Kristen Britain "Green Rider"

This was an interesting novel to review, as there were elements I liked and disliked about the story.  In many ways it is a good book to think about if you were thinking of getting a career going as a fantasy novelist because while it is in many ways good, it has a few flaws that would act as sign posts for things to avoid in a book.

The novel concerns itself with the adventures a young lady, who when expelled from school, attempts to make her own way home.  Or at least she starts out for home.  On the way she comes upon a dieing messenger of the King and agrees to carry his message for him. And by doing so becomes a green rider, an elite servant of the King invested with magic by a brooch talisman. The first act of the book then follows her upon her journey to the capitol, during which she suffers several indignities and has many adventures before ultimately delivering the message.  What follows after is an attempted magical coup by the kings embittered brother that she ultimately foils through the use of more magic, this is the second act.

The problem is that the story, while often well written and filled with some genuine gems, is not fleshed out.  I think the whole journey to the capitol, just the first act, would probably have made a better opening novel into a series, finishing with questions left unanswered and situations unresolved, and starting with more background as an introduction.  Instead Britain has tried to do too much.  She tries to resolve and explain everything.  Some things should have been left more mysterious and questions should linger in the readers mind when the novel is about intrigue and treason.

For example, at the beginning the "Grey Man" forces a break in a magical wall that protects the kingdom.  Too much information is given, too many facts.  We are given pretty much all the information about the wall and its makers in a short narrative.  There is no mystery.  It would have been infinitely more satisfying if we were introduced to the grey man as he caused a crack to appear in the wall using his ghost magic, then as the tale unfolded we would find out more about what the wall meant, as the wall and its protections are a central thread in the story.

 It is entirely possible she listened to the publisher too much, as the approach she took lent her novel more of a fantasy pulp aspect, when if handled differently I think it could have been a rare work, and ultimately been more successful with the reader.

Ultimately I was disappointed with this novel because I liked it enough to wish it had done a better job and moved in a better direction.  This was a first novel by Kristen Britain, and so I will give read other books by her and see if she manages to convince me as to the truth of her creations.