What is SPFBO 9?  This is  a competition where authors of self-published fantasy can enter their work. The objective to find a winner out of the 300 entries submitted.  Ten judges (or judging teams) each receive 30 entrants.  Each judge/team will eventually submit one finalist to the second round where a winner will eventually be decided upon. Check out Mark Lawrence’s post here to look at this year’s entrants, judges and allocations list.  Also, check out this page to see all the lovely finalists and the scoreboard for Phase 2 of the competition.

Today I am reviewing The Last Ranger by JDL Rosell.  This is epic fantasy with fantastic world building, plenty of action and one particular character out for revenge.  I really liked the writing (which isn’t a surprise as I’ve read the author before) and the story is compelling.  I did have one issue that, well, I’ll discuss in a little while.

As the story begins we meet Leiyn, one of the rangers in the Titan Wilds. We immediately gain a great insight into the world and in fact what the Rangers. are struggling against with a great opening scene.  I will say that we are immediately thrown into this world and expected to run with it which wasn’t a problem at all as there’s a good balance of information/description and action.  The imagination on display is excellent and lovers of fantasy can’t fail to be impressed.  After this captivating start and a brief spell where we witness Leiyn back at the Ranger’s Lodge amongst her found family everything basically goes to hell in a handcart.  Almost everything Leiyn knows is taken from her in the most brutal way possible, she only survives by unconsciously using magic that she is desperately trying to repress.  From that point forward Leiyn is determined to exact revenge.

Of course, this is not all about revenge.  Leiyn is on something of a voyage of self discovery.  On top of that the setting is a colonial style world where all is not as rosy as it may appear, there is tension and it also seems that plans are afoot to disrupt the current peace.  Of course my lips are sealed on that particular note.

I mentioned the world building already.  I mean, to be honest, the world building does steal the show in some respects what with all the different creatures, Titans, magic and just the scope of the setting.

In terms of the other characters, Leiyn isn’t the only POV but she is the driving force of the story and that brings me to the issue I had with The Last Ranger.  Leiyn is a conflicted character and I’m conflicted about the way I feel about her.  She has prejudices sown during her childhood years, her father’s resentments and anger having an impact on her early years and she still carries those prejudices.  On the opposite side of the coin she is loyal and determined.  I confess she was a conundrum.  I felt frustrated by her and couldn’t understand how her prejudices could still be so deep rooted when she was living amongst people who clearly disagreed, people she cared for deeply, even her mentor, I mean, wouldn’t you start to question things?  Her own feelings seemed blind to reason and often caused situations that were almost cringe worthy.  But, I confess, the author took a risk portraying the character in this vein.  She is for the most part difficult to like which on reflection I must congratulate Rosell on – it must be so tempting and maybe simply easier to write a more agreeable and easy to like person?  However her character arc is another of the impressive aspects to the story.  She finds herself in a position where she eventually has to reevaluate everything she believes and, with that in mind I would be very keen to see how this story develops.  I’d also like to see more of this world and the second instalment certainly seems to promises just that.

Overall, even though I sometimes struggled with Leiyn and her rash decisions this was a very easy to read story, the pacing was good and the tension is really cranked up for the final chapters.

I would like to thank the author for providing a review copy.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4 of 5 stars or 8 out of 10