The Book of Chaos
A magical book may hold the key to a kingdom’s brighter future in The Book of Chaos, an engrossing fantasy novel.
Ray Strong’s harrowing fantasy novel The Book of Chaos is about a princess’s growth.
Diana of Aemgarde wants justice after losing her mother to assassins. Determined to relinquish her weaknesses, she trains to become a member of her father’s elite guard, King’s Company A. King Richard, meanwhile, rules as a people’s king, seeking peace rather than conquest. Not all are in favor of his approach, including his own council of advisors. He has a conflict with the Sulerians, shady foes who behave in duplicitous ways and who are responsible for the death of Diana’s mother.
With tensions high between the kingdoms given the possibility of further conflict, Diana sets off in search of a magical book that may hold the key to a brighter future. It’s rumored to be used by a mysterious empress to control the outcomes of battles. Diana is accompanied by Jon, one of her father’s top soldiers. Together they battle assassins and blend in with the peasants of various towns.
The book’s battles are bloody and consequential, leaving both heroes with plenty of scars and an equal number of defeats and wins. Diana often loses direct fights, forcing her to use other methods, including trickery and leveraging her environment, to succeed. In one thrilling sequence, she uses the shuttered windows of a ship to defend against attackers, aiming for their legs and arms as they come through. In another, she waits for an opening as the enemy is distracted by a neighboring battle, landing critical strikes for the advantage.
A third series entry, the book was written with general accessibility in mind and, for the most part, does not require prior series knowledge. Diana’s story is engaging on its own merit—rife with conflicting politics and set in a world whose geography and wildlife are developed in unique terms. There are tense battles and mysterious myths about magic and dragons. And the setting oscillates between modest kingdoms like Aemgarde that subsist on farming and places like Branwyn with castles, bustling town squares, academies, and catacomb-filled cathedrals. Wild lands and forests, seas, and ancient caverns also receive space.
The characterizations and relationships are well developed, with supporting cast members like Diana’s friend Martin fleshed out in full. Martin is a monk and student who helps Diana find leads in Branwyn; meanwhile, the prince of the kingdom, Eric, proves more interested in Diana and being among the populace than he is in his duties. Jon, too, has depth beyond being a soldier and bodyguard, acting as a surrogate father to Diana as he teaches her patience and encourages her to follow her own judgment. The momentum is impeded somewhat by lengthy discussions and Richard’s cabinet meetings regarding the potential war, but the story moves well when it’s following Diana, Jon, and others outside of broader conflicts and lines of fire. And while the ultimate reveal of just what the Book of Chaos is is underwhelming, the conclusion is action-packed and satisfying on the whole.
A princess embraces her next chapter in The Book of Chaos, an engrossing fantasy novel about personal growth and civic responsibility.
Reviewed by
Brandon Pawlicki
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
