The Last Wizard of Eneri Clare

Lindevald burdens her flimsy debut with a cumbersome thesis. The titular hero, Tvrdik, is sent by his long-lost master, Xaarus, to help a fantasy kingdom’s regent, Jorelial Rey. When at last they meet, Tvrdik finds Lady Rey to be exquisitely noble and principled. After he explains Xaarus’s plan, all good people unite to defeat one obvious enemy. The world is intricately described, though not original. The plot is hobbled by the element of time travel, which is introduced early and limits the protagonist’s ability to take agency in his own story; the characters begin with perfect knowledge and need only experience to gain victory. With best intentions, they use magic to bolster psychological warfare in the name of nonviolence. The narrative fits a typical and cartoon-like style and delivers on the required epic fantasy elements, but its predictability makes the story a dull one. (BookLife)