by
Judith Crow
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GENRE: YA Magical Realism
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BLURB:
“So, it’s – what – like magic?”
No, according to Pen’s uncle, the Rite is not magic
at all. But, if it’s not magic, then how could Pen push the school bully into a
pond while he was really studying alone in the library?
When Pen’s family realise he has the Rite, he is
sent to live with his Uncle Napier, who can help him control his ability.
But Napier has other duties. He is the Rendelf, in
charge of the Rite in the UK, and he has gathered many enemies over the years…
…enemies who would be delighted to use Pen against
him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
“Stop that!” Napier shouted, just as his nephew had done
seconds before. But Pen was no less stubborn than his uncle, and the sword
continued to move across the room. “Stop that now!”
The hint of panic in Napier’s voice gave Pen a sense of
satisfaction. He had achieved what Marley had not. He could see Napier’s
fingers working frantically as he wound the Rite around them. The sword was now
above his head, the pointed tip of the blade only six feet above him. With an
angry cry, Pen sent it crashing down, commanding it to reach its target no
matter whether or not Napier stepped out of the way.
There was a loud crash of metal as the sword fell on the
floor, and the noise seemed to bring Pen back to his senses. The anger was
gone, but it had been replaced with a sickening feeling of remorse and guilt
which was already feasting on his insides.
“I’m so sorry,” he said.
His uncle’s face was almost as white as his right index
finger, around which he had pulled the Rite tightly to prevent the sword from
hitting him. Napier looked at him in silence for a few moments before shaking
his head.
“It can’t be helped,” he said, his voice as calm as ever. “I
should have known you had it in you. And every Rendelf must face the darker
side of his apprentice sooner or later. I should be grateful it happened before
you have full control of the Rite. I’ll tidy this place up. You two go and
enjoy what’s left of the sunshine.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
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The
Backwater, Judith’s debut book, was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards
2019, and her most recent novel, Honour’s Rest, was a finalist in the Eyelands
Book Award.
When
she isn’t writing, Judith is a teacher at a primary school in Caithness. She
sometimes finds that writing gets usurped by crafting, music, and being a
generally doting spaniel owner.
Website
Twitter
@jayzed_kay
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GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveawayThe tour dates can be found here
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My review:
3.5 stars
Honour’s Rest by Judith Crow is the first book in ‘The Rite Way’ series and centers around a young teen named Pendragon (Pen) who inexplicably has been accused of an assault that he doesn’t remember performing. The discovery that his family has been keeping a major secret from him even as he is sent to Scotland to live with his enigmatic uncle turns Pen’s world upside-down, and forces him to learn things about himself and his abilities that he may regret for the rest of his life, however short that may be.
This young adult magical realism story is a dark fantasy that conjures up the sometimes macabre fairy tales that include death and destruction and a high price for wishes granted. Pendragon is dragged into a world that includes something called the Rite, and forced to learn about a destiny that he’s not sure he wants. I had trouble connecting to the young man, whose frustration and passive (and occasionally active) resistance were understandable but not attractive traits. The secondary characters will hopefully get their time in the spotlight, as some of them have challenging stories that are only lightly touched on, and I would have liked a bit more depth.
The magical elements that are sprinkled through the story are creative and compelling, and I’d like to see much more of them in subsequent books. Some of the twists and turns of the story are unexpected and somber, and I was saddened by several of the developments. The story does provide an arc for Pendragon, but there are several dangling threads to keep one anxiously awaiting the next tale in the series. The dangers of dealing with kelpies is a perfect metaphor for the story itself, which is a cautionary tale, best appreciated by those who like a bit of bite in their tales.
A copy of this title was provided for review
Thank you so much for reviewing Honour's Rest :)
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