Castelon
The Wraithwood Trilogy: Book 3
Loyalties, friendships, and family ties are put to the test in Alyssa Roat’s fantasy novel Castelon.
All hope seems to be lost when Brinnie and Marcus at long last reach Dirklon, one of the few estates standing after disaster struck in the fight against Mordred, who wants to take over the world. Brinnie is near death, suffering from magic overload that burns her up from inside.
A teenager from Arizona, Brinnie is a wizard and the heir of King Arthur who can wield Excalibur. Driven by her prophesied role in Mordred’s destruction, Brinnie leaves Dirklon with Marcus before she has healed. Together, they set out to find the magic sword and put an end to Mordred and his evil government. But the road is long and the obstacles many, and there’s a question as to whether Brinnie has the strength and cunning needed to save the world.
The final installment of The Wraithwood Trilogy, Castelon brings the adventure to a close with a bang. Its narrative is brisk: twist follows upon twist, rapid turns throw the narrative for a loop, alliances are entered into and broken, and people believed dead are revealed to be alive. Magic overload is compared to radiation sickness, and a magic portal is found inside a museum in St Louis, among the other fun nods to the ordinary world. But the plot is overworked, leading to rushed scenes: the search for Excalibur is turned into a side quest for Marcus and his childhood friend Ignatius, but is shared in retrospect; Brinnie stands trial in a rushed digression; and the prerequisites for Mordred’s demise seem to change. Still, all is resolved by the end.
In the brisk fantasy novel Castelon, loyalty, friendship, and second chances may be able to defeat forces of evil in the world.
Reviewed by
Erika Harlitz Kern
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
