The Last Keeper by J.V. Hilliard
The high saturation of the Fantasy genre is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing that fans of the genre like myself have so many options to choose from within such a high profile genre, however the volume also can lead to exhaustion. With so many options inside a genre that lends itself to tropes, readers often find themselves burnt out, while authors find that their book is lost amongst the chaff.
With that being said, I’m happy to report that J.V. Hilliard’s new novel The Last Keeper, book one in his Warminster series, does in fact separate itself from the chaff. Instead of forcing himself to create new, half-baked ideas for the sole purpose of being able to call his work “different,” Hilliard returns to the roots of fantasy and and executes as fully and eloquently as possible. Multi-faceted characters, an engaging magic system and a classic, immersive world full of rich detail and imagination make for a riveting triumph of classic fantasy.
IMMERSIVE WORLD FULL OF RICH DETAIL
The Last Keeper brings together the three heroes Daemus, Sir Ritter Valkeneer and Princess Addilyn Elspeth, to fight against the fallen Keeper, Graytorris the mad. Born blind, Daemus Alaric receives the gift of Sight from an unknown visitor. Although skeptical at first, when events begin to unfold just as they did in the visions, he leaves his home to become a Keeper of the Forbidden, a fabled order of powerful arcanists who serve the leaders of Warminster. When one of these visions reveals a fallen Keeper known as Graytorris the Mad and his dark history, Daemus realizes his gift wasn’t one freely given. Before Graytorris can take his revenge against the Cathedral of the Watchful Eye, Daemus, along with his companions Valkeneer and Addilyn, must find a way to stop him before he brings the realm to its knees.
My favorite aspect of the book was without a doubt the prose. From the very first page, I was reminded of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind, a legendary novel in the Fantasy community. Rothfuss is in part known for his poetic, flowing, evocative writing style, and The Last Keeper is very reminiscent of this in both dialogue and exposition. This feeling comes through from the very first page:
“The sun was beginning to show red over the horizon as the wooded hollow in the shadow of the mountains stirred. Light streamed into the valley, illuminating the dew that clung to the long blades of grass and turning it into a sea of stars. The first song of the morning echoed out of the trees and was soon supported by a chorus. The soft steady rush of a stream lay beneath the sound of birds; it was a new one that had survived the flood of the last rain and might someday carve its own valley out of the mountain.”
POETIC, FLOWING, EVOCATIVE WRITING STYLE
The poetic prose also does an excellent job of fleshing out the genuinely fantastic story. Although no specific element of it is something I haven’t seen before, every element is thoughtfully and fully fleshed out, giving the novel a refreshingly classic feeling. The story is primarily experienced through the perspectives of Daemus, Sir Ritter and Princess Addilyn, all of which who have their own circumstances, conflicts and unique personalities. At first it was difficult (in the best way) to see how the three’s stories would connect, however the payoff when they did, along with the way the characters interact with each other is satisfying and charming. Although familiar, the narrative is never predictable, and keeps the readers engaged and guessing through every beat.
The Last Keeper is not only the perfect read for fantasy fans waiting for their favorite authors to pen the next entries in other series, but a great novel in its own right. I look forward to the next novel in the Warminster series, and after reading it, you will as well.
About JV Hilliard:
Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations. His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him during his formative years. His genius brother, whose wizardly prowess allowed him to master the art of the abacus and his own quill, trained with him for battles on fields of green and sheets of ice. Hilliard’s earliest education took place in his warrior uncle’s tower, where he learned his first words. HIs uncle helped him to learn the basics of life—and, most importantly, creative writing. Hilliard’s training and education readied him to lift a quill that would scribe the tale of the realm of Warminster, filled with brave knights, harrowing adventure and legendary struggles. He lives in the city of silver cups, hypocycloids and golden triangles with his wife, a ranger of the diamond. They built their castle not far into the countryside, guarded by his own two horsehounds, Thor and MacLeod, and resides there to this day.
