The Mysterious Soldier - Part I: Book #1 - The Arid Kingdom series
Selunia dropped the sword and pressed her hands to her cheeks. "We're going to visit the prince?! Let me put my best dress on."
Waltario stepped in her way and thrust a dusty bag into her arms. "No. Wear these."
Selunia opened the bag. Her face turned pale. "No way..."
Searching for a book with fat action, slim drama, dreamy romance, and chuckle-worthy comedy? Look no further.
This YA epic fantasy novel will take you to a sensational Neo-Medieval world where old principles and the latest military technology co-exist and magic has yet to be discovered.
Selunia is a skilled pseudo-sorceress who embarks on a long adventure to become Prince Soris' bodyguard, unaware of the kingdom's rigid rules and the dangers that lie ahead.
The prince will dismiss her if he finds out her true identity, and she's likely to get killed when she encounters savages that wield real magic.
8 out of 10 readers said that after chapter 5, they couldn't put this book down.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Five facts that make this free YA fantasy book a must-have on your reading menu
1. The main characters are complex. So, even though we have a prince (a common appearance in fantasy books), he's not your typical "I want to bring justice to my kingdom!" or "Oh, my princess! I'd sacrifice my life for you!" No.
He's an ambitious yet always tired young man. He’s prowling the palace corridors with dark circles under his eyes, struggling to look perfect before his subordinates after a war that has left deep scars on his soul. He has more duties than just marrying a princess and acting like a king.
The female main character is neither a commoner nor a princess...
Selunia is a girl who was born in a secret community. She should have manifested her inner power just like her parents had, but, unfortunately, she didn't.
So she must meet an old acquaintance of hers—the prince of the Arid Kingdom—and elucidate a great mystery that might be the key to the awakening of her powers. She wants to go to the palace dressed like a princess but might end up meeting the prince like a soldier.
2. The setting is unusual: a neo-medieval world, a place where old principles and the latest military technology co-exist and magic has yet to be discovered.
3. A number of reviews on Goodreads, all of them pointing out that it has a good storyline—even the top critical!
4. There are great chances it will make you feel good. It has light comedy strewn all over the chapters, so the characters' drama won't feel like a depressing series of events, but like an enjoyable fantasy story that will put a smile on your face.
5. It has a great emotional history behind it. The author had been working on this story for over ten years before she decided to write and publish it. Initially, she wanted to turn this story into a comic book with illustrations drawn by her own hand.
So, if a mixture of magic, swords, and a bit of love makes the perfect YA fantasy book for you, then "The Mysterious Soldier - Part I" is worth your eyes and time.
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