I have read a couple of books lately where the back of the book synopsis does not completely (or accurately describe what the book actually contains; sometimes it’s by a little, sometimes it’s by a lot. The Warden, thankfully, is one of those books where it’s only by a little.
The basic plot is: Aelis de Lenti, daughter of a noble house and recent graduate of the esteemed Magisters’ Lyceum (read: bisexual spoiled little rich girl who likes only the finer things in life and believes knows she deserves them), has become one of the only female necromancers. Counting on a cushy number in one of the grand cities and the chance to prove she’s as wonderful as she believes knows she is, Aelis is instead stationed in the far-removed village of Lone Pine, basically on the edge of the civilized world. (Don’t ask Aelis which side of the edge she believes Lone Pine is on.)
So instead of sumptuous living with fine food and heady wine, she’s got a falling-down tower, homestyle pub food and ale. Instead of great magical deeds performed for grateful (and wealthy) patrons, she’s mending fences and dealing with villagers whose whole demeanor is “it would be oh so nice if you weren’t here.” Instead of fun times in bed with her two partners (or new partners), she’s arguing with a goat that seems to have a knack for breaking into her tower. (Spoiler: the goat is, to my mild surprise, simply a goat. No mythical shocks there.)
But that’s before a traveling group of adventurers show up, and the villagers start acting a little strangely. As Aelis soon discovers, old magics are restless, and even Podunk villages might have use for Wardens of her talents. In fact, she might very well be the only person standing between an almost unimaginable horror and the rest of the world.
This book is marketed for fans who want their Twin Peaks to have some wizards; having never watched Twin Peaks, I have no opinion on whether or not it needed wizards, or if this book even fulfills that. Also, that synopsis? Yeah, that is the basic gist, if you don’t mention about 1/3 of the plot. In no way am I saying that’s a bad thing, but I feel like if all you want is the story promised on the back of the book, take note.
One (maybe) problem, and this is personal opinion, is that other than Tunbridge, a tracker with a Hidden Past who lives outside the village, I am not completely sure what I think of any of the characters. I don’t actively dislike them, but nor do I really enjoy them; they all just basically exist. Aelis has a strong “Cityfolk are superior folk” Green Acres mentality going on, which butts up real nicely against the villagers’ “Amity Island from Jaws“/”reckon things are done differently ’round these parts then in yer fancy, book-learnin’ cities” attitudes. Not that the villagers are presented as hicks; the two men who own the local inn are presented as well-rounded and decent people, and there is a heavy PTSD from the recent war against orcs subplot that effects the village in a myriad of ways, culminating in a horrific scene…that ties it right back to the main plot. Which is a ding; everything in this book ties back to the main plot; there are no subplots, no loose threads, no details that exist on their own. Everything is connected to the main storyline, even the (for the series? Miss Right Now?) love interest; Maurenia, member of the traveling adventurers, and the redheaded elf rocking the fantastic hairstyle on the front cover. But don’t let that cover fool you; she’s really not that much in the book.
I know it seems like I’m doing nothing but criticizing, but despite the niggling things I’ve mentioned, I did reasonably enjoy the book. Ford writes some really good atmospheric scenes, and while I’m not sure if his characters are 100% likable, they are well written. Yes, there will be times when you wonder about Aelis’s intelligence, until you realize that you’re the reader and have the gift of an overview (and possibly a cynical enough mind to see where things are going) that she lacks. There are, at least of yet, two more books in the series. I’ll probably pick them up to see where it’s all going, especially since this book ended on one heck of a cliffhanger.
Plus I want to see if that goat is going to become a running joke.
