Skip to main content

The Void of Muirwood (The Covenant of Muirwood #3) by Jeff Wheeler: A Book Review

The Void of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood #3)
Author: Jeff Wheeler
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: 47North
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 432
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: When banished Princess Maia is captured by her father and threatened with execution, it appears that all is lost…until the people rise in rebellion against their king. Suddenly, the cast-aside royal finds herself crowned the first Queen of Comoros. But enemies appear on all sides as her father’s conniving supporters assemble a new army against the fledgling ruler. While Maia struggles to keep the peace within her own walls, she rushes to form historical alliances with her neighboring kingdoms against an impending invasion of the ruthless Naestors—led by the cruel Corriveaux—who will destroy anyone Maia loves in order to ruin her kingdom and prevent the mastons from regaining power.

     Realizing that Muirwood Abbey is once again her only hope for survival, Maia gathers her people there for protection. When she discovers an adversary greater than she’s ever known, she must use all the magic, strength, and wisdom gained from her life’s trials to prevent the Void that would bring destruction to herself, her true love, and the entire kingdom.

     My Review: The Void of Muirwood is the thrilling conclusion to The Covenant of Muirwood trilogy. Maia’s evil father has died, leaving Maia as the only heir of Comoros. Maia must face the task of ruling her kingdom. She must appoint worthy people to serve her so she can bring peace to the kingdom. However, there are people in her country who do not see her as the true ruler and begin to rebel. Yet, while the country begins fighting each other, they face a bigger threat that will intends to destroy them all. Can Maia save her kingdom and restore peace and prosperity to her lands?

     Maia has never been trained to rule as queen. Yet, she makes wise decisions. She appoints people whom she trusts and who have the interests of the kingdom to serve her.  As queen, Maia is thrust into obstacles and hard decisions that she must make alone. She must rely on her instincts and let them show her the way. She must also learn to forgive her enemies and bestow them mercy. She strives to rule with truth and goodness. However, she is not perfect. She does not trust people easily, she is prone to jealousy, and sometimes has a thirst for vengeance. Yet, she is relatable because she wants to do what is right.

     Overall, this book is about friendship, love, trust, mercy, choices, and forgiveness. The message of the story is to forgive those who have done you wrong. The story was fast-paced and full of adventure. The characters were likeable and the villains were complex and interesting. This book is a fantasy, however it is inspired by the life of an actual historical figure, Mary Tudor, the first female ruler of England. Thus, this book is full of court intrigue, suspense, danger, and action. I found that this book was a nice conclusion to the series. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Mary Tudor, warring kingdoms, and high epic fantasy.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Guest Post: The Ladies-in-Waiting: Lady Isabel Baynton by Alexandra Walsh

    Today's guest writer is Alexandra Walsh. She is the author of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy , which is a historical thriller surrounding the infamous Tudor queen. In this guest post, Mrs. Walsh discusses the life of Catherine's lady-in-waiting, Isabel Baynton. This post will be sure to fascinate fans of Tudor era. If you enjoy her post, please pick up a copy of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy ! Thank you, Mrs. Walsh! The Ladies-in-Waiting – Lady Isabel Baynton by Alexandra Walsh     One of the most enjoyable things about writing an historical novel is discovering the tiny details that make the period real on the page. While I was researching The Catherine Howard Conspiracy , I spent a great deal of time hunting out the life stories of the women who surrounded the young queen in order to create a group of realistic friends and confidants.       There are some well-known names linked with Catherine and her downfall: Lady Jane Boleyn,...

Daughter of Rome by Tessa Afshar: A Book Review

Daughter of Rome Author: Tessa Afshar Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian, Biblical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers Release Date: 2020 Pages: 416 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis : A woman with a devastating secret. A man bent on proving his worth. A chance encounter that catapults them into the heart of history.      When the daughter of a prominent Roman general meets a disinherited Jewish immigrant, neither one can dream of God’s plan to transform them into the most influential couple of the early church. Nor can they anticipate the mountains that will threaten to bury them. Their courtship unwittingly shadowed by murder and betrayal, Priscilla and Aquila slowly work to build a community of believers, while their lives grow increasingly complicated thanks to a shaggy dog, a mysterious runaway, and a ruthless foe desperate for love. But when they’re banished from their home by a capricious emperor, th...

The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction by Olivia Milburn: A Book Review

The Empress in the Pepper Chamber: Zhao Feiyan in History and Fiction Author: Olivia Milburn Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: University of Washington Press Release Date: May 24, 2021 Pages: 233 Source: Personal Collection Synopsis: Zhao Feiyan (45–1 BCE), the second empress appointed by Emperor Cheng of the Han dynasty (207 BCE–220 CE), was born in slavery and trained in the performing arts, a background that made her appointment as empress highly controversial. Subsequent persecution by her political enemies eventually led to her being forced to commit suicide. After her death, her reputation was marred by accusations of vicious scheming, murder of other consorts and their offspring, and relentless promiscuity, punctuated by bouts of extravagant shopping.      This first book-length study of Zhao Feiyan and her literary legacy includes a complete translation of The Scandalous Tale of Zhao Feiyan (Zhao Feiyan waizhuan) , a Tang dynasty (618–907...