From the author of The Vanquished: After centuries of peace, darkness stirs across the continent. Unbeknown to Julius and his sister Victoria, their home in Balt’s Crossing, a sleepy city nestled along the Cascant River, is in the path of a war which will change their lives forever. When Balt’s Crossing unexpectedly falls into the hands of its enemies, Julius and Victoria are dragged into a life and death struggle for family, freedom, and revenge. Forced to navigate a treacherous path into the heart of an enemy kingdom, Julius and Victoria quickly find that the conflict in which they have become embroiled may run deeper than it seems. In the spirit of epic adventures such as The Hobbit and The Wheel of Time, this story tells the tale of a family’s bid for survival in the face of cruelty, treachery, and war. Their epic journey begins in The Vanquished.

First Impressions: When I started reading The Vanquished, I quickly found myself pulled into a vibrant world full of vivid color. J.E. Clifton’s clever balance of action and description captured my attention and made me feel like I was in a real place with a rich history and plenty of secrets to uncover. I admit I had trouble putting the book down! Even after the first chapter, I was intrigued to see what would happen next, and when I became acquainted with the Hasting family, I had to keep reading.

Cover and Setting: The book cover gives a beautiful glimpse into this imaginary setting. The juxtaposition of the tiny silhouettes and the enormous tower provides a hint of the struggles the characters are likely to face. I couldn’t help noticing the mountain in the background, though, and it made me wonder if something else—something bigger—is at play. J.E. Clifton does an excellent job creating a unique atmosphere for the different settings in the story, and by the time I finished reading The Vanquished, I felt like I had been on a journey. Each location—Bradbury Keep, Balt’s Crossing, Arbela, Willesden and more—had a distinct feeling and were individually memorable.

Plot: The thing I enjoyed most about the plot was the human connection. It’s impossible not to root for the Hasting family, even though they don’t go looking for trouble! Each event in The Vanquished transitioned smoothly to the next, moving the story along at a rapid pace. In some cases, I would have liked more information—about Corbin, about the All-Founder, about Lilia, about the history of Bannock—but since this is the first book in a series, I’m hopeful that these answers will be provided later! I liked the short chapters, and the switches in point of view were easy to follow and helped me get to know the characters better. Under the main plot, I sensed an ominous current of something unknown that will doubtless make an appearance later in the series. I’m excited—and frightened—to find out what it is!

Characters: J.E. Clifton doesn’t hesitate to remind the reader that the characters are human by showing their weaknesses as well as their strengths. When I first realized there were five siblings in the Hasting family, I thought I might have trouble keeping them separate in my mind, but each one has a different trait: Julius feels responsible for his younger siblings, Victoria is always searching for answers, Adrian has faith and is willing to take risks, Emil is hot-headed but with a good heart, and Aniceta finds herself having to grow up very quickly. I especially enjoyed the internal conflicts the siblings confronted as the story progressed, and since I knew they weren’t invincible, I found myself feeling concerned for them. I also liked how they transformed over time. Aside from the Hasting family, four other characters captured my attention and left me with questions. Why is the premiere Lilia so hostile? How long will the soldier Bastian continue to follow orders? Why won’t Corbin leave his dilapidated dwelling? What role is Peregrine going to play?

Final Thoughts: The Vanquished was an absolute pleasure to read. My only frustration was that I didn’t realize it was the first book in a series, so I was looking forward to a resolution that didn’t come by the time I reached the end. However, the story was compelling and enjoyable, and I’m eager to read the next book in the series when it becomes available. The world created by J.E. Clifton definitely deserves more than one book to thoroughly explore its intricacies! I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book reviewed above.

To view J.E. Clifton’s Amazon author page, please click here.

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