
For anyone looking for a mix of 'We need to defeat the evil overlord to free our world' and 'I was bored so I decided to join up with the hero and save the world', look no further!
Maelstrom, our delightful antagonist-no wait, antihero-er, protagonist?, not sure, save it for later, the son and Prince of evil Queen Renova, evil tyrant and super-all powerful necromancer, is bored. But not like, I'm gonna go read a book or play a rousing game of ye olde chess, but 'I have nothing to do because I have no friends, and my mom slaughtered all the Heroes that could halt her ruling of power'-type of bored. So what's a guy to do?
Well obviously he needs to join up with the Hero of Virtue, Twigs, and her allies of justice (aka members of the resistance against Maelstrom's mom) [Sir Anise, Yerghel, and Nit] to pass the time! With a little luck, some shape-shifting mishaps, and just a pinch of necromantic powers, Maelstrom can turn Twigs into a true warrior that can turn the tide in favor of the heroes. Let's just hope he can find some decent bards to sing the tales of his journey into self-acceptance.
I laughed, I cried, I even spat out my tea upon reading the plot twist. But not legitimately, since anyone could see the twist coming from a mile away. The story led well with it's pacing and didn't baby the reader completely; Maelstrom has an 'ally' Lore (the skull on his cloak/amulet) that tags along with him on his journey, and the duo love to discuss their "BiG eViL pLaNs Of BeTrAyAl". [/sarcasm] The romance is there, but minimal until closer to the end, which is nice if you're more interested in story opposed to kissy-faces.
All in all, I'd give the story 4.5 out of 5 stars. Definitely something I'd read again, when I'm in the mood for a short, yet cute, story.
For fans of Nimona, The Adventure Zone, The Owl House vibes, and other Historical Fantasy 'ye olde adventuring groups'.