Review: Uprooted by Kandi J. Wyatt

I'm late today, and that's because I got lost in this read and didn't finish it until this morning. Fantasy friends are in for a treat with this one because it is a gem. But I'm going to let my review do the rest of the talking...so off we go!

UPROOTED

Sovereigns, Book One

by Kandi J. Wyatt

Young Adult Fantasy

295 pages

Sold as a slave, and uprooted from home, 18-year-old Hest must decide where his loyalties lie or risk losing his new friends.

At peace in the stable, Hest cares for the visitors to Stad while spinning tales of adventure for the innkeeper’s son. But when a foreign warrior purchases him as a slave, he must decide if he’s willing to live the adventures he’s told.

With his new country under attack from an old enemy, Hest must learn to fight or lose his life in battle. While recuperating from injuries, he overhears a plot of treason. Choosing where his loyalties lie will seal his fate and that of a kingdom.

Hest’s already lost one family. He’ll do anything to keep his new one—even ride out to battle and most-certain death.

Uprooted is the first book in the coming-of-age fantasy series, The Sovereigns. If you like action, rounded character development, and dragons, you’ll love Kandi J Wyatt’s book.

Journey to a new world and start reading Uprooted today!

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MY TIDBITS

I'm going to step into trouble, and immediately admit that the cover is not my thing, which made me hesitant to pick this one up (Yep, I'm superficial like that). Gosh, I'm glad I took a peek anyway because this is really an amazing read.

Hest is a stable hand in a country, which gets its light from two stars. Not much grows, but that's the only way he knows things. He's heard stories about the other side of the planet, where the sun only shines and burns everything. Then, there's area in between, and that's where their food and wood comes from. When a warrior from this lusher country visits the inn and demands Hest take special care of his horse, little does he realize that his life is about to change. The warrior pays Hest's foster mother money for him, and Hest finds himself as the squire to a man, who knows kings and is about to go to war.

This is one of the better written, fantasy tales I've read in awhile. It holds mages, dragons, warriors, a foreign planet, horses, kings, and so much more. The world is rich, well developed, and doesn't drag, in the least. Every page is grabbing, and every moment holds something of interest...and still, it isn't rushed and flows at a wonderfully, steady pace. There's intrigue, secrets, growth, friendship, crushes, battles, and....well, it's simply rich in every way and form. Even the characters shine with their own personalities, goals and backgrounds. 

Hest is a young man, who is very easy to relate to. He does have a sense for adventure. He things. Or maybe not? And that's what makes him so much fun to connect with. He's just a guy, who finds himself in one of life's flips and has so much growing to do and so much to learn. He's not cocky, he makes mistakes, he's by no means a hero, but he's determined to do his best...whatever that might mean. He's caring, humble, and clever. In other words, he's the perfect character to start out a journey to a series, and one that has so much room to grow that it makes it fun.

While this is a solid fantasy read, it still flows easily and quickly. The dialogue comes across very naturally as do the characters' actions and decisions. Even the kings and such each bring just the right dusting of quirks and attitudes to make them human with all of their pomp and circumstance. And it's written for the age group. I'd even recommend this one for upper middle graders, since Hest is that easy to connect with and the read isn't inappropriate. 

I'm so glad I found this one and can't wait to see where the series goes from here.