July 15, 2022
Kell Kressia has reluctantly assumed the throne of Algany. His marriage to his wife Sigrid is crumbling, but he takes solace in their son, and in his sword-fighting lessons with Odd. As far as everyone in the Five Kingdoms knows, he was the only survivor of the journey north to defeat the Ice Litch. This illusion is shattered when Willow, the Alfar who accompanied him, returns to plead for the help he promised in The Coward (2021). Her people are afflicted with the Malice, a mysterious illness poisoning their land, their environment, and their bodies. The journey is long and at times quite grim, but eventually their perseverance pays off. Once again, Aryan excels at developing characters readers will immediately invest in. He slowly but surely reveals their backstories, keeping readers hooked. Stereotypes are challenged and unlikely friendships are formed as the political situation deteriorates while Kell and Willow are gone. Readers who enjoyed the previous novel will want to pick this up, but happily, having read it first is not a prerequisite to enjoying The Warrior.
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