The Kingdom Of Lairs
Nick Martell
In this brilliant debut fantasy, a story of secrets, rebellion, and murder are shattering the Hollows, where magic costs memory to use, and only the son of the kingdom’s despised traitor holds the truth.
My Rating:
There is a lot to be delighted by in The Kingdom Of Liars by Nick Martell. The magic system appears unique, the characters have rich backstories, and the world seems full of a wild, mishmash of cultures.
Michale Kingman is a traitor. He can’t escape it, wearing the brand on his neck for all to see. He also can’t seem to escape the legacy of his family name. While his older brother has accepted fate and built a life to encompass his families dishonor, Michael cannot deny the pull to become something great. What ensues is a series of quests, tugging Michael into all kinds of histories, deception, and intrigue.
Martell sets a fast pace, moving Michael along on the rush of a river. The thing is, Michael can’t swim, nor can he seem to get a foothold into who he should trust. A lot is going on in The Kingdom Of Liars. The story would have succeeded as a serial instead of an epic fantasy novel. There is a rich world ready for more detail, but overall the story lacks lushness. The magical system is also highly intriguing and exceptional. While it gets more details ironed out on the pages, there could have been more.
Overall, the whole novel could have bloomed like a lush garden with a touch more time afforded to developing it. The rush of the story does make it a fast-paced read, but at the sufferance of fully realizing the world in which our protagonist Michael lives.
The Kingdom Of Liars could be a fantastic start to a series. If Martell plans more novels following Michael Kingman, they should reveal more about the world and the magic to truly raise this novel into the epic fantasy realms.
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