THE REVENANT KING, by Jason McCuiston

If Tolkien wrote "The Goonies"

We can thank Professor Tolkien for giving us one of the most recognizable fantasy settings ever: vaguely medieval, with class distinctions and varied races who have rustic skillets, sprinkled with magic. Dungeons and Dragons really took this model to the mainstream and it’s been the plaything of authors for decades since.

While it’s easy for those elements to wear out their welcome, every so often an author will pop up with a story idea that makes the world worth revisiting. Kind of in the same way that G. Scott Huggins wrote about a veterinary clinic in “Mordor” under the rule of “Sauron,” Jason J. McCuiston has now given us The Goonies in Middle-Earth.

(link pending)

The Story

A thousand years ago, a necromancer-king was defeated—at great cost, and after much suffering—by a band of heroes. The problem with necromancers is the same as the problem with garden weeds: the little jerks like to come back. The Revenant King in particular has a 1,000-year respawn cycle, because naturally he put some part of his essence into something else and it can’t be killed like he can…you get the idea.

An oracle makes a prophecy. A death cult is working behind the scenes. The Revenant King is coming back, and we need a team of heroes to fight him. Cue the music!

I’ll be honest, when I started the book I was a little worried that I’d be bored with the overly familiar setting, and perhaps even the well-trod premise. Personally I’ve moved away from high epic fantasy over the last several years only because I’d rather read nonfiction about our own history.

But as I moved along through the first act, I took more of an interest in the characters and in the process of team-building, and I wanted to see them succeed in their quest. What really got me invested was their adventure on Kryptolos, the island stronghold of the Revenant King.

This is where the comparison to The Goonies comes in. They go underground and find booby traps and riddles to solve. There are moments when one guy on the team is gonna be much more useful than another guy, and times when you need the literary version of a lucky dice roll to get to the next challenge. The Rube-Goldberg-esque quality of it made it fun and engrossing, and it kept the stakes high when the story needed to be at its most exciting.

As for the ending, well, check it out and see.

The Characters

We’re going with more than the five-man band but fewer than the nine-man Fellowship. Most of these characters are human and most of them are dudes, but that’s not a universal breakdown. Our protagonist, Sir Jarod Everholm, is a human knight (Paladin) who carries an epic sword called Justicar. Since his family were all killed by undead thralls, Jarod has a specific beef to pick with necromancers.

He’s accompanied by Sister Helena, a nun (cleric) who can heal and also has religious training; Capt. Bakar Amran, a human merc; Lord Tusk, a half dwarf/half human spellcaster; Jasmina, a “loresinger” (bard); Tiberius Thorne, an elf “specialist” (equivalent to a rogue); and Stohn Sturmson, a full-dwarf champion (barbarian-type) who brought his dog, Bronn, along for the fun.

Other familiar-and-entertaining types include:

Eloquin: Elf. Ranger. Dude. Good at archery, also good at tracking.

Amalha: Half-elf, half-human. Sorceress. Chick. Good at wards and magic, has some identity struggles because she’s mixed-race.

Nicholas: Human. Rogue. Dude. Talented thief and lockpicker. Hmmmmm I wonder about his loyalties…

Brokmor: Dwarf. Melee fighter. Dude. If you can’t hit something with a hammer, hit it with a bigger hammer. He’s also got some fine motor skills and he’s good at taking apart traps, that’ll come in handy.

Tamu: Hobbit I mean…Halfling. Scout. Dude. He’s sneaky and good at natural remedies, using plants and stuff to treat wounds and sicknesses.

They mix well, they clash well, they’re a good blend of attributes. That’s what I’m looking for in an ensemble cast.

The World

I keep saying “Tolkien” but it’s not drowning in Silmarillion levels of detail and backstory. It’s just recognizable as a place with different kingdoms and realms, places that have long traditions, and even have inimical episodes in their past. In addition to barriers between the races, our heroes also have hurdles with respect to their nation of origin. It’s easy to wrap your head around the goings-on in the setting.

Politics

None.

Content Warning

Some fantasy combat violence, not overly gory, mild profanity (hell and damn and such), no sex.

Who is it for?

Basically if you liked Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, you’re going to have a great time with THE REVENANT KING.

Why buy it?

This is familiar, classic fantasy with the adrenaline and pacing of a more recent adventure. Wholesome characters, great action, and a wonderful ending make THE REVENANT KING a worthwhile read.