The Traitor’s Game (Book 1)
The Traitor’s Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen is book one in a YA Fantasy series. The story is told from a dual perspective - Kestra and Simon, but it is not exclusively a back and forth between each character. Kestra is the more dominant main character and there are times when successive chapters are told from each perspective.
The story opens as Kestra is being summoned back home by her father, Henry Dallisor, as she has been somewhat banished to the Lava fields for the last three years since her mother’s death and her subsequent kidnapping. In this fantasy world of Antora, there are three distinct people groups that have been at odds over the years and a rebellion to overthrow the current leader Lord Endrick is brewing. The Dallisors are loyal to Lord Endrick, the Halderians have been the rebels desiring to retake the throne, and the Coracks are another rebel group aiding the Halderians. Lastly there are the thought to be almost extinct Endreans who have magic. Lord Endrick is thought to be the last one, and he is responsible for the death of most Endreans as he consumed their magic by killing them only to make himself greater.
Guarded by a few Dominion soldiers, Kestra is on her way back to Woodcourt at her father’s request. Unsure of why now, Kestra is moody. On their way to the inn for their midway stop, Kestra’s party is attacked by Coracks, and she is forced to help them find the Olden Blade, the only weapon believed to be powerful enough to kill Lord Endrick. This blade is lost within the walls of Woodcourt and Kestra is forced to help them uncover it. In order to protect Darrow and Celia, her servants, Kestra agrees, but she is far from making it easy. Simon takes the place of Darrow and Trina takes the place of Kestra’s handmaid - Celia.
Arriving at the inn, Kestra is essentially attacked again, but this time by the Halderians. A mysterious item was given for Kestra by the Halderians, but it isn’t until later when she steals it from Simon that she discovers it is a key - which allows her to open a beloved diary left by her mother that Henry Dallisor’s eyes have never seen the inside of. Eventually escaping, Kestra and her new set of escorts finally arrive at Woodcourt. Kestra finds out that somehow Celia betrayed her, which has led to her current situation in which she is expected to marry Sir Basil, the prince of a nearby kingdom. Sir Basil turns out to be a pretty decent guy and actually saves Kestra’s life allowing her an opportunity to escape Woodcourt before their marriage.
As just a quick spoiler for parents - only approximately four days pass in the bulk of this novel. Simon used to work at Woodcourt when he was younger. Henry Dallisor had sentenced him to death, but he managed to escape. He hates Kestra for much of the beginning of the novel because of her role in his “execution.” However, he does begin to develop feelings for her and by the end of the novel he is fully committed to her and desires for her to reciprocate those feelings. Kestra mostly fights it, but does relent towards the end. The Olden Blade is found by Kestra, though she doesn’t reveal it right away. She hides it as a way to secure Darrow’s release. Nevertheless, in an attack by Dominion soldiers, Darrow is believed to have died. The Coracks and Kestra travel to the Halderians to turn over the blade so the Infidante can be named. The Blade supposedly chooses this person who is then the one to kill Lord Endrick. The Infidante also gets to choose the next king. As it turns out, Kestra herself is the Infidante at the end of the novel.
Noteworthy Mentions/Quotes:
Parents will be happy to know that there isn’t any profanity in this novel.
While there is a strong, budding relationship with Kestra and Simon - nothing more than kissing takes place between them. There are descriptions of their desires to be near one another and the effects of being close; however, that isn’t anything that would be deemed inappropriate for these descriptions, and it is natural given the age of the characters themselves.
As for the magic in the story - some of the Dominion soldiers are called “ironhearts” because Lord Endrick placed an iron ball infused with magic in their hearts to make them subject to his commands, there are Condors and Oropods used by the soldiers for battle, and there is something called a “grip glove” that gives extra strength to the wearer. There is also a forest known as the “All Spirits Forest” where the spirits of those killed in a devastating fire are said to be trapped and continually roam.
“Magic is a corruption. Even for those with good intentions, eventually magic will corrupt” (185).
Kestra is often at odds with her emotions and reality as she desires greatly to be loved by her father, Henry Dallisor. However, as a spoiler - readers will learn by the end that Henry was not her father. In fact, she was adopted, and her true father is Darrow.
After witnessing destruction and vice that Kestra hadn’t witnessed before, she says, “That’s why everyone thinks Dallisors are horrible people, right? Because we support a ruler who allows such a country as this? Maybe we are horrible. Maybe I am, and I never knew it” (98).
Remembering words of wisdom from Darrow, “Patience brings victory,” he often said. “Do not be in a rush” (134).
“Life doesn’t give us what we want. It gives us what we need and asks what we will do with it” (209).
“This first kiss with Simon was like a wave, compelled to reach land, each brush of his lips tumbling into the next, asking for more. His kiss ignited emotions in me I’d never known could exist. Thoughts emptied from my mind until all that remained was the feel of his lips, the press of his hands, and the beat of my heart, pulsing for him, aching for more of him” (296).
Nielsen does a magnificent job weaving together intrigue in her world building in a way that hints at but doesn’t fully reveal too much until the timing is just right. It is hard to fully do this book justice in a short review, but if you have a reader who is looking for fantasy, but nothing with too much magic, then this might be a novel worth looking at. While YA as a genre is automatically recommended for ages 12+, I would personally recommend 15 or 16+ given that the age of the main characters is around 16 years old and for the intense feelings that Simon and Kestra feel for one another. The story ends with Kestra’s plans to make Simon king, and her determination to return to Woodcourt to end Lord Endrick’s rule once and for all, which sets the story up well for book two in the series.
