The High King's Tomb by Kristen Britain

Magic, danger, and adventure abound for messenger Karigan G'ladheon in the third book in Kristen Britain's New York Times-bestselling Green Rider fantasy series • "First-rate fantasy." —Library Journal More than a thousand years ago, the armies of the Arcosian Empire, led by sorcerer Mornhavon the Black, crossed the great sea and tried to conquer the land of Sacoridia using terrible dark magic. Eventually, Mornhavon was captured, and his evil spirit imprisoned in Blackveil Forest. Since that day, the perimeter of Blackveil—now a dark and twisted land—has been protected by the magical D’Yer Wall. But in the centuries since the war’s end, knowledge of the working of magic disappeared from Sacoridia, due to the fear and prejudice of a people traumatized by Mornhavon’s sorceries. Karigan G’ladheon is now a seasoned Green Rider—a member of the magical messenger corps of the king. But during her first year as a Rider, a rogue magician cracked the mighty D’Yer Wall. The spirit of Mornhavon, sensing the weakness, began to wake, seeking vengeance, and causing frightening aberrations throughout the land. Karigan managed to transport the spirit of Mornhavon into the future, buying valuable time for her king and country. But how far in the future is Mornhavon now? A hundred years? Ten? Only one year? There is no way to tell. And though Karigan and her fellow Riders have scoured the land searching for lost magical knowledge, and members of Clan D’Yer are camped at the wall, hoping to uncover its lost secrets, they were unaware of a threat to their kingdom that lay far closer. For there were Arcosian soldiers who survived the Long War, and the descendants of those ancient enemies spent generations honing their powers of dark magic—a force against which the Sacoridians have no defense....

The D’Yer Wall is all that stands between the evil magic of Blackveil Forest and the kingdom of Sacoridia. If it falls, evil will be unleashed and the descendants of Mornhavon will be one step closer to their goals. Over the centuries, knowledge of the D’Yer wall has faded away, and the guardians within it are beginning to fail. Though Karigan sent Mornhavon forward in time, there is no telling when he will reappear in their future. As the fate of the wall hangs in the balance, Mornhavon’s descendants are beginning to mobilize, utilizing magic unseen since Mornhavon’s time. The green riders have no idea the enemy they are about to face, and the power they wield.

When Karigan is asked to deliver messages and purchase horses for the green riders, they seem like ordinary enough tasks. But along for the journey is a new green rider named Fergel. Karigan was quite the troublemaker as a student, and Fergel is going to test her patience. Reading how Karigen becomes frustrated trying to find ways to work with Fergel will make readers reflect on how Karigan herself behaved in the first novel. Readers will find Fergel has many difficulties emotionally and mentally he has to face, adding extra depth of layer to the character.

The High King’s Tomb makes many characters face the mistakes of their past. Not only does Karigan find herself with a difficult student but Alton D’Yer is faced with the consequences from book two. As the only person able to help the D’Yer wall, he embodies frustration at the inability to complete his task. This elicits anger and outbursts as he tries to process and face the reality of his actions. Kristen Britain does a fantastic job showing characters during difficult times and the downward spirals they can experience. Alton’s struggles coincide with the wall’s deterioration, building a sense of unease and gradually mounting tension.

The amount of character growth and development seen in this series is phenomenal. The High King’s Tomb also continues to expose the lore of the world, unearthing forgotten magic and past fears. There are small moments teased throughout the novel showing how far Mornhavon’s followers will go to bring back his evil. And despite such small actions on their part, they elicit rippling effects felt by everyone. I cannot wait to see where book four ventures, and what Karigan and crew will face next.

This is my favourite Green Rider book so far.

These books remind me somehow of the swashbuckling adventure movies I loved as a kid: The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Crimson Pirate, Robin Hood, Ivanhoe...

And having grown up on the edge of the forest, I love how Britain describes the forest, the wildlife...