One of the best books I've read this year. Highly recommended.It's a wonderful "Wyrd" Wizards, knights, ogres and mermaids -- a typical fantasy tale, right? Wrong! Debra Doyle and James MacDonald take a typical sword'n'sorcery tale (heavier on the swords) and spin it into a slam-bang adventure tale that will definitely cause thrills and chills for both kids and adults.
In one of the dukedoms of Anglia, young William is about to be knighted, which is theoretically one of the best days of his life. But it's overshadowed when a wizard tells him his wyrd -- his future destiny -- that he won't succeed his father because he will encounter Death before a year has passed. Horrified, William sets off on a perilous journey to tell his betrothed, Isobel, that he can't marry her because he's going to die.
But his preoccupation with his impending death is overshadowed when he finds out about political machinations that threaten his life. And with a dubious circle of allies around him -- from an indebted ghost to a cryptic dragon to some murky mermaids -- William must somehow defeat the deathless ogre whose fate is somehow entwined with his -- and with Lord Death's.
"Knight's Wyrd" is pretty standard and only somewhat engaging for the first two thirds of the book, then it rapidly respins itself into a complex and thought-provoking action-fantasy. Shapeshifting wizards, carnivore mermaids, and an ex-fiancee who is not quite what she seems add an element of mystery. To make the book even more interesting, Doyle and MacDonald subtlely include elements of medieval honor and debt.
The writing is stark but very evocative, which gives an extra punch to scenes like the one where Will kneels down, only to find a ghost on either side of him. There's no swearing or smut, but there is a lot of darkness and violence, ranging from a hideous long-armed troll being dragged out of a river to the sharp-toothed mermaids trying to eat Will. Younger kids will probably find this frightening, but older kids will enjoy a fantasy story with some genuinely gruesome beasties -- not to mention the appearance of Lord Death himself, who adds the final kink to a very complicated plot.
"Knight's Wyrd" is a dark, fun, intense read for both kids and adults. Doyle and MacDonald should write a sequel to this gem.
