I am a big fan of Beth Brower and her Emma M. Lion series is one of my favorites. Some authors are really good at staying within a particular genre and others are good at diversifying their writing. Beth Brower is in the later category. In this book, Eleanor, the young queen of Aemogen, is faced with the prospect of the most devastating war her country as ever faced. She can avoid war but only if she gives up her kingdom and her people’s freedom to the Imirillion Empire. As she ponders this decision, Wil Traveler, a discontented Imirillion soldier comes into her country. Despite knowing he could be a spy, Eleanor asks him to train her army to fight. As Eleanor battles to save her people, Wil challenges her perceptions while keeping details of his past a secret.
This is an engaging story and is the first in The Books of Imirillia series. You’ll want to read all three books as the action continues from book to book. Be sure to have access to books 2 and 3 because waiting in between to finish the story is a test in patience!
Content Advisory: War violence