The Keeper’s Origins
The Good: Speeches, good characterization
The Bad: Lack of stakes (important people wouldn’t die), unimportant side stories (elves are used only for convenience).
The Ugly: Nonsensical Magic system, transition to epic (small potatoes -> gigantic potatoes)
Before we get started I’d just like to say that this trilogy has its flaws, but I still hold it in high regard. The usage of figurative language and the powerful speeches in the story made me believe that the story was built around the idea of spreading the speeches. (Insert Speech Quote). The power behind this speech is one of the main reasons I powered through the bad decisions made by the protagonist. Of course you can’t really call her choices bad since everything worked out in the end. Major Spoilers. The only person that didn’t make it to the end was the elder Narine, but her death was predictable as Sable needed the phoenix. Since the phoenix was bound to Narine and death was the only way to release the bird… as I said, predictable. Regular members of the army died, yes, but it really dismantles the tension of any fight when you know the protagonist’s team will have an asspull to save them. Even when Sable and her makeshift army were ambushed and surrounded by the Kalesh Empire, THE EMPIRE KNOWN FOR CONQUERING OTHER NATIONS, the empire failed to fight against a rag-tag team of rebels after having full control over the battlefield.
Another issue that the story presents to me is the sheer convenience of the elves and dwarves. Outside of character arcs they were merely set decoration. You would think that an outside empire threatening to take over your land and, potentially, kick you off of it would stir up a little alarm. Which of course it did, but they were used like stepping stones. Like how Thanos beat the bricks off of the Avengers while they were separated. The Elves and Dwarves practically rolled over in fear when the Kalesh were mentioned. I understand that they were rightfully scared of the Kalesh as they are a group of conquerors- As I was typing that thought another one came to me. What if that was the point? What if we were supposed to see the Elves and Dwarves as weak? We were supposed to see them as afraid to rock the boat. Afraid to fight for their lives in fear that it would be pointless. And only the bravado that comes with youth can topple empires! Yeah it’s a load of bologna. If Sable could rally a bunch of farmers, guards, and reserve soldiers and stop a global empire then others can too. Let us not go into detail on the fact that they won the final “battle” on a fluke because that battle, albeit very entertaining, was quite ridiculous in retrospect. Sable uses her borderline mind control to convince multiple groups of people who refused to work together well by exposing the lies the other groups spread about one another and the big lie told by their biggest enemy Vivaine.
You know after doing some research on this book series I realized that this honestly like the purpose of the story. To show how those in power believe themselves to be infinitely stronger than those under them, but infinitely weaker than those not under their control. As in how Vivaine refused to acknowledge that Sable could be a threat to her while also trying to work with the Kalesh because she was afraid she couldn’t control them. Maybe I was a bit harsh on that aspect, but the macguffen-esque magic system is frustrating. I understand the whole “power comes to those in desperate need” trope. It’s common enough that it has become a standard practice in stories that deal with characters that can power up. However when you have such a “soft” magic system. I.e. one that isn’t explained in much depth it can cause some frustration in audiences. As in myself. It’s annoying. It destroys tension. If at any moment a character can get the power they need to survive at the last moment possible then no battles matter. No conflict matters because they all will survive in the end. For those of you unfamiliar with the story it is told as a recollection of events. So, that means the events already happened and they are told with a laissez faire attitude. We the readers were already told that the protagonist will survive. We know that the deuteragonist would survive. What we didn’t know is who else survived. I can sympathize with an author who refuses to kill off their main cast. However, it truly limits the stakes. Now they do get injured, and there was a chance of some integral people dying, but it went nowhere. Which is fine as long as you understand that this limits the impact of the conflict.
Long story short. The book is a fun story. I enjoyed this trilogy considerably more than this rant makes it sound like I did. Its speeches, characters, and overall adventure were strong enough that I overlooked a magic system and conflict structure that repeatedly frustrated me. If you enjoy epic adventures of young people overthrowing the government and proving to the world that they are capable of doing things those in power couldn’t, or wouldn’t, do. However, if you’re looking for an in-depth magic system and conflict with weight outside of “plot advancement” then you’re better off looking elsewhere.
