The Traitor Prince

Gr 8 Up—The latest "Ravenspire" novel, inspired by The Prince and the Pauper, delivers an action-packed narrative of monsters, violence, and political intrigue. Javin, the prince of Akram, an Arabian Nights—style fantasy world, has spent the last 10 years at a military academy. His return home is disrupted when an illegitimate cousin, Rahim, impersonates him as part of a political coup. Earnest and naive Javin is thrown into the vicious Maqbara prison, where he must fight monsters in gladiatorial battles in hopes of winning an audience with his father, the king. The novel's strength lies in its fast-paced action sequences and inventive monsters. While Redwine introduces themes of systemic oppression through her portrayal of the dark elves, an enslaved and subjugated race in Akram, the novel's ironic refrain that "the only good elf is a dead elf" comes across as heavy-handed moralizing rather than a nuanced exploration of these ideas. Characterization generally takes a backseat to the action, and the romantic subplot that fills the second half of the book feels rushed and out of place between the many graphic scenes of violence. Redwine's fans will appreciate cameo appearances by characters from the other "Ravenspire" novels, but this installment stands alone as a dark fantasy for readers who love fight scenes and political plotting.