Book Blurb:
“Carry On meets Arthurian legend in this funny, subversive young adult fantasy about what happens after the chosen one wins the kingdom and has to get married to keep it…and to stay alive.
Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the
prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil
ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil
king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he
and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do
next.
As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to
assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except
that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical
catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into
nothing.
With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the
secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his
life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends
go painfully and hilariously wrong…until he discovers that love might have been
in front of him all along.”
I really enjoyed this hilarious fantasy novel as we
follow Arek in the months after he and his group (a mage, thief, bard, warrior,
and fighter) fulfilled their prophecy and saved a kingdom from an evil
sorcerer. These accidental heroes, with no background or training for ruling,
stumble through the process of winning the loyalty of their local peasants and
the nearby kingdoms, in spectacularly comical fashion. Driving the plot forward
is the irreversible magical law that requires the person wearing the crown to
be soul-bound by their eighteenth birthday. It's quite funny to watch Arek try
to woo his friends, and his narration style is the height of comedy.
Excellent LGBTQIAP+ inclusive YA Fantasy read!
Grab a copy on March 29th!
#NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.
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