The Age of Anguish by Jared R. Plank
Slay one tyrant king, and before his blood has even dried, another is all too willing to sit atop his throne. Politics and war yield no different results in the land of Kretowa, where the hard-won battle to dispose of the high king leads not to the intended peace and prosperity but to centuries more bloodshed. Thus begins Jared R. Plank’s fantasy novel, The Age of Anguish (Barnes & Noble Press), so named for the era of conflict that plagues the five holds of Kretowa.
The jarls of Valoria and Barthonia, once allies in their quest to remove Kretowa’s high king, now turn their blades on one another, each one believing that they should assume the empty throne. Two of the remaining holds, The Fold and Haven, have divided their allegiance, one siding with Valoria, the other with Barthonia. The final hold of The Rift, however, has positioned itself as an adversary to both, refusing to support either hold’s claim, in favor of dissolving the throne entirely.
A COMPLEX AND TENSE JOURNEY
After a brief but nonetheless intriguing lesson on Kretowa’s fraught history, the narrative cycles through various perspectives across all five holds, dropping the reader directly into this ongoing conflict:
We witness the ruthless Daigo, son and heir of Jarl Reidar Greyon of Barthonia, as he makes quick work of dispatching traitors before returning to the capital city of Kale to meet with their allies. Then, Killian, son and heir of Jarl Edmur Hellhorn and a fearsome warrior in his own right, battles a Barthonian spy for sport in the arena as the Valorian people celebrate his upcoming nuptials.
Triana, the only daughter of Jarl Edgar Willowleaf of Haven, worries over her own impending marriage to The Rift’s future jarl while her younger brother Byron prepares for the Trials of Manhood in Kale. Ingulf Greytower XVII disagrees with his father, the jarl of The Rift, over his strategy to keep their hold neutral, which involves securing marriage alliances with both Barthonian allies in Haven as well as Valorian allies in The Fold. Meanwhile, Jarl Gregorian Roberts of The Fold makes plans with forces outside Kretowa altogether.
PLENTY OF ACTION AND RIFE WITH INTRIGUE
With so many players on the board, loyalties quickly come into question, and a prophecy weighs heavy on the shoulders of two warriors, both unparalleled in their skills, who are destined to meet on the battlefield and reform this broken kingdom. What fate will ultimately befall Kretowa? Only turning the pages of Plank’s tense and complex novel will provide the answer.
The Age of Anguish delivers plenty of action throughout a tale that’s rife with political intrigue — not to mention the threat of ancient beasts and mighty dragons looming overhead, which only add to the mystique surrounding Plank’s richly imagined world. Featuring numerous and varied characters, whom readers will find both fascinating and horrifying in turn, this debut author has achieved a level of depth that readers will no doubt appreciate. And while all these elements will certainly prove enough to entice readers to dive into The Age of Anguish, it is the novel’s ambitious scope and swift pacing that will keep them entranced.
The Age of Anguish is available to purchase here.
