In the universe of Laura Lee Dooley’s OF PRINCES AND PATRIOTS (the first book in The Chronicles of Threlphax series), one touch can change everything.
When a terribly ill boy named Chanchai walks through a sugarcane field, picking up the pieces of something that fell from the sky, he sees the world around him light up. He also sees translucent tendrils. From what, he remains unsure, but he feels himself changing in indescribable ways. Not only does Chanchai outgrow his illness, but it’s as if he has taken an elixir of youth; he becomes a strong, central figure in a politically charged and ever-changing world.
In some ways, the setting that Dooley has built mirrors our own—with its revolutionary history and political tensions. But Dooley's world is much richer in its scope: it involves high-stakes revolutions, global war, fallen patriots, mysterious external forces, questions of what lies beyond our world, and the rise of new kingdoms. Dooley has carefully woven an environment of intense political tension and intrigue, one in which its people must be savvy and elusive enough to stay alive while keeping their sense of morality intact. This novel loudly preaches the importance of staying true to our identity, being loyal, embracing family, and becoming part of a community—which gives the story heart and personality where it might otherwise have only had grit.
Politically intriguing and fast-paced, OF PRINCES AND PATRIOTS is speculative science fiction, high fantasy, and first contact fiction at its finest. The novel thrives on change in its characters, landscapes, and political plots. It not only follows Chanchai’s evolution from a sickly young child to a strong, influential man; it also navigates the shifting landscape and political climate, making Dooley’s world feel just as alive and cognizant as its characters (if not more so).
This debut to The Chronicles of Threlphax series would be a marvelous introductory novel for someone interested in reading high fantasy or speculative fiction for the first time, or for someone seeking a book that bridges the gap between genres. This novel stands beautifully on its own, but it also clearly leaves the door open for more in the saga.
Laura Lee Dooley's OF PRINCES AND PATRIOTS is a fascinating, high-stakes, and politically charged tale that deftly weaves speculative fiction and high fantasy into a world that mirrors our own but offers much more.
~ McKenzie Lynn Tozan for IndieReader