The Oddling Prince

May 14, 2018
The prolific Springer has written several pieces of Arthuriana, and this charming little book clearly uses some of the ideas and plot devices from the legends of Arthur while maintaining its own separate mythology. Aric, Prince of Calidon, is the son of King Bardaric, who is made very ill by a magical ring he is unable to take off. This causes the kingdom itself to become drought-ridden and insect-plagued, mirroring the king’s malady. When the king is saved by a mysterious elf who claims to be the king’s own son, Aric accepts the stranger as his friend and brother, but Bardaric cannot. The strain in the family becomes ever more intense, and the land does not return to normal. Aric must find some way of reconciling his father and his brother before starvation overtakes the country. The characters, especially the royal family, are delightful, and the plot resolves in a completely unexpected fashion, but the fuzzy, not-quite-legendary background, while pretty, is thin, and the prose is merely proficient. There is a great deal of fun to be had, but there’s not much going on below the surface.

March 15, 2018
The king of Calidon is about to die when a mysterious stranger saves him at the last minute--but the stranger carries a secret that could tear the kingdom apart.A magic ring, after appearing seemingly out of nowhere, is killing the king. Even Prince Aric can't take it off his father's hand, but just when all hope seems lost, a beautiful, fey young man appears at the castle. He tells Aric his name is Albaric and says he's there to help the king. Miraculously, Albaric is able to get the deadly ring off the king's hand, saving his life. Not only that, but he tells a wild story of how the king got the ring from the Queen of Elfland. She captured the king when she saw him out riding, then kept him as her prisoner and companion in her strange world. But the king longed to go home, and when the queen finally granted his wish, she sent him back to the exact moment he'd left, eliminating all memories of his time in Elfland and the son they had together. That son, of course, is Albaric, who sacrificed his immortality to save the father who forgot him and who is devastated when the king distrusts and dislikes him. Even worse, he struggles to adapt to the world of mortals and is unsure of what to do with himself now that the king is alive but doesn't accept him. Aric, however, feels an instant bond with Albaric and vows to help his beloved brother find his place in a world where he will always be an oddling. The prolific Springer (Drawn into Darkness, 2013, etc.) certainly has a knack for a specific twee tone, as this novel floats along like one of the songs Albaric is so often singing. It's a sweet little tale, best suited for those who like their stories entirely without stakes or drama. Not only do no characters lose anything in any meaningful way, but the story doesn't even drum up the fear that they might. Problems are instantly solved, villains immediately eliminated or redeemed. The arc of the king's disdain for Albaric falls flat. Perhaps Springer is aiming for a kind of stylized narrative detachment here, but it comes across as affected and hollow.A tale of two brothers for whom things work out a little too well to be worth the investment.

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2018
The Oddling Prince begins in the kingdom of Calidon with Prince Aric, who narrates the story, desperately watch as King Bardaric lies dying, cursed by some power behind a mysterious ring. An equally mysterious stranger, Albaric, appears in the nick of time to save Bardaric, having followed the king from a fey land. Aric feels an immediate connection to him, but while Albaric's origin story strengthens the connection between them, King Bardaric shuns the stranger and descends into moody darkness. Through undefined magic, the land itself joins the king's descent as drought strikes the ancient moors of Scotland, causing crops to wither and starvation to loom. Throughout the story, Aric develops from an uncertain prince to a potential king as he and Albaric gain unusual allies. From those allies, they learn of the kingdom's legends and history, which puts Aric at odds with his own family members. Springer (James Tiptree Award-winning Larque on the Wing, 1994) weaves this coming-of-age story with themes of magic, love, and loyalty as Aric strives to overcome his father's growing darkness.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)