Review Detail

The Last Order by Angela M. Caldwell is a medieval tale of iron-willed 17-year-old Lana Crewe who lives in a village with her father. When the king and queen of Wenham are killed, the kingdom is divided and war between the lords is inevitable. Lana’s world shatters when her village is ruthlessly attacked by an order called Talons and her father is fatally stabbed. His dying message is a directive to save the statue of Saint Peter, and that the queen still lives. Lana must unravel the mystery of Saint Peter and restore the kingdom by returning the queen to the throne.

The fighting scenes are exciting and fast, getting readers’ adrenaline pumping early in the book. As the lead character, Lana has the qualities and flaws that make her easily relatable. Accompanied by a man named Silas to fulfill her mission, she meets a group of gypsy women, and readers will love this eclectic group of characters. Reforming them into knights of The Last Order, Lana has to make sure that her group survives their ordeals.

Caldwell successfully delivers a YA novel that is action-packed and substantial in terms of characterization. The story lives up to its thrilling premise. As an avid chess player, I love how the concept of the game is imprinted in the storytelling. That said, the story transition from one scene to another is too quick in several parts. Overall, this is a solid debut for a series with strong female characters, and I absolutely look forward to Book II.