The One Kingdom

The One Kingdom (2001) Sean Russell

I love Sean Russell’s writing. I’ve read everything he’s written that I could get my hands on, including the mystery series he co-wrote as T.F. Banks. The One Kingdom and the other books he has written are very different from the supernatural fantasy that I most often scarf down. Sean Russell books take time. They’re more to be savored than zipped through at the fast clip I normally read at.

Tam and Baore and Fynnol are young men who have lived their lives in the Vale, near Telanon Bridge, in the Wilderness, far from any towns or cities. After spending years searching for ancient artifacts, they decide to travel the river to sell their artifacts and purchase fine horses–just the adventure for young men not quite ready to settle down. However, all their plans are set awry when a man named Alann comes to share their fire one night.

Elise Wills has lead a pampered life, but her Uncle is forcing that to change–forcing a marriage upon her for political alliances that are deep and confusing beyond the ken of a woman who has preferred to spend her time with her blind musician father, rather than at the balls and soires attended by her peers. Her life is also changed by by strangers, but the path she must follow is far harder than the path followed by Tam and his cousins, for as a woman she has little control over her life and her destiny.

The Renee and the Wills have hated each other for centuries, over a fight all but lost to the mists of time. Each keeps hope for the day when they may regain the crown and the throne and the kingdom–regardless of how impossible that idea and that dream may be.

What I particularly love about Sean Russell’s writing is that although there are many characters in this book, we spend plenty of time getting to know the characters in the different groups, and when the story moves from group to group, it does so at an easy pace, allowing the story to unfold slowly.

However, this book has some flaws that do bother me. The ending is extremely frustrating for one. Almost nothing is resolved, and we are left wondering as to the fate of many characters. I really dislike it when authors do that. The other thing is that for once Sean Russell has written a trilogy instead of a duology. There’s nothing wrong with trilogies, I just tend to prefer stand alone books and shorter series is all.

And this of course is not a problem for most people. Simply a pet peeve of mine.

If you are in the mood for a slowly unwinding story that takes you down a winding river, then you may want to sit back, put your feet up, and relax with Sean Russell.
Rating: 8/10

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