An Unlikely Hero
When the kingdom’s sacred sword is drawn at last, it is supposed to choose a legendary champion. Instead, it chooses Tovin Reed. Tovin is an assistant stablemaster. He knows how to calm....
When the kingdom’s sacred sword is drawn at last, it is supposed to choose a legendary champion. Instead, it chooses Tovin Reed. Tovin is an assistant stablemaster. He knows how to calm nervous horses, mend broken tack, and avoid important people whenever possible. He does not know how to wear ceremonial boots, survive royal attention, or fulfill a prophecy in front of half the court. Unfortunately, no one is willing to admit that the holy blade may have made a spectacular mistake. Declared His Majesty’s chosen hero before he can properly object, Tovin is sent north on a grand quest to stop the warlock Malrec, accompanied by a dry-eyed noblewoman charged with managing the embarrassment, a cheerful monk who thinks every disaster is a sign, and a sacred sword that is aristocratic, eloquent, and deeply appalled by its new owner. But while the kingdom celebrates noble destiny, Tovin keeps solving problems no proper hero would even notice: frightened animals, failing bridges, broken wards, missing supplies, bad planning, and the dangerous folly of people who care more about appearances than whether anything actually works. As songs turn him into a legend he does not recognize, Tovin begins to discover that courage does not always look impressive, and that the man least suited to heroic spectacle may be exactly the hero the realm needs. A warm, witty fantasy adventure full of sharp banter, escalating misunderstandings, reluctant heroism, and one extremely judgmental sword.