Veena’s review of The Darkling Lord (Court of the Banished, Book 1) by Shona Husk
Urban Fantasy published by Shona Husk 19 Mar 15
I have enjoyed this series and I’m glad that the author is adding stories to give readers additional insights into this world. If you’ve been reading the previous books in the series, you know that the changing of the rule in Annwyn impacted the human world as much as it did the faery realm. In this story we get a ringside view of the impact to the city of Detroit where Henry Saint has unwittingly set up court in an attempt to heal the city. Surrounded by misfits and rejects from Annwyn, he could actually challenge the status quo of the faery realm. We get to meet some fascinating new characters as well as catch up on some of the existing characters and get some glimpses into the changes in store to the court of Annwyn.
Darah used to be in service to the old queen but changed her loyalty and, now having served a term as a shadow servant, is ready to be rewarded for her loyalty to the new regime when she is assigned one last task. Monitor the doings in Henry’s self-styled court and determine his threat level to the new court of Annwyn. Simple! Actually, anything but, since Henry Saint is an anomaly who should not exist let alone inspire the loyalty of creatures who owe no fealty to anyone but themselves, and yet, as she spends time with him, she sees beneath the face he presents to the world and is bowled over herself.
The whole concept of a darkling who needs to harvest a human soul every year is so foreign that I have to applaud the author’s imagination. I’m hard pressed to understand whether I was fascinated or repulsed with the concept of harvesting a human soul, especially so when we meet the darkling child. Then, of course, the changeling Mayor of Detroit who uses his gifts for ill-gotten gains and only Henry can stand up to him to better the lives of the Detroit citizens.
Since Henry gets invited to the court, we get to visit it as well and see summer restored and life in the faery kingdom changed forever under Feran and Jacqui’s rule. I do hope the author continues to tell us more stories of this world so we can continue to see this strange evolution.
Grade: B-
Summary:
A darkling with a lust for power…
Henry Saint shouldn’t exist. Every year on his birthday, he kills someone and takes their soul so that he may live another year. He is a darkling, not fairy… but not human either. Yet he is bound by the laws of both worlds. With a new King on the throne of Annwyn and the mortal world trying to rebuild after plagues killed so many, Henry seizes the opportunity to carve out a place of his own. He wants Detroit.A spy without a soul…
Darah was Felan’s spy before he became King of Annwyn. Now he has one last mission for her. He wants her to join the darkling’s Court and discover what Henry’s endgame is. No one trusts the Banished when they gather in great numbers. As Darah gets drawn into Henry’s world she realizes he can give her the one thing she could never find in Annwyn—love. But is love worth betraying her King?
No excerpt available.
