Once upon a time there was a powerful magician fated to unite the world of Ourea in peace. He died without his purpose fulfilled, but his spirit lives on in the Grimoire. His name is the Vagabond.
A thousand years later Kara finds the book– or does it find Kara? A Lichgate or magical portal drops the college-aged human into Ourea in a wooded kingdom, and tells her she must be the new Vagabond. Her life will never be the same. For one, she faces enemies.
Kara journeys to find three different races, many kingdoms with their own spectacular sights, a wide range of magical skills, and an amazing Grimoire with the answers to every question she asks.
She faces a gamut of physical challenges throughout the book as well as her own internal drama. The sad fate of her family haunts her. Spunky Kara faces her fears and ignorance in the process of becoming a real Vagabond. A magical prince named Braedan comes along as her guide.
In some areas it seems like a combination between Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Sabriel by Garth Nix, and The Never Ending Story by Michael Ende.
The landscape on the other side was blurred and bright: a stark contrast to the heavy green glow of the forest, where only freckled rays of sunlight could break through the leaves. She narrowed her eyes as she got closer to the gazebo, but it was impossible to distinguish anything more than colors and rough shapes through the sun’s sharp glare. A plank of wood framed with odd carvings had been nailed to the space above the entrance, and she squinted in an effort to read the dull cuts and make out the word: Lichgate.
(S. M. Boyce, location 102, Kindle version)
This book has great story elements, but I have mixed feelings about Lichgates. I don’t usually read young adult books–my opinion is biased. I only read YA fantasy these days rarely, and it’s usually the kind that make movies. I devoured Twilight and Hunger Games. My favorites are always going to be the ones from my past like Tamora Pierce or Garth Nix. WAYYY Picky.
Let me start off to say that as a writer of fantasy myself, there is a special place in my heart for worldbuilding. Those are all the little detail that make fantasy special. S. M. Boyce, author of Lichgates put a lot of thought into the creation of the world.
There are both original magical species as well as kingdoms of people all having their own characteristics. No run of the mill vampires, zombies, etc. to be found in this book. There is a lot of good material here–lots of action, great sights, drama, conflict…
However, there are some things that troubled me as I read. First off, I found the editing to be uneven. I read no mistakes in spelling and punctuation, but an editor should have gone through several chapters again for style. Some chapters went by without issue. Generally, I am a quick reader, but awkward sentences with too many clauses often bogged me down. This may not bother the average reader, but it definitely bothered me.
My second major issue with the book has to do with the bounds of magic. The Grimoire and Kara’s buddy Braedan are too powerful. Kara doesn’t hold her own. You can trust me or read on for spoilers.
***SPOILER ****
The Grimoire can be opened at any time to provide answers, a map, or a magic spell. It can even house creatures who can pop in and out whenever you need a ride or a stable.
The male lead, Braeden, can transform, heal himself, do a billion spells and can even become more powerful like Hulk when he gets angry. A certain sword or poison can affect him, and he has to do anything his Dad says, but otherwise there don’t seem to be limits to his magical power. The high majority of the time, Braedan is unbeatable.
There are no limits to the ways a handy Grimoire can help you on the road. In a real pinch maybe there’s a magical creature with an unexpected power to get you out. It seems to me like the story has too many surprise solutions to any kind of problem to be truly exciting. It’s just a matter of getting a minute to ask the Grimoire or for Braeden to swoop in and save the day. Aside from bringing back the dead, magic seems boundless. It’s not too late for rules of magic or a limitation to be revealed in the second book, though.
The Grimoire: Lichgates (a young adult epic fantasy adventure) (The Grimoire Trilogy)
Received Lichgates in exchange for a review
