To Wield a Crown: Book Four of the Curse of the Cyren Queen- Helen Scheuerer

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Rohesia of the Bone Cleaners is facing the final trial, to receive the Gauntlet Ruby and complete the Crown of Bones with the birthstones of Saddorial. As she and her friends trek through the Lower Realms to reach Lamaka’s Basin, she knows that she must face the most dangerous, cunning trial of all. But will she succeed? Will she finally be able to read the Tome of Kyeos and finally understand the mysteries surrounding her past and her mother – Cerys the Elder Slayer?

What Scheuerer does so immaculately in Curse of the Cyren Queen is build the tension around the questions so perfectly. There’s always a hint that all is not as it seems with Queen Delja, little points made here and there that only seem to click into place when her final, climatic scenes are revealed. In fact, Scheuerer was planting the seeds way back in The Oremere Chronicles (where Delja makes a cameo), which sets her far apart from many, many authors within the fantasy genre.

Not only do we finally get the answers that had been dogging Roh her whole life, we also see massive character growth. Throughout the series, we’re constantly reminded to ‘never trust a Cyren’, but maybe this is erroneous. Roh proves herself to be trustworthy and noble, with morals and a generosity that stands out even amongst her friends. She’s still cunning, yes, but she’s also honest and dependable. She swears an oath to return Lamaka’s Basin and the Scholar City of Lochloria back to the Water Warlocks, even if it angers most of her fellow Cyrens. But she does it because she believes it’s the right thing to do after Cyrens slaughtered the Warlocks in Lochloria, tainting the sacred lake and the ground for centuries. At the start of the series, this promise would have merely been a means to an end for Roh; a way to ensure she won the Queens Tournament and regain the precious birth stones. By book four though, she fully intends to keep every single promise she makes.

In true Scheuerer fashion, we’re taken through a range of emotions throughout To Wield a Crown. From elation, to heartache; from belly laughter, to sobbing. At more than one point I had to put the book down while I gathered myself; something that’s only ever happened a handful of times when I’ve been reading. She’s not too scared to kill off a much loved character – and not too scared to keep a character (who maybe doesn’t deserve it) alive. Her skill is outstanding, weaving tales that completely sweep you away into another world. I won’t lie, To Wield a Crown was released a difficult time for me – hence the slightly late review. But reading this magnificent book managed to sweep me away to a place where my own worries were insignificant compared to the trials that Roh faced to save Talon’s Reach and Cyrenkind.

Now that the series is complete, Sheuerer has built a place of magnificent beauty where horrific cruelty coexists. It’s a place rich in magic, love and danger. And although Scheuerer has stated these characters are now done, she’s left Roh’s ending open. There’s always a chance we might see her and Harlan flying on a golden Sea Drake in the Middle Realms as we wait for her next series…

S. A

This book was reviewed as a result of buying it directly from Amazon.

You can get your copy of To Wield a Crown on Amazon by clicking on its name. It’s also available to read for free via Kindle Unlimited.