Reviewed by Tracy Traynor for Readers' Favorite
King of Realms by Britt Asher is a magical fantasy adventure for kids aged 10-14 and is book 1 of 5. Although a magical beast stole a precious item, Varric is caught trying to steal it and he is dragged before the throne. He is sentenced to death by the King of Iloria. Luckily, one of the king’s guards steps forward and suggests an alternative. The king agrees and gives Varric two weeks to return with the stolen relic. An unlikely trio sets off to recover the magical relic. Varric is a Transporter, Princess Setia is a Shifter, and a big guy called Argo (a fantastic character) is not only a tournament champion but a Bonder who can summon powerful beasts to aid him. These three must visit magical places and take on all manner of mystical beasts in this fast-paced, exciting read.
I loved the light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek repartee between the characters, especially Varric’s comments, which are normally muttered for his ears only. King of Realms by Britt Asher is a compulsive page-turner that I couldn’t put down. I think this is pitch-perfect for children’s coming-of-age books. I found it to be a truly unique and original story with amazing world-building and very memorable characters. It is rare to find a fantasy book that has both fantastic world-building and characters that you love, but this book has both. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next one. A great book for young and old alike!