and a mysterious young swordsman named Seb.
The parts they play, and the adventures of Jeren, Held and the others makes for great reading as they pursue their respective journeys. And, amidst all the warmongering, there is still room for a love story.
The author sets a good pace in telling this epic tale of kingdoms lost and brave warriors doing great deeds of valor and honor. Indeed, in many places, it reads like portions of The Lord of the Rings, in which military strategy against superior forces comes in mighty handy. The author clearly either has had military training or is well-read on the topic. The main character even has a coat of mithril chain mail.
But, it is the detailed descriptions of the countryside and reality of the characters that brings the book to vivid life, and you'll soon be immersed in this faraway land, well-caught up in the quest yourself.
Five stars to this opening narrative in The Marmaros Trilogy. All fans of a good, old-fashioned, swashbuckling story should love it.
June 20, 2016
This book to me was a much needed fairy tale in a new way book. I loved it! I enjoyed the characters and the story and everything. I would read book 2. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews