Book Review: "The Last Child of Leif", by Chris Pridmore.

Some people know that I like to twist the conventions of modern fantasy in attempt to bring more humanity and new perspective to the genre. Chris Pridmore has taken a similar path.

That’s not to say that The Last Child of Leif isn’t a fantasy novel, because it’s a damn fine one. It’s got monsters, magic, and sword-swinging heroes. The thing is, it’s tempered with a healthy dose of reality. In fact, I’d say the story is rooted more in traditional fantasy than many of its contemporaries, as it pays meaningful homage to the history and mythology of our own world, from which what we know as “fantasy” originally sprung. Pridmore is well-versed in the folklore of the ancient and medieval worlds.

Rather than diving into an imaginary land, Pridmore grounds his work in historical fiction. He takes us to 1890’s Bavaria, immediately sparking the action as a young prince called Valiant finds his castle besieged by usurpers. His father is dead, his home is taken, and he escapes with his deposed mother, Queen Natasha, and her most loyal guard, Sebastian. The story that follows is one of growth; Valiant and his companions spend over a year moving from place to place, meeting strange people in foreign lands and learning the hardest lessons of life. The tale unfolds a bit like a mystery; who is hunting Valiant, why do they want him, and why are they slowly taking Europe by storm?

But don’t expect to stay in the familiar confines of our reality. Pridmore’s vast imagination takes over, and soon we learn that this is an alternate version of Earth, a place where our oldest and most glorious legends come to life. We see the first signs of this several chapters in, when a delightfully Steampunk circus rolls to Valiant’s rescue, led by the wise and enigmatic Konrad Gessner. From there, we travel to Industrial-era Russia to visit cities of legend, including fairy tale versions of Nyanskans and Obran Osh. As Valiant and Sebastian slowly learn more about themselves, we find that Pridmore’s world is inhabited by older, darker things than Victorian Steampunk, many of which are pulled from our greatest nightmares. There are instances of typical fantasy indulgences, but Pridmore has done a terrific job creating a world in which monsters, demons, and magic all have an origin. Fans of Jordan’s Wheel of Time will appreciate the way Pridmore eventually ties his legends together.

I often find that a lot of modern fantasy writers depend too much on the fantastical aspect of their stories to support their tales, leaving their characters a bit soulless. Thankfully, The Last Child of Leif isn’t just about magic and folklore; its narration is grounded firmly in the humanities. The characters discuss philosophies surrounding life, death, war, and religion, all leading back to the lessons Valiant must learn about himself and the world in which he lives. Furthermore, Pridmore avoids the trappings of cliched circus freaks; these characters are performers with believable skills, and above all, they’re people. Young Valiant is clearly the touchstone for the reader, sharing with us his new and exotic experiences, struggling through adversity at a time when he’s still weak, and asking the same existential questions that confound us even as adults. The antagonists range from insidiously sneaky to outwardly hostile. Throughout the book, we find a bevy of suspicious characters who may or may not be infiltrating the highest ranks of their cities, and in the story’s horror-tinged third act we learn that evil will stop at nothing to get its way. By the end, we’re gazing into the darkest shadows of the past.

For a thoughtful novel, it moves at a solid pace. As we travel with Valiant and his guardian, we don’t just listen to them speak. We fight alongside them. We celebrate with them. We grow with them. But who is “Leif” and what does it mean that Valiant is her last child? You’re going to have to read the book to find out.

The novel doesn’t declare itself as part of a series, but Pridmore claims that further volumes are in the works, so he has more to tell us about Valiant and Sebastian. Now is the time to join the adventure!