The Vanished Queen

April 6, 2020
Campbell skillfully balances action and introspection as rebellion rises against an oppressive regime in this promising epic fantasy debut. The city of Karegg is under the control of the brutal King Karolje. When college student Anza breaks into one of the libraries that Karolje has ordered closed, she discovers the journal of Mirantha, the former queen who Karolje had disappeared. After Anza’s father is executed for unknown reasons, Anza joins the resistance movement against Karolje, inspired, in part, by reading Mirantha’s tale. Anza is arrested for her involvement with the movement and interrogated by Esvar, one of Karolje’s sons, who, along with his brother, Tevin, plots to overthrow his father, but fears a lack of support among the nobility. Anza is released, and she, Esvar, and Sparrow, the mysterious leader of the resistance, come together to put an end to Karolje’s tyranny. By situating Anza within a larger resistance movement, Campbell steers refreshingly clear of typical “chosen one” tropes, instead illuminating the collective effort required for revolution while drawing pointed parallels to the current U.S. political climate. This competent, character-driven debut may not be splashy, but it is solid. Agent: Bridget Smith, Dunham Literary.

Starred review from June 1, 2020

DEBUTQueen Mirantha was Disappeared by her husband, King Karolje; everyone knows that as truth. She's only a distant memory in the minds of those under King Karolje's oppressive rule, but her words are rediscovered by the young student Anza, in the form of a personal journal. Inspired by the queen's words and her own father's death at the hands of the king, Anza joins the Resistance. Prince Esvar has struggled for most of his life with the cruel games his father played with him and his elder brother, Tevin. Unseating Karolje will take more than his own skills, and he finds hope after meeting Anza and her connections to the resistance, headed by the mysterious Sparrow. But the power King Karolje holds is possibly insurmountable, unless Esvar and Anza can stop his tyranny through treason. The narrative moves between the present and past in Queen Mirantha's journal, and the choices made in the past will lead everyone to some surprising revelations. VERDICT Campbell's debut is filled with political intrigue, personal anguish, and family ties that bind. The prose moves smoothly through the alternating points of view of Mirantha, Anza, and Esvar, building well-rounded characters approaching the eve of revolution.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

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