The Armored Saint

January 8, 2018
SF/F thriller author Cole (Siege Line) makes an uninspiring first venture into epic fantasy with this flat trilogy opener, which is unoriginal in its cod–medieval Europe setting, idealized peasant characters, and generally portentous tone. Sixteen-year-old peasant girl Heloise aspires to something other than marriage and babies, but she lives in a dangerous world: at any time, hidden wizards could suddenly turn into interdimensional portals, allowing terrible demons to come through and devour everyone and everything she loves. Only the clichéd Order of religious knights can keep the demons back by hunting and destroying the wizards. But the order is itself, of course, a cruelly despotic organization, and knights nearly kill Heloise upon their first encounter with her for no reason except that they don’t think peasant lives are worth very much. When her village is forced to take part in brutally and protractedly massacring another village, an operation conducted on suspicions of wizardry that Heloise knows to be false, she finds herself and her family and friends set against the Order—and the demons are still a problem. The entire book is focused on getting Heloise to the climactic fight scene, which then proceeds completely predictably, and the book ends just when it seems like something might start to happen. Agent: Joshua A. Bilmes, JABberwocky Literary.

A full-cast narration led by Colleen Delaney makes it easy to dive into this fantasy world, and soon every character feels familiar. It's a story full of religious tyrants, dark secrets, and a brewing rebellion in which any act of magic could open a portal to hell. As a result, each of the obstacles the characters encounter packs a significant emotional punch. And the numerous sound effects, like footsteps, fidgeting horses, and flailing fists help transport the listener to this dangerous place. Strategically placed background music also helps set the tone and build the tension as the danger grows for Heloise and the people of her village. C.J.S. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine