Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: The King’s Physician
AUTHOR: Edie Montreux
PUBLISHER: MLR Press
LENGTH: 28,000 words
RELEASE DATE: January 1, 2020
BLURB:
Devlin was the King’s Physician until a blood mage siphoned Devlin’s magic and used it to wipe the kingdom’s memories. Sir Eldrich, his replacement, has protection against Filvane’s spells, but he only knows the whispered rumors: Devlin, the former King’s Physician, stole King Korgon’s crown on his coronation day.
Once Eldrich is appointed King’s Physician, Devlin notices a decline in King Korgon’s health and wonders if Eldrich is to blame. When Eldrich nearly bleeds to death on Devlin’s doorstep from grievous sword wounds, they’re thrown together in a race to keep King Korgon alive. They question the other’s allegiance to their king, but it will take their combined efforts and trust to stop Filvane from destroying Korgon and the entire realm of the living. In the end, these two physicians may have more in common than their titles. They may even fall in love.
REVIEW:
This wasn’t a bad little story. You knew who all the players were, bad and good, but it was up to the good guys to try to defeat the bad guy. And it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Especially when the bad guy cheats and does things to take away what you need to fight or remember.
Devlin was brought to the then king to be there for his son. His son’s friend and physician. But one of the then King’s council was very evil and killed the king over time, in order to take over the son and then the world. And he was succeeding. Devlin was banished over a lie, his magic stripped and memories replaced or taken away. Now the new physician, Eldrich, is in a race against time to save the new King, Korgon, before he dies the same way his father did. And to do it before they are caught and killed themselves. But Filvane is formidable and they may not make it out of this alive.
Like I said, we know all the bad guys in this story, but it was a question of how they were going to beat him. Eldrich was doing all he could to save Korgon, but Filvane’s magic was too much. He had no choice but to do something drastic to save him. With the help up Devlin and the Underground, they might be able to fix everything. But Eldrich is going to have to get over his prejudices and everyone else is going to have to believe that Eldrich comes from where he says he does and can do what he says he can. So it’s a time of having faith in each other when it’s a hard thing to do. It’s been said the Underground is just bad, and that’s so far from true. And Eldrich had to learn the hard way, not to believe all you hear. And considering where he comes from, he should have known better to begin with.
It’s a good little story. I enjoyed it. It’s more about the intrigue and how they are going to fix things. Which turns out to be really cool.
RATING: 
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