The Warden by Daniel M. Ford : Review

There was a plan.

She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was become one of the only female necromancers, earn as many degrees as possible, get a post in one of the grand cities, then prove she’s capable of greatness. The funny thing about plans is that they are seldom under your control.

Now Aelis de Lenti, a daughter of a noble house and recent graduate of the esteemed Magisters’ Lyceum, finds herself in the far-removed village of Lone Pine. Mending fences, matching wits with goats, and serving people who want nothing to do with her. But, not all is well in Lone Pine, and as the villagers Aelis is reluctantly getting to know start to behave strangely, Aelis begins to suspect that there is far greater need for a Warden of her talents than she previously thought.

Old magics are restless, and an insignificant village on the farthest border of the kingdom might hold secrets far beyond what anyone expected. Aelis might be the only person standing between one of the greatest evils ever known and the rest of the world.

This is one of those books where upon receiving the opportunity to review it, I was immediately drawn to its captivating cover. I made the choice to delve into The Warden by Daniel M. Ford without any real knowledge of the plot or its characters and I can’t help but feel like that actually made me enjoy it more. Although the story proved to be one of the most peculiar books I’ve read in recent years, it immediately sucked me in and has already become one of my favorites. Upon completing the book, I came across a description that aptly described it as “Twin Peaks with Wizards,” a fitting analogy that accurately captures the book’s essence.

Normally when I read a book I’m able to sit back at something like “This. This is what made me love this book so much” but when it comes to The Warden by Daniel M. Ford, I find it challenging to pinpoint specific aspects that stood out to me since there are so many things I enjoyed about the book. Unlike other novels where I can identify specific elements that made me like it, I feel like The Warden’s excellence lies in it entirety. Aelis is undoubtedly the standout character, but I couldn’t help but love every other character in this book thanks to Daniel M. Ford’s exceptional writing, world-building, and pacing. Additionally, as someone who loves a good romance or crush in a story, I was particularly taken by how cute and awkward Aelis’s was.

My only grievances with The Warden are that it had to come to an end and that I have to wait for the next book in the series to release. In fact, as I write this I find myself staring at the audiobook and considering purchasing it just to relive the story in a new medium. Reading The Warden has also encouraged me to explore more of Daniel M. Ford’s works as I can only imagine they are just as good as this one is. Overall, I found The Warden to be a remarkable introduction to what I hope is a long series and I will wholeheartedly recommend it to any reader I know.

I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.