Customer Reviews

Inheritance: Keys Of Power #1

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The basic premise of Simon Brown's Inheritance, Book One of Keys of Power, isn't anything startlingly original, yet this proves to be a most absorbing novel with very well-defined and inherently likable characters. Political intrigue, betrayal, cold-blooded murder, and just the right touch of magic makes the kingdom of Grinda Lear an exceedingly interesting and complex fantasy realm. It was Queen Usharna who, as a young monarch, kept the kingdom together as it faced military attacks from outside and treachery from within - by the queen's own second husband, in fact. Grenda Lear has been at peace for many years now, but its social fabric is already poised to unravel upon the death of the aging and increasingly frail queen. The nobility, as represented by the Twenty Houses, is particularly intent to restore its prestige and power, still seething over the fact that Usharna took a commoner for her third and final husband. This commoner whom the nobility hold in such disdain, however, was none other than General Elynd Chisal, the man primarily responsible for saving the kingdom from defeat in the Slaver War. It is Lynan, the fourth child of Queen Usharna and son of the late General Chisal, who stands at the forefront of this exceedingly interesting novel.

In most cultures, the son of a nation's military hero would be held in high esteem; the same cannot be said of Grenda Lear. Prince Lynan has lived a life of isolation, estranged from his mother the queen, looked down upon by his royal half-brothers and half-sister, and given none of the courtly duties befitting a prince. As a son of the queen, however, Lynan is a prince of the realm and does receive, according to tradition, one of the four keys of power from Usharna upon her death. Just as the new king, his half-brother Berayma, begins to take Lynan and his attendant duties seriously, disaster strikes the castle in the form of murder most foul. Suddenly, Lynan finds himself fleeing for his life, as a most cancerous and ugly conspiracy inside the halls of utmost power complete step one of a nefarious power-grabbing plot and frame the "commoner" prince for regicide. Lynan is accompanied in flight by Kumul, the suddenly ex-captain of the palace guard; Ager, a crookback soldier who served under Lynan's father in the Slaver War; and a young female student of magic named Jenrosa (who basically happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time); the young prince also has the Key of Union, although he does not yet know how to tap into whatever powers it might possess. Kumul and Ager lead the group on a dangerous journey to a distant land where Lynan can find safety and, quite possibly, raise an army of his own. As the group braves the dangers of the passage and deals with a series of attacks from government-appointed pursuers, Lynan matures a great deal and eventually vows to return to Grenda Lear and reclaim his royal heritage.

Inheritance truly engages the fantasy enthusiast's mind and love for the genre, as the author executes a number of critical sub-plots simultaneously and sets the stage for a truly epic saga. Lynan is in some ways a classic underdog, and he comes across as very human thanks to his virtuous nature and his youthful capacity for saying and doing dumb things from time to time. The action is suspenseful and fraught with both human and much more mysterious dangers (such as an encounter with Silona, the wood vampire who haunts the dark forest), and the magic that weaves its way into the storyline is subtle enough to make a maximum impact on an already thrilling story. Humor works its way into the easy camaraderie of the gang of heroes, but at the same time the story has its dark side. Some horrible acts are committed in these pages, and the blood that is shed leaves its mark on the reader.

I am definitely a new fan of Simon Brown. Inheritance engaged my mind, swept me up in its atmosphere of intrigue, injustice, heroism, and adventure, and introduced me to a set of characters I am more than anxious to meet again in succeeding entries in the Keys of Power series (which is currently projected to be a trilogy).

Simon Brown on first glance uses the tried and true story format however takes that formant and makes it his own in the first book Inheritance: Keys of Power.
The land of Grenda Leer has had a long time of peace since the end of the slaver wars. It's queen has ruled with the keys of power. Magical keys that each hold sway and power over different parts of what makes a king or queen. However the current queen is dying from old age and the awesome power of the keys. Of her four children her oldest son shall become king. However before passing on she will seperate the keys and give to her four children as is the custom among the royal family when thier is more then one child. To her oldest and soon to be king Berayma the key of the Monarch the ket that shows who is the rightful king. The queen gives her only daughter princess Areava the key of the Sword for who holds that key is charged with leading the armies to victory against the enemies of the kingdom. To her third child prince Olio (younger brother to Areava) was entrusted with the key of the Heart in which great powers of healing are bestowed upon its bearer and is to help heal those in need of it. And finally to her youngest child the prince Lynan a child bron from the queen and her last husband and her only true love the famed general Elynd Chisal the key of Union for with that key has sway over the very people that makes up the entire kingdom. With the Queen death and the keys scattered among the four children peace should be maintained. However those in places of power scheme with greater plans ahead. Lyana the youngest was never favored in court or by his older brothers or sisters and has nothing really to do but try to find those that knew his father a commoner general and then once husband to the queen. His oldest brother tries to place Lynan in his court and make him feel welcome. His sister on the other hand hates him for it and was his father that found out her father was a traitor and was killed by her own mother for such acts. Soon Lynan finds out that family is not always as loving as it should be. Soon after the queen death Lynan is framed for murdering his older brother Berayma and has to flee taking along with him his trusted friend and former soldier in his father army Kumul the giant, along with them a crookback called Ager who also fought in Lynan father army and a magiker in tranining Jenrosa. Togeather they flee to the only safe place they can find the lands called the Ocean of grass. Meanwhile Areava has become next in line to the throne and screams for Lynan head for the death of her brother not knowing that Lynan has been framed. To find out more you will just have to read this interesting book. On a perosonal note I could not put this book down and once done I had to get its next book to see what happens next.

Inheritance is the first novel in the Keys of Power series. Usharna is the Queen of Grenda Lear and all its realms, comprising eleven states and six million people. She has been married three times. Her first consort was Milgrom Kolls, a scion of the Twenty Families and father of the eldest son and heir, Berayma. Her second consort was Tafe Amptra, another scion of the Twenty Families and father of Areava and Olio; during the Slaver War, Tafe played one side against the other and was confronted by the Queen, forced to confess by the Keys of Power, and burned to a smoking husk for his treason. Thereafter, Usharna married for love, taking the great general Elynd Chisal as her consort, and she bore Lynan as her fourth child; Chisal was assassinated when Lynan was only a young child.

In this novel, Lynan is a somewhat rebellious boy. He often searches the taverns of Kendra for veterans of the Slaver War who might know something about his father. One day he encounters Ager Parmer, a former soldier who has been gravely wounded at Deep River, introduces himself using the name of his servant Piram, and plies him with drink while listening to the details of the battle. While they are talking, Kumul Alarn, the Constable of the Royal Guards, comes to retrieve Lynan back to the castle. The two men recognize each other from their service with Lynan's father, but their reunion is interrupted by an attempt to assassinate the prince. Ager is injured very severely and the Queen performs a healing on his wound using the Key of the Heart.

Later, the dying Queen calls her children together in front of witnesses and gives each of them one of the Keys of Power. Berayma receives the Monarch's Key, the Key of the Scepter; Areava receives the Key of the Sword; Olio receives the Key of the Heart; and Lynan receives the Key of Union. After the short ceremony, all leave the Queen to her rest and depart; Usharna dies in her sleep shortly thereafter.

After the Queen's funeral, the new King is assassinated and Lynan is blamed for the deed. Piram had been ordered to bring Lynan to the King, but could not find him anywhere. Reporting back to the King, he sees the assassins at the scene and flees to warn his master. First retrieving his master's sword and belt from his rooms, he continues to search and finally finds Lynan with the Magicker Jenrosa Alucar in one of the tower rooms. They flee toward the Royal Guard stables, are overtaken by guards allied with the assassins, and Piram is killed in the action. Kumul and Ager appear and save the prince and magicker and they all ride out of the castle to hide with a friend of Kumul.

Areava is now the Queen and fully believes that Lynan was one of those who killed Berayma. She orders every effort to be made to find Lynan and return him for justice. Then she starts to organize her administration.

This story is a comedy of errors, with lethal consequences. Usharna intentionally ignored Lynan as a child in order to protect him from her enemies, but consequently Berayma and Areava treated Lynan as a commoner himself; only Olia treats Lynan with love and respect. Berayma is very noble in his concerns, but blind to the machinations of the Twenty Families. Areava hates the Twenty Families, but thinks that only the nobility are honorable. After Usharna gives Lynan the Key of Union, Berayma comes to see Lynan in a different light and plans on promoting his position as spokesman for the commonwealth. However, Areava still sees Lynan as dishonorable and a hazard to the kingdom. Olia disagrees but is unable to argue effectively against his beloved sister.

Thus, Lynan finds himself fleeing for his life, not knowing whether his sister is one of the conspirators against Berayma, but understanding that she is now his greatest enemy, determined to capture and punish him for his supposed misdeeds. Lynan must flee as fast and far as he can, even to the Ocean of Grass in the far west, where the Northern Chetts roam and guard their herds. Since the mother of Elynd Chisal was a Chett, Lynan and his companions hope that they will find sanctuary and assistance among these nomads.

The treatment of Lynan by his mother and siblings is rather hard to believe, for Usharna seems to be fully aware of the degree of animosity she faces with the Twenty Families. Why didn't she just ignore their jibes and increase the guard around Lynan? Showing her love toward the boy couldn't have hurt his position with the people and his siblings, so why defer to the prejudices of the aristocracy! Areava's feelings also seem a bit much for someone who already despises the aristocracy, so why then does she cling to the attitude of noblesse oblige? A little more trust among these siblings would have diverted the whole affair into a much different direction.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys tales of falsely accused princes who have to gather an army to regain their inheritance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I was very impressed by this first book from Simon Brown. I picked it up on a whim, and it sat on my shelf for half a year before I got around to reading it. The standard fantasy fare is enhanced by a healthy dose of political intrique, which I find fascinating. There is also a surprising twist with the main character at the end of the book, that makes the reader want to see what happens next.

A solid effort.

Queen Usharna Rosetheme is dying, but is not worried about the succession, as her oldest son Beryama will inherit the throne. Instead she is concerned with how the Twenty Houses will support her son and his three half-siblings. Especially concerning her is her youngest, Lynan, son of a deceased war hero commoner.

When the queen dies the keys that were the prime source of her power and her victory in the deadly Slaver War is distributed one each to her four children. However, unity fails when Areava and the twenty houses decide to eliminate Lynan, holder of one of the magical keys. Only the loyalty of his father's faithful Captains from the Slaver War Kumul Alarn and Agar Parmer save his life following the betrayal. What worried Usharna in life has come true after her death as her children are divided and her country is split with Lynan vowing vengeance and using his key to claim what was stolen from him.

The opening gamut of the "Keys of Power" is an incredible epic fantasy that is must reading for sub-genre fans. The story line is action-packed yet insures readers follow the exploits of fully developed characters. The adventures never slow down even as Simon Brown introduces the cast in such a way that the key (no pun intended) players seem real and the magic genuine. The only problem with INHERITANCE is waiting for book two to be published.

Harriet Klausner

Australian SF writer Simon Brown tries his hand at high fantasy with "Inheritance," the first book in his Keys of Power trilogy. "Inheritance" features all the standard high fantasy tropes: the adolescent prince Lynan, an outsider because his father was a commoner; his spiteful sister Areava, who inherits the throne; the tomboy Jenrosa, a restless wizardry student; the quasi-medieval kingdom of Grenda Lear, complete with taverns, a haunted forest, and a school of wizardry; and a magic artifact, the Keys of Power, that enable the monarch to rule with wisdom and compassion.

The opening of Chapter One, set in a stock fantasy tavern, shows in the first sentence that "Inheritance" won't be blazing any new ground. And there's nothing wrong with that. Clichés exist because they work, and many exciting, gripping fantasy tales have been written using such familiar elements. The problem with Inheritance isn't so much the clichés as it is Brown's weak execution of the story around them. Lynan's moping around the castle is inconsistent with his earlier sneaking into the tavern to learn about his father. The major event that sets the plot in motion doesn't happen until a quarter of the way into the book. Jenrosa appears out of nowhere, just in time to flee with the heroes. The plot of political scheming vanishes in the last third of the book, replaced by a trite sequence of pursuit-and-escape from nasty mercenaries with lots of scars. The vividness of the setting and the characters finally picks up in the river barge and caravan scenes, particularly once Lynan encounters Gudon the pilot. Then Brown fumbles the momentum with an abrupt ending that resolves none of the hanging plot threads, and feels like gratuitous setup for the next book in the series.

The awkward prose doesn't help either. "The wide double doors to the throne room opened wide," Brown writes in Chapter Six. The character and place names follow no apparent pattern, like they would in a true culture, and they include such clunkers as "Orkid Gravespear." The point-of-view bounces from character to character in the same scene, in some places changing with every paragraph. Once the pursuit plot gets moving in the last quarter of the book, Brown carries the action capably, except when he interrupts Lynan's plotline to show Prince Olio back home setting up orphanages.

Despite this clumsy execution and all the clichéd elements, "Inheritance" still offers an average fantasy read. But even for the reader who doesn't mind awkward prose, there are so many more vivid and more exciting high fantasy novels out there that "Inheritance" ends up toward the bottom of the list.

There is a place where all the young princes are noble and brave, all the old soldiers brood but are willing to be called back for one last campaign, and all the aristocrats are sneaky and villainous. There is a place where the forests are haunted, the caravans are impossibly huge, and the innkeepers are gruff but kindly. It's called fantasyland, and Simon Brown lives there, or he might as well. "Inheritance" is a fantasy novel of the old school, where you can tell who's a villain because they sneer on stage, and old men who have drunken their lives away in a bar can earn redemption by fighting to protect a slain friend's long lost son. Some may call it cliched. I call it a refreshing trip down memory lane. This is a story that makes you feel young again, that makes you think that maybe a hapless band of misfits really can defeat a much larger group of evil minions.

Prince Lynan, youngest son of Queen Usharna, roams the streets hoping to find information about his long dead father. General Chisal was a great leader in years long past, but was despised by the elitist upper classes for being a commoner. Now sinister forces are moving to dispose of Lynan, but will one of Chisal's former soldiers show up just in time to stop the assassins? (Take one guess.) Thwarted in their first attempt, the bad guys dream up an even farther-reaching conspiracy, and soon Lynan and his companions are fleeing for their lives, with hordes of vicious mercenaries on their tail.

What makes this book work is Brown's careful writing. He understands what the story needs, and also what the story doesn't need. Every paragraph in "Inheritance" carries important information. There are no space-fillers, no long descriptions, and instead we get tons of action and intrigue. There's more plot in this book than in many twice its size. Brown also develops his characters, major and minor, with the utmost care. Everyone has believable motivations for what they do, including the villains. The fight scenes come across clearly and with pulse-pounding excitement. Perhaps most important is the intelligence of the book's structure. The good guys actually win by being good - brave, intelligent, loyal, and resourceful - rather than by pulling magic tricks out of a hat. In fact, "Inheritance" has virtually no magic.

For sure Simon Brown will never win a Hugo or get raves from the New York Review of Books, but he delivers everything you could rightfully expect from him. When judging a book like "Inheritance", critics often say "I enjoyed this book at its own dumb level." But truth be told, literary midgets like David Drake, Terry Goodkind, and Robert Newcomb are the ones who write at a dumb level. Simon Brown writes at a smart level; he writes a well-thought-out story with tons of excitement and no unnecessary violence, sex, or profanity. For this I hold him up as an example of what fantasy can be, and I hope he decides to offer us a great deal more in the years to come.