Tom Huddleston’s Age of Sigmar series Realm Quest – part of the Warhammer Adventures range of stories for younger readers – kicks off with City of Lifestone, which introduces us to 14 year-old Kiri. After escaping from a life of slavery Kiri sets off alone in search of the city of her birth – Lifestone – where she hopes to find a new start. Things don’t quite work out how she hoped, and she’s soon being hunted by skaven and begrudgingly caught up with a strange group of children and their mentor, who tells her of a mysterious purpose for which she’s been chosen.
It opens in explosive fashion as Kiri escapes from her captors during the confusion of a battle, instantly setting the tone for the story, not to mention the stakes. There’s violence and death right from the outset, handled in a way that’s appropriate for this age group (it’s there, just not graphic or focused on for too long), but also hope, bravery and excitement. We’re introduced straight away to concepts like Sigmar and the different Realms, and as the story progresses it gradually builds up a picture – or at least the beginning of one – of the Age of Sigmar setting. Again it’s told in a way that suits a younger reader, so monsters can be fought and obstacles overcome, and while some elements are a little simplified it’s still recognisably the Mortal Realms.
Huddleston writes Kiri as tough and brilliantly capable, but also insular and slow to trust, preferring to keep her own company and rely on nobody but herself. She’s just what you want from the protagonist of a book like this, engaging and relatable but with flaws which give her character depth and help drive the plot along, and while the other characters don’t quite come across with the same depth there’s nevertheless an enjoyable sense of variety and interest amongst the group which should develop nicely over the next books. It’s especially good to see some tough, capable female characters in the shape of Kiri and a couple of the other children. The plot is pacy, action-packed and exciting, and it’s all written in a way that’s easy to read and keeps you wanting more. It’s simple without being simplistic, and works brilliantly for this sort of story (as do Magnus Norén’s excellent illustrations).
This is the first part of single story told across the series, so the idea is that it introduces characters and concepts, and sets things up for what’s presumably going to be the main thrust of the series. If there’s one criticism it’s that the ending arguably comes a little too suddenly (it’s not a long book, so perhaps that’s affected by an adult’s expectation of story length), but otherwise it really ticks all the boxes for a story aimed at 8 to 12 year-olds. If you approach it as an adult looking for the complexity of a main-range Black Library book then you’re going to be disappointed…because that’s not what this is, and we’re not who this is aimed at. Go into it expecting an exciting, fast-paced adventure story with a protagonist who youngsters are going to be able to relate to and just enough detail to get them hooked on the ideas and stylings of Warhammer…and there’s a lot to enjoy. Even for us big kids adults.
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