I recently finished a book by one of my favorite fantasy authors, Jeff Wheeler. The Queen’s Poisoner is the first book in The Kingfountain series and all I can say is…Well, don’t let me get ahead of myself. I will discuss some of my thoughts on the book in this post and then give you my honest opinion on whether or not you should read it.
The Queen’s Poisoner Plot
This story is set in a fantasy land that mimics 14th to 15th century Britain. It follows a young boy, Owen Kiskaddon, son of the Duke of Westmarch. After not rallying to the king’s aid during a battle, Duke Kiskaddon is suspected of treason. His oldest son is killed by sending him over the waterfall and Owen is sent to King Sevren to be his new hostage and will face the same fate should his father’s loyalty falter again.
Owen is terribly frightened of the king and feels out of place at the palace of Kingfountain and fears that he may be the next to go over the falls. He meets the Queen’s Poisoner, Ankarette Tryneowy, who has been tasked by his mother to ensure he survives. She comes up with a plan to keep him safe, but it may be treason to try.
Owen must convince the king that he is fountain-blessed and can see the future. The problem is that foresight is the most rare of gifts given by Our Lady of the Fountain and never to one so young. He is not a very brave young man and cannot even bring himself to speak to the king, much less successfully deceive him. However, he meets a new friend, Elizabeth Victoria Mortimer, who although she talks too much, she is afraid of nothing. She may just be able to give Owen the courage he needs to complete his task.
Initial Thoughts
This book does a great job making the characters feel real and personable. He slips in a bit of world building by allowing excerpts from one of the character’s diaries before the chapters. This helps the reader to fall into the world he created without becoming bored by reading it interlaced through the narrative. The dialogue flows well. If you listen to the audible version narrated by Kate Rudd, it is easy to picture the events playing out in your mind like a movie.
Should You Read It?
The short answer is… Of course! Jeff Wheeler is likely my favorite author. I have been reading his books for several years now and his stories always captivate me. I get so caught up in the worlds that he creates and the characters that live there. They are so personable that you will even find yourself relating with his villains. Kate Rudd does an amazing job with the narration and really fills the characters with life.
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