Fourth Power

by Robert Childs

Four months after the fall of the usurper sorcerer Azinon, there is still much to do for Sonya, Scott and the newly crowned emperor and Fourth Power of Mithal, Steven Walker. Roving bands of the dead sorcerer’s fractured army terrorize the countryside and the plague-stricken citizens of the empire journey by the thousands to the capitol to wait and be cured by Sonya’s healing magic. So when word of a possible second cure to the supernatural sickness reaches Steve, he leaves the city in Sonya’s hands and he and Scott set out to bring it home. But no sooner is he gone than a rogue sorcerer wielding weaponized plague goes on an unstoppable killing spree across the city. Meanwhile, Steve’s search for a cure will inadvertently bring him face to face with the monster responsible for it all.

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2019

About the author

Robert Childs was born in Illinois and is an avid sword fighting enthusiast with bachelors degrees in Japanese Language and Geology and a masters in Military Arts & Science. He specializes in rapier swordplay, actively teaching and competing since 1987 both in the US and abroad. Mostly recently he brought home the silver medal as the North American representative in single rapier combat. His book "Fourth Power" is the sequel to his debut novel "Third Power" in an ongoing series in the sword and sorcery genre. He currently lives in California with his wife, three dogs, and a large collection of sharp pointy objects.

Reviews

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

A return to the magical world of Mithal ….. the battle against evil continues.

Steven Walker is crowned Emperor of Mithal after he kills the evil sorcerer Azinon and reclaims the throne that was usurped from his grandfather almost 20 years ago. It turns out that he is not the Third Power of Mithal as prophesied, his friend Sonya is. Steven is the Fourth Power of Mithal, capable of magic that not even he or the wizard Haldorum understand yet.

Being the Emperor is not easy. Six months after Azinon’s defeat Steven, together with an alliance of Humans, Jisetra and Werewolves, are hunting factions of Azinons followers. They are still terrorising villages, and they are unaware that a new threat is rising out of a mass grave. An abomination of a being that has only one goal in mind spread the plague that has gripped the land and killed thousands.

After capturing the Blood Guard, the fiercest of Azinon’s fighting men, Steven learns of a way to stop the plague, but it means that he and his friends must travel to parts of Mithal that are unknown. Parts that even Haldorum has not been to. Steven, his friend Scott; who is King of the Werewolves; and Eegrin; their winged Jisetra friend set off on a journey that will lead them to the furthest corners of Mithal. Here they will meet a race of Elves that communicate by telepathy and their natural enemies; the Cantha; deep water denizens and guardians of an unspeakable evil.

A much-anticipated sequel to the first book 'The Third Power' and if you enjoyed that one, then this one is a must-read. I felt like I was back among friends, exploring parts of a world filled with magic and sorcery that is very different from ours and that I would love to visit. The author can make all the characters come alive in your imagination, and his use of humour had me chuckling out loud several times. The only criticism that I have is that some of the fight scenes are a little too drawn out. However, this does not detract from the read, and the book deserves its five-star rating.
I am looking forward to the next instalment!


Saphira

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

[Leda · Rating 5 out of 5]

With all its twists and turns, it was a very spellbinding follow-up of the series.

[Jack Garamonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was late to the game and didn't read through the previous book, The Third Power, I was a little wary of starting this one. I was pleased however to find that this book's exposition fills in the blanks in a way that makes the story stand up well on it's own.

The plot itself is complex enough to be intriguing but not confusing. The protagonist Steve is an interesting character and master of deadpan humor with some subtle, but impressive moral codes that he adheres to convincingly, which is appreciated in a genre flooded with hyperbolic characters that overexemplify a particular emotion, virtue, or value. While his level of maturity is beyond that of what I'd expect from an average teenage boy, special consideration can be given considering that the young Emperor is well beyond average.

Childs has a particular knack for narrating combat and battlefield tactics, most likely due to his stated experience in the fields. As a swordfighter myself, the book is clean of the annoying "that could never happen" bits that plague tv, and I appreciate it.
In fact, the immersion aspect is so well done that through Steve's very modern mentality, we are able to cleanly transition from a world of Starbucks and sarcasm to one of magic and mysticism without needing to suspend disbelief much at all.

The world of Mithal itself is well thought out and filled with interesting peoples and culturalisms that are fun to put together in and of themselves, but also expands over the course of the story to encompass an even greater range of exotic locales and new realms to explore with new peoples and unique customs, which is compels the reader to press on out of sheer interest in who a new character is or what this new race is like.

The characters tjemselves are multidimensional and from what I understand, have grown into certain roles from the previous book, which makes me interested in going back to see what they were like before their current station.
Steve's personality reads like a less compromised and virtuous Harry Dresden while the crafty and clever assassin Kamarine is by far too cool to not be my favorite character.

If I were to have any criticism of this particular work, I would say that it suffers only from the expedient efficiency of it's author.
It appears obvious that Childs has a billion little details to add to each situation and character while building a hundred in-depth storylines that he just simply doesn't have the time to add lest the novel never actually be completed. This is manifested in a fast-tracked, but comprehensive storyline with plenty of content to mull over while awaiting the next installment of the Powers series.

With a mystery that pervades the entire story at a pace that keeps the reader coming up with possible theories,The Fourth Power adds intrigue and the gray domain of public perception to an otherwise straightforward of Good vs. Evil, even with the twists and turns in the tale.
Figuring out the unexplained plot are not too obvious, but ended with me saying "Agh, I should have caught that!" which encourages the reader to go back and reread their favorite chapters and take another look at the things they missed.

All in all, The Fourth Power is an outstanding read for fans of fantasy/adventure, complete with action, intrigue, and just the right amount of romantic situations both awkward and endearing. Full commendations for Childs' latest work, and now I need to take the time to go back and read the original before the author  produces another installment to capture my attention.

[Lynne Hackert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a fan of Robert Childs’ first novel, Third Power, and now he seems to keep getting better. As a new author, he is quickly finding his footing in the world of sci-fi and fantasy. In his first novel, he introduced us to the world of Mithal and our young heroes had quite an adventure discovering themselves and this beautiful land. Fourth Power is a much darker book, much deeper into new threat which is working its way to his tales. This novel opened with dark and violent action and I was captured, unable to put it down until I could see what direction the action could be going (and then had to keep reading as the story unfolded!). Our heroes are led in very different directions to discover why things aren’t as they should be and we readers must try to put together clues and keep up with the detailed storyline. I loved it!

As a swordswoman myself, I personally love the detail with which Childs describes Steve’s sword battles. His attention to detail, describing the flow of the fight and how the protagonist draws upon his growing combat skills, shows that he understands that these contests are more than a swashbuckling video montage with soundtrack. I appreciate the strategy, the grit, sweat, and strength required to win against physical odds. Then when he throws in a magical battle at the same time, Childs provides a real treat.

Having read both novels now, I am left anxiously awaiting the third installation.