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The Grey Riders have been triumphant in the violent conflicts they have faced, and three have been crowned as leaders in some of the kingdoms, but there is more to do to secure peace. Potential menaces are threatening, and the Riders must liberate occupied territories from the enemy People's Republic of Torosc. Evil forces, old and new, are plotting to kill the monarchs and secure Torosc's power. The War of the Dark Wave may have been won, but the evil that remains in society can grow, find allies, and triumph unless it is thwarted effectively by beings who care deeply enough to do so.
Badzey's book is essentially a story of good vs. evil, with the protagonists imbued with enough ambiguity and emotional conflicts to make them, their objectives, and the overall situations feel realistic. It continues the author's epic fantasy series, The Grey Riders, and is tightly written. A writer for many years, Badzey's career and interests have included and integrated aerospace engineering, writing fantasy fiction, studying martial arts, mentoring high school robotics, and being an active member of his church community. His characters are well-developed and relatable. Potential invasions and the threat of atrocities and revolution comprise many of the conflicts within the narrative. Although the reader is directed to care about the goodness of the protagonists, there is also a strong sense of their need to repel enemy forces successfully. To quote Thomas Jefferson, "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." Badzey's remarkable series proves that statement repeatedly. This current volume effectively describes the responsibilities of a culture that wants to survive.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review