Knights of the Withering Flame

A Saga of Sword and Stone, Book 1

Young Adult - Fantasy - General
446 Pages
Reviewed on 12/03/2014
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Author Biography

Kyle R. Zeller has loved fantasy since he was a kid, when Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduced him to the joy of magical worlds.

His experience living in a small trailer in Virginia during the stifling summer at the age of thirteen led him to invent a mythical world of knights and warlocks as a form of escape. These stories, combined with his deep and involved research into Arthurian legend, serve as the background for Knights of the Withering Flame.

Zeller graduated from Ferrum College in Virginia in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in psychology. He currently resides in Roanoke, Virginia. Zeller has two younger brothers and loving parents who have always encouraged him to follow his dreams.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite

First, I will start by saying Kyle R. Zeller knows how to write and knows how to write fantasy. Knights of the Withering Flame (A Saga of Sword and Stone, Book 1) is a riveting and engaging young adult fantasy that even adults will enjoy. The story revolves around fifteen-year-old Garith Wynd, whose father committed suicide. While this may seem inappropriate to some for a YA book, Zeller handles it tastefully, and it is a tragedy that unfortunately too many young people must cope with. Following the death of his father, Garith moves with his family to a stuffy camper in the Virginian forest. There, Garith meets new friends, Selena and Blaine.

The three friends arrange a campout, but Garith is sidetracked when he comes face-to-face with a terrifying creature ripped from the pages of Arthurian lore — the Beast Glatisant. The only thing standing between him and a grisly death is the alluring White Knight, a shape-shifting enchantress who happens to be the family cat. And that's where the excitement begins.

The characters are well developed and real. Garith is very likable and I did want to give him a hug sometimes. The dialogue is well-balanced and well written. Fantasy can be dialogue laden and Zeller found a fine balance, making the book much more readable. I also like that Zeller didn't over complicate the plot so that it was easy to follow, and he did a great job with plot development. I highly recommend this book to any fan of fantasy. It's a book that I would read again, and I would definitely read the next book in the series.