Beneath the Keep
by Erika Johansen
Flap Copy Description:
The Tearling, founded as a utopia, has collapsed and reverted to feudalism. As the gap between rich and poor widens and famine threatens the land, rumors of a prophecy begin to spread: a great hope, a True Queen who will ascend and save the kingdom.
But rumors will not help Lazarus, a boy on the verge of manhood, trapped in the clandestine underworld known as the Creche. Enlisted from his earliest days to kill without mercy, he has never seen sun or sky, not until a quest for vengeance propels him above-ground. There he finds a calling amid a royal court rife with intrigue and danger, where he meets Niya, Princess Elyssa's handmaid, who is not what she appears to be and whose true identity will spell death if revealed.
With a righteous rebellion gathering inside her kingdom, Princess Elyssa finds herself torn between duty to the throne and her growing loyalty to the Blue Horizon, a group of fierce idealists who promise radical change. Elyssa must choose quickly, for threats beset her on all sides, and the powers wielded by an uncanny seer and her shadowy master are preparing to decide the Princess's fate for her. It is only a matter of time before Lazarus, Niya, and Elyssa will be called into service of something greater than they have ever imagined: the fight for a better world.
My Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed the Queen of the Tearling Trilogy by Erika Johansen, so when I learned a prequel to that series had been published, I quickly purchased it. I finally finished Beneath the Keep and it's superb! The dark, multi-layered novel is a tale of conspiracy and collusion and perfectly sets the stage that ultimately ushers in the reign of Queen Kelsea later in the series. If you're a fan of Tearling, Beneath the Keep is a must-read. I highly recommend this young adult novel to readers aged fourteen and up!
Click here to learn about the author, Erika Johansen.
