We go back to Deverry with Katherine Kerr’s latest novel Sword Of Fire.
It’s been a decade since Kathereine Kerr last visited her Celtic fantasy world of Deverry; a land filled with a delightful mix of magic, elves, and warring lords. With Sword Of Fire she makes a captivating return, delivering an enticing new story full of adventure and political intrigue.
The novel focuses on Alyssa, a gifted scholar who uncovers a forgotten truth about how the rulers of the land came to power and how they kept it. Her discovery sets her on a quest to try and change the status quo of a world steeped in tradition. On her search for truth, she enlists the help of Cavan, a disgraced mercenary known as Silver Dagger for whom a hefty payday may not be the only reward to seeing Alyssa succeed.
If you have never heard of Deverry before then Sword Of Fire doesn’t leave you cold. Kerr’s well-crafted, multi-layered and deeply evolved world enables the reader to drop in at the deep end right from the off. The landscapes, the culture and the atmosphere are a palpable backdrop into which Kerr gently inserts her instantly affable and relatable characters. The Celtic fantasy world is steeped in a solid history that carefully unravels with each chapter, slowly revealing what lies beneath it.
In fact, Kerr’s world-building is perhaps the greatest accomplishment for the book, yet underneath it all sits a tale with underlying themes of government corruption, hidden agendas and what it means to question traditional values. These ideas add intriguing, complex depths to deliver an original and inspiring story
Billed as the first novel in a brand-new trilogy, Sword Of Fire is a great jumping off point for new and existing readers alike and provides an intelligent and emotional new story that truly has something to say.
Sword Of Fire is out now from Harper Collins.