What a great story! ‘Flight of the Vessel’ is an enthralling read; I simply couldn’t put it down! There are so many things I love about this book:
The very first sentence plunges you bang into the centre of the drama when Princess Angelterra and her party are galloping along on horseback, fleeing for their lives. As the chapters unfold, there's just enough backstory provided for you to get a sense of the princess’s world and of the evil power of Shutharja, the mighty sorcerer who is destroying it, before the roller-coaster action sweeps you along with it again.
Grief-stricken though she is at the tragic loss of her parents, teenage Angelterra has to assume the mantle of leader of her people, which she does with endearing courage – the scene where she stands on the castle’s curtain wall, buffeted by storm winds and in visible defiance of the enemy mustering on the beach below, is one of my favourites. (Telling you the others would be spoilers, but you’ll know them when you reach them!) As Angelterra grows into her new role, she discovers a flair for resolving potentially disastrous clashes between her allies, and a hitherto secret magical ability that may prove crucial in her quest to reunite her people and free her homeland from the dominion of Evil. At the same time as all this, though, she still thinks and behaves like a credible, mischievous nineteen-year-old: she feels fear, embarrassment, passion, anger, envy and jealousy. I smiled at the way she teases her childhood sweetheart, Dareldin, and cheered at the graphic gesture she gives in reply to the leering enemy commander, Lord Gravloc’s repulsive threat. Her plucky spirit & realistic flaws soon had me caring deeply about what might befall her as the story progressed.
Angelterra’s brave band of friends and allies, each with their own vital skills to bring to her aid, are lively, engaging and resourceful characters, too: her hot-headed swordswoman, Lady Knight Jeela, and her mysterious magical decoy, Concera, whose motives are so ambiguous, are my favourites amongst them.
Robert Clifton Storey Jr. is a born fantasy writer with a great sense of humour. His world, rich in history and folklore, is underpinned by complex religious and magical systems that are brilliantly innovative and utterly convincing. He has exciting battle scenes, awesome confrontations between good and evil magic wielders, menacing portents and some really cool, monstrous creatures – just wait till you meet the dark magic dragon and the hideous ‘rex verka’!
If you fancy a fast paced, nail-biting fantasy with great characters, a fearsome sorcerer adversary and unforeseen twists and turns along the way that will keep you guessing until the very last page, and beyond, then Flight of the Vessel is the book for you! I thoroughly recommend it.
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