First of all, Thank you, Emmalita, for The Keeper’s Six! I’ve been rather bad about writing reviews but I want to share how awesome Esther Green is on International Women’s Day. Esther is a badass, an adventurer, intelligent, determined, Jewish, a mother, a widower, a magical caster called a Lantern, is over 60 years old and still going on fantastical missions! That’s the type of 60 year old that I hope to be.
Esther Green is woken in the middle of night with an urgent call from her son, “Mom, I need your help. …..ruin”, then the call is disconnected. But when she looks at the phone there is no record of the call. Even though her Hex has been banned from the Beyond for a decade, Esther immediately dons on her adventuring gear and puts the call out to the other members of her Hex to meet her at their Keep.
Esther exists in a world where there are multiple realms, each tentatively connected through the Beyond. A nebulous, hellscape filled with various dangers that will kill any unprepared to traverse it. The safest way to travel through the Beyond is with a Hex. A Hex is composed of a Keeper, A Shotgun, A Voice, A Ghost, a Gate, and a Lantern. For some reason a party of six is the best way to traverse the Beyond. Since a Keeper often stays with the Keep, a sixth person can take the spot as Cargo. Esther’s Keeper is her son Daniel, who has been kidnapped for ransom. As part of the negotiation to to retrieve Daniel, the Hex has to bring along the dragon, Zosfadal’s servant, Shahin. A handsome man who has unexpected knowledge of ancient Earth poetry who causes Esther’s heart to skip a beat.
Kate Elliott has created a rich world setting with an interesting magic system and dragons (Emmalita, you know me so well!). She has filled it with poetry and Judaism. Family is the heart of this story, a mother’s mission to rescue her son along with the joys and tribulations of found family. I highly recommend The Keeper’s Six. It’s a fantastic read! I would say this is a particular standout for those who would like to see Judaism as the foundation for the main character as opposed to Christianity. Also is great if you yearn for a female badass that is in her prime instead of the flower of youth.