From Amazon: A benevolent King; …his sword of power; …a ruthless traitor bent on revenge; …and the faithful son who stands in his way with the woman destined to share his throne. Who shall emerge as the victor in this epic struggle between good and evil to govern the lives of hapless men?

I enjoyed The Victor, because it was completely different to something I’d normally read. It was well-written and engaging, and I was surprised by my attachment to the characters. I loved the fantasy element to the book, as powerful swords are one of my favourite fantasy creations. In this case, Ephlal is the sword in question, and is utilised well throughout the story.

Although The Victor is grounded in fantasy and adventure, it’s more about the characters, and their quest for freedom, love and redemption. Betrayal is the most noticeable theme, and is a constant source of conflict between the characters. While Eloth and Joshua are trying to keep their people together, Lucius is trying to tear their kingdom apart, and is doing so at the cost of everyone’s respect and loyalty.

Llyonesse was a great female character and, while I’m not too fond of her name, she really came into her own in the latter part of the book. Older and wiser, she goes for what she wants, and stands by Joshua in his quest to save his kingdom.

A love story lies at the core of The Victor, and I couldn’t help being drawn into the world of Joshua and Llyonesse. Their relationship was one of epic longing, and Giron wrote it realistically. I’m really glad I gave this book a chance, and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

Jenny Davies, Borders Bookstore (England)