Author Ryan Lanz continues the Red Kingdom series with Crossroads of Redemption. Prepare to be reunited with disgraced commanders, rebel leaders, ability users out for revenge, and a quest to bring a city to its knees. The road to change is a long one, and Crossroads of Redemption will take readers on quite the ride to discover what happens next.
When it comes to the Red Kingdom series, each book is like a well-wrapped Christmas present. You just never know what to expect. Is this book going to be slower-paced as author Lanz sets the stage for what’s next? Or is it going to be a page-turner that grabs you and keeps you glued to the very end? Well, we can safely say that Crossroads of Redemption? It’s going to be one that emphasizes the epic in epic fantasy.
Crossroads of Redemption draws the eyes of readers with a cover that depicts quite a captivating scene. Our undaunted hero, Rhael, is pictured walking bravely through the gates of Abalreen. A cobblestone road paving the way for his footsteps. His cloak swirls back away from him as his gifted hand glows with power and fire. His sword is strapped to his right-hand side.
Metal gates are swung wide open in front of him as if welcoming him back into the city that has forsaken him. Or are they simply waiting for him to come inside to finally meet his end? In the distance, we can see the city of Abalreen looming overhead, watching to see what comes its way. Small white birds appear to be flying past and away as if sensing the danger that lies ahead.
As Crossroads of Redemption opens, author Lanz treats readers to a flashback from Rhael’s past. Rhael is working on his family’s home, patching the roof. It’s hard work, and not without its dangers. If he makes a wrong move, he could and would end up laid out on the ground. At best? Slightly injured. At worst? Crippled if not dead. Rather interesting that we say that since Rhael does get distracted and ends up falling off the ladder.
This prologue in Crossroads of Redemption gives readers a glimpse into Rhael’s life as a youth. What’s more, get to gain a sense of what his relationship was like with his father. It’s nothing too contentious, but it’s also nothing warm and fuzzy, either. Rhael wishes for a better life than what he has, but that’s nothing unusual when you grow up with limited resources.
As Crossroads of Redemption pivots back to the present day, we are reunited with the main driving characters of the story, Rhael and Gobo. They are returning to Phessipi’s camp, where the rest of her fellow “outcasts” are waiting. Together with Smyth, they are returning to report on how their task went. If you remember from Path of Strangers (check out the review here), their task…wasn’t the most successful.
Smyth was supposed to try his ability on the wall to see if he would be able to do some damage to it to help the rebels. Well, one of Rhael’s old compatriots found them and threatened to call the guard on them. This, of course, created quite the drama. So, Smyth didn’t get to really have a lot of time to see if he would be beneficial to the rebels’ cause.
Author Lanz guides us readers through the story and unveils that everything back at camp isn’t “sunshine and rainbows.” Phessipi is still struggling with the loss of the man she loved back in The Silver Crystal (check out the review here). She knows her people need her, but she’s struggling with coming up with and implementing a solid plan. The losses of certain people still irks her, and knowing that she has no secondary ability? Well, it’s something that grates at her as well.
Regardless of all of these things, the plan remains the same. Attack Abalreen, free those who were taken, and bring the city to its knees to bring down the Order. All know that they must strike. Strike quickly, decisively, and with no hesitation. The way that the Order rules cannot be allowed to continue. All people deserve the right to live their lives as they choose, whether they have abilities or not.
Crossroads of Redemption is a fast-paced addition to the Red Kingdom series. Author Lanz works to keep readers engaged and on their toes as this story progresses. The story alternates between a large number of characters. Initially, at the beginning of this series in The Silver Crystal (check out the review here), it was a bit daunting trying to keep everyone straight. As the series progresses, it becomes easier to remember who is who and where they fall in the grand scheme of things.
Readers can expect to travel from the forests around Abalreen to the forests around Utelstown. There we’re reunited with many a familiar character from Levas, the disgraced commander, to the vengeful Namurru. But they’re not the only ones in the area. We can’t forget the disgruntled Mulvah with her mission to bring in a specific rebel leader connected to Utelstown.
From there, all roads lead back to Abalreen where new characters will be introduced and the drama will culminate to a head. Mind you, new characters, but familiar names and faces, our heroes will soon discover. With the unceremonious dismissal of Levas, his subordinate, Orsond has risen in the ranks. Yes, that Orsond who took a number of the soldiers outside of the city for nighttime training around the time of the first attack on Abalreen.
The march is on to Abalreen. All the characters that we’ve met throughout the Red Kingdom series are converging on this one city. The city that is believed to be the stronghold for the Order. Where Odriss plots, waits for the next attack, and intends to crush the “Corrupted” so that the citizens can “live in peace together.”
Told from the third-person POV, Crossroads of Redemption lets us readers witness the story from the eyes of multiple characters. The story moves seamlessly from one character to another. You can expect to be left “in the lurch,” so to speak, as author Lanz will keep readers in suspense. You’ll be in the middle of one situation with a specific character, and then the story will pivot to another. It will be one of the driving forces to discover what happens next.
Author Lanz has quite a few surprises in store for readers as Crossroads of Redemption reveals itself. Watch out for Gobo, though. He threatens to steal the scene more than a few times throughout this story. Gobo helps to bring humor to many situations and manages to keep them from being too dark. He may try the patience of a character or two with his behavior, but let’s be real. They’d all be lost without him. LOL!
Crossroads of Redemption is a behemoth of a story. To date, it is the longest book in the Red Kingdom series. So, you can expect there to be a lot going on. The struggles that all the characters in this story face are nothing to dismiss. Rhael is determined to bring as many people as he can to the side of the rebels, but will he be successful? Will all the familiar faces we’ve come to know and care for make it out alive?
Crossroads of Redemption is a gripping addition to the Red Kingdom epic fantasy series. That being said, it’s not without its flaws. This novel could use another round with an editor to clean up a lot of the punctuation issues and some “spelling” errors. That being said, these issues don’t detract from the overall storyline, so we don’t think that most readers will take too much issue with them.
For readers who have read the Red Kingdom series to this point, Crossroads of Redemption is the installment you’re not going to want to miss. It’s gripping, a page-turner, and will keep you in suspense frequently throughout the story. The characters read realistically as they go through their fights and struggles. Be prepared to say goodbye to some, and be left wondering what happened to others. But know this…this is not the end. There’s more yet to come ,even as Crossroads of Redemption comes to a close.
Pros:
- Page-turner
- Well written
- Good character development.
- Nice dynamic cast of characters.
- Keeps you in suspense, and gives you twists and surprises at just the right moments.
Cons:
- Needs another round with an editor to polish off editorial issues.
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