Review: The Hidden Guardian by J. D. L. Rosell

Blurb:

She slew a devil. Held a titan's power. Defied ancient and formidable foes. Yet the greater war remains—and it will rob Leiyn of all she loves.

Returning to her homeland from beyond the mountains, the ranger Leiyn goes to defend Baltesia during its war of secession.

But the Ilberian Union refuses to relinquish its old colony. With the greatest fleet in the world and a host of odiosas at its disposal, a shadowy accomplice further augments the Union's power. The dangers to Leiyn and her comrades are greater than ever before.

To survive, Leiyn will have to rely on more than her magic. She must find allies who possess secret knowledge beyond anything she's imagined.

Allies even lyshans fear.

Baltesia's fight is not for its freedom alone—it is the next front in the war for the world. To protect her country and loved ones, Leiyn must defeat the Union, here and now.

But no battle is won without sacrifice.

The Hidden Guardian is the third book in the Ranger of the Titan Wilds series. Continue the tale of war, found family, heartbreak, and sorcery in this next installment today.

Review:

I’m going on record as saying bow-and-arrow-and-sorcery is superior to sword and sorcery.

Any time I read a new entry in J. D. L. Rosell’s Ranger of the Titan Wilds series, that’s my initial thought, and after reading the third and newest book, The Hidden Guardian, that feeling has not changed. One of the most memorable fantasy characters in recent memory returns in Leiyn Firebrand in this new entry that broadens the scale of the series, and while this book does not hit the same heights as the previous entries in the series, it is still a rock-solid sequel that any epic fantasy fan will love.

After the events of The First Ancestor in which she wielded the power of a titan, defeated an ancient foe, and found peace and common ground with a people she was once raised to hate, Leiyn has returned to her homeland and reluctantly taken up the role as an instructor in wielding the natural magic known as mahia. However, when powers and threats great and small bring Leiyn to the brink of death, she must seek out allies she has never met in order to command a power she neither controls nor understands. Danger awaits her around every corner, and not just of the ancient variety.

The growth of Leiyn Firebrand, from her arrogant and prejudiced lone wolf origins in The Last Ranger to her titan-raising and compassionate self in The Hidden Guardian, is one of the biggest joys of following this series, and this entry is no exception. Leiyn is, without question, one of the best characters in modern fantasy, and though she still retains her rough exterior, the cracks have gradually begun to show, and her development from the first book to now has been a true treat to behold.

The character work is really where The Hidden Guardian shines. The supporting cast surrounding Leiyn is instantly memorable, from series mainstays Isla and Batu to intriguing newcomers like Ketti, and they all help broaden the scope of this already expansive world. Rosell has done a great job with making the world of Unera live and breathe, and each group and culture he has unveiled over the course of the series has presented its own unique challenges and conflicts. In The Hidden Guardian, themes of war, secession, imperialism, and deceit are at the forefront, and these threads are woven wonderfully against this backdrop of spiritual magic and titan-calling.

Speaking of which – lordy, lordy, is the titan-calling badass. Rosell has often spoken about the series being inspired by the Horizon video game series, and it’s not hard to see why. His magic system, which effectively incorporates “sensing” and manipulating one’s own life energy, is an incredibly unique and inventive system, and how it integrates into raising titans from the earth and drawing on their power is explored really well. After bonding with an a volcanic titan known as an ash dragon in the previous book, Leiyn spends a large portion of The Hidden Guardian learning how to summon and control the beast, and it only serves to deepen Leiyn’s development as one who felt she was cursed to wield the magic she possesses, to one who recognizes its necessity in the face of the supernatural threats bearing down on her world.

If there’s one area where The Hidden Guardian suffers, though, it’s its length. This is a much beefier book than the previous two books – around 300 pages larger – but I felt that length could have been cut down a bit. Things tended to drag a bit in the middle sections of the story, enough for it not to be the rousing page-turner the first two entries were. The Hidden Guardian is a tale that’s bookended with an excellent beginning and end, but the middle just did not maintain that same degree of polish. That said, the depth and qualities of the characters are enough to keep you pressing forward even when things ground to a halt.

Even with a case of middle book syndrome dragging it down a bit, The Hidden Guardian remains a great read with gripping action, memorable characters, inventive magic, and an enriching and fulfilled fantasy world to get lost in. Bow-and-arrow-and-sorcery is back in full swing, and Leiyn Firebrand is here to make sure you know it’s the new sword and sorcery.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and learn to summon an ash dragon.