The Warder

by Susie Williamson

The King is defeated, the spirit of the Mantra has been restored, Suni is reunited with her father and yet: all is not quite right.
Wanda and his cousin Luna live in the valley beyond the mountains: Luna dreams of dragons while Wanda, gifted with the ability to communicate with animals, struggles with his own shadow. Ntombi blames Wanda for Luna's condition.
Meanwhile, in the town by the sea, Suni fears for her dear friends, and watches over them with her own gift. Many, including Suni's father, suffer from a strange affliction. The townspeople blame the Mantra.
Then strangers arrive from the sea, bringing hope: but in this land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?

184 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2021

About the author

Originally from Yorkshire in the UK, I started out as a science teacher, until venturing out to Africa for 4 years when I was in my twenties. I taught English as a Foreign Language in Sudanese universities, and Adult Literacy in a rural township in South Africa. On returning to the UK I moved to Devon, where my childhood passion for creative writing was reignited. Among a collection of varied jobs, including support work in a women's refuge, I prioritised my time to write. I live in Exeter with my wife, Kate, close to the river Exe and a bike ride away from the sea.

Blood Gift Chronicles is my character-driven, fantasy adventure series, published by Stairwell Books. Book One, Return of the Mantra, is a Firebird Book Award Winner.

See my blog site for more information:
http://susiewilliamson.blog

Reviews

[Kate Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Warder was worth the wait. There’s real depth to the characters now ten years older from where we left them in the first book. Suni is joined by two other main characters, each with different perspectives. I was emotionally invested in all of them from the start. With unexpected twists and turns, and highs and lows, nothing in this story is predictable. I love the character development, and how their gifts have grown. In particular how Wanda’s gift connects him to wildlife. I loved the environmental themes in the first book, and enjoyed seeing them continue in the sequel. So vibrant, I felt like I could see the forest.

[Dave Holwill · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent sequel. Coming back in 10 years later, Suni is older and wiser, while Wanda and Luna are forced into an adventure neither of them asked for. I'm still reminded of classic-era Leguin in this beautifully imagined fantasy world with its carefully constructed flaws. SW's prose dances off the page with a lyrical quality that you can't help but love. Really hoping for another Blood Gift Chronicle now.

[Yvonne Hendrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Warder is a fantasy book with heart. I really cared about all the characters and felt the things which befell them deeply, thanks to Susie's soulful writing. It is also clever in its themes, which of course speak of our own world and the hopes and fears of our times; I felt for our planet, and the brave and vulnerable flawed beings who inhabit it, as I journeyed the lands and seas of Susie's rich imagination with the the entirely believable people she created. A triumph, Susie - thank you for a great reading experience.