Review: Queensmen

by Bethany Rae Salway

Queensman by Bethany Rae Salway tells the story of an unofficial band of characters that are unhappy that their queen was deposed and fight against their now false ruler who has taken their mostly peaceful life and turned it into segmented turmoil. The story is predominantly told through the eyes of two characters: the brave Senna and her childhood friend, Jed. Senna serves as a maid at the nasty Baron’s estate, a helpful position that enables her to gather the information that she can share with Jed and the other local "Queensmen", who are willing to do what it takes to overthrow this evil ruling power.

The author works to create a dramatic adventure with in-depth and likable characters; however, several opportunities could be improved for the desire to learn their tale. Rather than being immersed in the story, the reader sometimes becomes a stranger watching from the sidelines. Blanks in the narrative, brief discussions of action scenes after the fact, and missing descriptions of this fantastic world leave much to the reader's imagination and distract from what is trying to be told. That being said, once you fill in the blanks, the plot goes in some intriguing directions.

A word of warning: Queensmen is classified as a fantasy novel. Although it is set in a medieval-type made-up realm, its slow pacing and some themes similar to today's happenings make it read more like historical fiction. So, if you expect dragons, magic, and white-knuckle adventures reminiscent of GOT, you will be disappointed. Instead, think of it more like Robin Hood meets LoTR with fewer elves if it were shown in CGI on the History Channel.  It is a battle of good versus evil in a time-honored take on a classic adventure story, complete with self-appointed outlaws, spying, and even a dash of romance.

If that's what lights you up, then this is your read. As it does straddle that line between historical fiction and fantasy and seems inspired by Western folklore, it may be a good introduction to the genre for younger readers. However, it's a lengthy read, so Young Adult readers with a lengthy attention span will probably enjoy it more.

Queensman Review:

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