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A review by rustymiller
A Warden's Purpose by Jeffrey L. Kohanek
4.0
This was the first book I have read by Jeffrey Kohanek, and I was sent a digital copy of this in return for a fair and honest review. I went into the book with a clean slate and no expectations whatsoever.
Initially I was a bit confused by the interrogation scenes with Everson and Quinn. Fortunately, it made sense by the end of the book (no spoilers!), and it culminated with a nice amount of surprises and twists. More on that later.
What I did like from the beginning was the family dynamics, the redeeming qualities of Everson and Quinn, and the inclusion of a protagonist with a disability.
I loved how Evers and Polly adopted Everson, and loved him like a complete member of the family in all ways. I kept waiting for them to lose their patience with him, to complain about the extra care that Emerson needed because of his legs, or worse, but they consistently supported and cared for him, especially Quinn. It was refreshing actually reading a book where positive relationships were featured.
Specifically, Everson and Quinn have a very strong relationship with each other. She sees it as her mission to help and protect him physically, and he often brings her to a place of calm and peace. As the story develops, we get to see their strengths and weaknesses emerge, but they keep coming back to positive qualities of loyalty, integrity, honesty, and more. Again, it is a nice change to read about protagonists who consistently land on the side of what is good.
I also liked how the author handled Everson’s disability. Especially as voiced by his family, his non-functioning legs were what made him special and unique, not what made him less or a burden. Quinn would often choose to spend time with him rather than with friends. His father crafted braces and canes that would strengthen his legs and allow him to walk. Everson, while occasionally showing shame or embarrassment, is shown as full of determination and strength, not as an invalid or a cripple.
As the book went on, I found myself thinking that it was a charming story, even after Everson and Quinn arrive at the Academy. It was also somewhat of a primer for any readers who might not be very well versed with the fantasy genre as it took a little extra time explaining its magic system and types of weapons. Fight scenes were decent, but not the strength.
Finally, with the last 30 pages left, the ending came out of nowhere. It certainly tied together many of the loose ends from the book, but asked even more questions, paving the way for the sequel.
I definitely enjoyed this book and would like to read the second one later this year. Thank you, Jeffrey, for sending this to me. 4.2 / 5
Initially I was a bit confused by the interrogation scenes with Everson and Quinn. Fortunately, it made sense by the end of the book (no spoilers!), and it culminated with a nice amount of surprises and twists. More on that later.
What I did like from the beginning was the family dynamics, the redeeming qualities of Everson and Quinn, and the inclusion of a protagonist with a disability.
I loved how Evers and Polly adopted Everson, and loved him like a complete member of the family in all ways. I kept waiting for them to lose their patience with him, to complain about the extra care that Emerson needed because of his legs, or worse, but they consistently supported and cared for him, especially Quinn. It was refreshing actually reading a book where positive relationships were featured.
Specifically, Everson and Quinn have a very strong relationship with each other. She sees it as her mission to help and protect him physically, and he often brings her to a place of calm and peace. As the story develops, we get to see their strengths and weaknesses emerge, but they keep coming back to positive qualities of loyalty, integrity, honesty, and more. Again, it is a nice change to read about protagonists who consistently land on the side of what is good.
I also liked how the author handled Everson’s disability. Especially as voiced by his family, his non-functioning legs were what made him special and unique, not what made him less or a burden. Quinn would often choose to spend time with him rather than with friends. His father crafted braces and canes that would strengthen his legs and allow him to walk. Everson, while occasionally showing shame or embarrassment, is shown as full of determination and strength, not as an invalid or a cripple.
As the book went on, I found myself thinking that it was a charming story, even after Everson and Quinn arrive at the Academy. It was also somewhat of a primer for any readers who might not be very well versed with the fantasy genre as it took a little extra time explaining its magic system and types of weapons. Fight scenes were decent, but not the strength.
Finally, with the last 30 pages left, the ending came out of nowhere. It certainly tied together many of the loose ends from the book, but asked even more questions, paving the way for the sequel.
I definitely enjoyed this book and would like to read the second one later this year. Thank you, Jeffrey, for sending this to me. 4.2 / 5