fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book review Violette Malan THe Mirror PrinceThe Mirror Prince by Violette Malan

As a result of losing a civil war in the Elven Kingdom, the Guardian Prince has been exiled to the human lands and stripped of his memories, with only a small band of Riders to protect him. Now, as the exile is coming to a close, the Hunt has appeared, set upon destroying him before he can return to reclaim his place. The Guardian Prince has to regain his memories to save himself and the Elven Kingdoms, but how?

I was excited when I opened The Mirror Prince. I really enjoy Violette Malan’s Dhulyn and Parno series, and was hoping for another fun tale as I turned to this earlier book by her.

However, all the elves had names based on elements of nature, which got confusing very quickly, and everyone had Very Important Titles and must be referred by their Very Important Title at all times, and then when they used elvish words you knew they were elvish because they had bizarre syllables sprinkled with apostrophes. It was an interesting story, but when I started a chapter and every other word was a proper noun or had an apostrophe in it, I gave up. Maybe someone else who doesn’t have the same issues with naming protocols will be able to get down to the good story at the core, but I couldn’t see the forest for all the Trees.

The Mirror Prince — (2006-2012) Publisher: Max Ravenhill was happy with his life as a history professor — until he met Cassandra. Told he was more than a thousand years old and his life as “Max” had been implanted in his mind, he’s also been warned that he’s in danger, and that his only chance for survival is to flee to the realm of Faerie. Together he and Cassandra must separate the truth from the lies in a dangerous new world.

Violette Malan fantasy book reviews The Mirror Prince, ShadowlandsViolette Malan fantasy book reviews The Mirror Prince, Shadowlands

Author

  • Ruth Arnell

    RUTH ARNELL (on FanLit's staff January 2009 — August 2013) earned a Ph.D. in political science and is a college professor in Idaho. From a young age she has maxed out her library card the way some people do credit cards. Ruth started reading fantasy with A Wrinkle in Time and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — books that still occupy an honored spot on her bookshelf today. Ruth and her husband have a young son, but their house is actually presided over by a flame-point Siamese who answers, sometimes, to the name of Griffon.