Queen of Savon

In the kingdom of Savon, King Thomas is raising his son Matthew, the heir to the throne and Victor, a boy who will one day be Matthew’s General. Then his personal advisor, Malicar, returns from a trip with his recently orphaned granddaughter Cassandra. Since Cassandra is from a line of sorcerers, King Thomas decides to raise her along with the boys and the trio is complete. When Matthew takes the crown he will have the loyalty of his General and his Advisor. Nothing could be more perfect. Or so he believes.

Famine and hardship in the villages as well as the luxury at the palace are richly described in this medieval fantasy. In several time jumps the reader follows Cassandra, Matthew and Victor as they grow from children of eight to adults of seventeen, when Matthew assumes the crown after the death of his father. 

While this tale is well-written and even enjoyable, a few factors keep the rating below 4 stars.  Cassandra’s role as Matthew’s sorcerer was vastly underused and made her the weak link of the trio; even pushing her into the role of ‘the little woman’ who must be protected at all costs. The plot is predictable, the villains merely an irritant and the characters are simplistic. A more in-depth look at the characters would make this a much more engaging tale.

Carol Conley