Only, war is nothing like he thought.
After a year of being mistrusted and shunned simply for the blood in his veins—his magic restrained by an authoritarian queen—Troy has grudgingly learned his place. He follows orders and suffers their abuse in silence because the cost of insolence is a chain around his neck.
When Queen Aylagar handpicks him for a mission deep inside enemy territory, he thinks his time has come. Fate willing, he will prove to them Ian Troy is more than the “witch” they believe.
“The Crown of Stones” is one of my favorite fantasy trilogies of all time. I have MISSED this world, so I was glad to find out that the author wasn’t done with it yet either. Always a fan of a good origin story, I had high hopes for “Troy” and was not disappointed by this full-length story from Ian’s younger days.
I don’t necessarily think you have to read the original trilogy first, but I found it did add a little, knowing who Ian would become. At times, because of his youth, his confidence and choices are frustrating, but it fits with where he is at in life. I also loved that the world itself felt familiar because I remembered locations and enemies, etc. from the original trilogy, but a newcomer to this world could jump in just as easily and get a feel for the lay of the land. The new characters were also wonderful and added new life to the story. I loved the plot, the action, the dialogue, the suspense – all of it kept me reading until I finished in only a few days.
On a final note: While reading “The Name of the Wind” recently, I kept thinking of this series and the main character of Ian Troy in particular, and I actually found myself wishing I was reading “The Crown of Thrones.” Then “Troy” was released, so I read this right after that hefty novel by Patrick Rothfuss. To say I wasn’t let down by this read after finishing such a book from such a writer is, I think, a compliment in and of itself. I also think it’s a valid comparison, so if you’ve never read “The Crown of Thrones,” it definitely has Rothfuss tones and characters and worldbuilding dynamics, if that’s something you enjoy.
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