The High King's Tomb by Kristen Britain (Green Rider series: Book 3)

9/10

The third book in Kristen Britain’s Green Rider series is even thicker than the previous book, which was even thicker than the first. Honestly? I love it. There’s nothing quite like holding a thick book in your hand and knowing that, even if you’re halfway through, you’ve still got ages of good story to go.

And good story it is. Kristen Britain continues to write so beautifully that it leaves me desiring more and more.

In all honesty, it took me a little while to get going on this book. I’m not sure what it was; whether I was simply too attached to other books I’ve been reading or whether there was something in the writing. But the continual perspective swaps and Karigan’s opening scenes left me struggling.

That soon passed, as I got back into the swing of the characters that I’d enjoyed so much in the first two books and I got my hooks back into what the story was about.

The change in villains is a lovely shift, and that story within a story aspect of Britain’s writing continues as she actually gives her characters entire chapters and sections to simply grow. Not in a manner which pushes the overarching story forward, but in ways that simply allow the characters to expand into their skins and allow us to get deeper into their minds.

What’s more is that you don’t mind in the slightest. A combination of beautiful writing and engaging character moments makes these scenes fall well short of boring.

The overall story does continue, a little, but rather than continuing directly on from the last book it diverges, expands upon a threat that had seemed smaller at the time but is growing to become menace enough for Karigan and the Riders.

Karigan is definitely still at the centre of most of what goes on in this book, but there is also a growth in importance of Alton. A little too much time is given to the villains, in my opinion, but the increase in perspective we get of Estora as well as the inclusion of the new character Lord Amberhill are welcome inclusions.

Overall, this book continues beautifully a series that I have fallen deeply in love with, and continues to build an amazing story that doesn’t slacken at all, does not suffer from being a third book in a series and never leaves you bored.