“A few bad investments—well gambles—had cost him his horse, his good sword, and most of his travel fund.” In the first chapter of To Court a Queen, we are introduced to our hero, Sir Devin Carlton. Because he is anxious to get home after losing so much, he strays from the main path and ends up in the middle of a land ruled by fairies. To survive, he has to overcome three trials. His prize? He’s “allowed” to marry a self-centered, fairy queen. And if he fails the trials he will be killed.
Some fantasy stories are sweeping epics with extensive world-building and lineage four pages long. Others are fantasies that shine a light on a small corner of their world, are about as long as a typical cozy mystery, and focus on one or two characters. Both can tell a rollicking story. To Court a Queen is in the latter category, and it’s all the better for it. Its focused narrative, quirky take on trope characters, and surprising emotion makes it a gem of a novel. Yes, most every fantasy reader has read about trials and secret, helpful partners, but this one has its own charming way of telling its tale which makes it seem new.
Author H. L. Burke’s knowledge of fantasies, writing skill, and ability to build believable and endearing characters serve the story well. Simple, but meaningful, conversations between Devin and a friend move the story along when he isn’t facing a trial. And while the fairies end up worse than a mean girls clique at high school, not all of them are hostile to our hero. And the cover should clue you in that an animal also plays a role in the narrative.
The humor here is also a lot of fun. Whether Devin’s reaction to an adversary or his response to the queen asking how he could serve her, I laughed more than I thought I would. In this world, fairies don’t understand sarcasm which paves the way for some humorous dialog.
With novels, I go through a stage of initial excitement over the premise to impatience near the end. “Just get to it,” I often cry. I never felt that way with To Court a Queen. In fact, I was disappointed to see it end and wanted to read more about the main characters. This is one book that truly deserves a sequel.
To Court a Queen is a fantasy with a fairy tale vibe worthy of a spot on any reader’s list. This novel makes me excited about what author H.L. Burke will do next in the high fantasy genre.