By Josh Brannan

This is an old fashioned story retold at the highest mark of literary talent. We have privileged twin princes who are faced with a terrible change in their kingdom. They are expected to stand up and defend themselves, their people, and their name as the greatest of the Tytan families.

The Last Kinmark just sounds familiar, even the title makes me wonder if I’ve read the book before but Brannan proved me wrong with his wonderful writing talent. Nothing feels reused or retold in this story, the characters are new, the world is unheard of and even the flow is original.

From the start of the book I knew that I would like it. I don’t typically like being thrust into the world of fantasy but I thought the very first sentence was so enticing I couldn’t wait to dive into the rest of the novel.

“Sorat had no idea he was about to die.”

Such a simple sentence full of so many different meanings. Who is this Sorat? Why is he about to die? What’s going on!???

Brannan has a way with setting up the scene and guiding the readers through the rest of the events. He really lets us get to know the characters but only from a distance. There is a distinct difference between who we should care about and who we should disregard. The relationships and development of characters is done very well but I liked the narration and perspective the most. We got great insight on the battle field and from the capital which really helped me understand and enjoy another layer within the story.

This was basically a mix of creativity, great action, and political upheaval. I enjoyed the events that played out in the story as well as how they were addressed by the characters. There were twists and turns and a few surprises which I definitely enjoyed. Sometimes fantasy can be cookie-cutter and predictable but this was a book that kept me hooked and on the edge of my seat throughout the entire ride.

I’m eagerly waiting for the next book in this series and expecting great things from this author. I would highly recommend this to readers of all ages, especially those fans of epic fantasy and outstanding world-building novels. If you like action and books with strong family bonds then this is the book for you.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*