Review: Quests for Glory

Quests for Glory by Soman Chainani
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It feels a little odd, going back to a series that you were sure had finished with the previous installment. Then again, the biggest question for most fairy tales is what happens after Ever After and it really should be little wonder that the same is true for Agatha, Sophie and the rest of the students of the School for Good and Evil. Quests for Glory picks up roughly six months after the third book, and we're now dealing with the aftermath of Tedros' disasterous coronation, the upcoming wedding, Sophie's first year as Dean, and the problems that the others are facing on their last year Quests.

Needless to say, it's a bit of a mess for everyone.

If the previous three books were deconstructions of the basic characters you would find in a fairy tale, then it could be said that this book attempts to deconstruction the concept of the fairy tale staple of the Good King, simply by asking what is it that makes a good king. Should he ride to war as soon as he is requests? Should he consider his kingdom above all else? Does a symbol of kingship matter more than the character of the King themselves? This questioning is at the heart of the book, and the danger and adventure building around it.

It's a great build up ... but it's just that, only a build up. The ending of the book slams at you, but it feels like a halfway twist, and you sort of expect some more to come. Of course, there is more coming but that's not entirely what I mean. And yet, it is. This reads like it will be continued and it's nice to know that book 5 will be coming soon.

Our character roster is rounded out with new girl Nicola, who has a sensible head on her shoulders and tends to think a little bit more than anyone else around her. It's amazing, really, how quickly people in fairy tales forget to put a bit of thought into a thing, but Nicola is not the type to do so. This book also gives a bit more depth to Hort - one of my favourites from the first three - and it's great to see him given that depth and self awareness.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the question of the Good King is continued in the next book. When is it due out, again?

View all my reviews