He had been banished to Earth after losing a great war to the Basilisk Prince, an ambitious and ruthless ruler. Appointed to guard him were several wardens, one of whom was Cassandra. As the banishment draws to a close, strange things begin to happen and it becomes clear that the Basilisk Prince is after Max and the precious secret that he holds. It is up to Cassandra, with help from her sister and Max’s cousin, to protect Max long enough for him to reconnect with his identity as Dawntreader, reclaim his authority as the Prince Guardian and face the Basilisk Prince one final time.

Their quest is filled with action, suspense and betrayal, as well as the usual fantasy characters of elves (or faerie), trolls, ogres, sprites and dragons. Each hero is conflicted from within, fighting their own internal battle in addition to the growing evil that threatens their world. The villains are equally intriguing, and also rather frightful. Perhaps none more so than the mysterious and vicious Hunt, a group of ravenous predators that obey the command of the Basilisk Prince and are motivated only by their deep thirst for blood. Eventually, the story culminates in an epic showdown that will have the reader turning pages in a flurry to reach the end.

This will no doubt be a hit for those who love the fantasy genre. But what separates it from the typical fantasy is the human factor from which the story begins, and the main character’s struggle with his banishment and false identity in the Shadowlands (human world). This will add appeal and broaden the book’s audience. It gets a thumbs up from this reader.