The Battle of the Snake (The Adventures of Crimson and the Guardian #1) by Karen Cossey

What worked:

The plot moves very quickly. The first chapter finds Kinsey, an ordinary kitchen maid, donning a cape, meeting a unicorn named Crimson, and defeating a river dragon. Crimson renames her Malin, meaning Little Warrior, and she begins her role as a young boy squiring with Sir Ivor. The adventure finds her traveling the country with Crimson in anticipation of war and few pages are wasted between stops. Malin learns new fighting skills from the unicorn and a character they meet along the way and the magic of the cape seems to offer help too. The cape actually performs as a toolbox as it contains many hidden uses that Malin slowly discovers.

The prologue tells readers that unicorns existed when the Creator of All was forming the world and they’re tasked with monitoring humans and protecting the world from evil. Crimson is the only unicorn in the book and she is an interesting character to consider. On the one hand, she’s an ageless creature with an awareness of the world and all of its inhabitants. She wields magical abilities that aren’t often used but Malin draws strength from her presence. On the other hand, Crimson is vulnerable to attack and isn’t always aware of everything happening around her. Her signs of fragility are in contrast to her seemingly powerful, eternal presence.

The plot includes action scenes that should appeal to young readers. In addition to the river dragon, Malin battles many other creatures that come in a range of sizes and challenges. She’s not even safe sleeping in trees as some creatures have acute senses of smell and hearing and are trained for hunting. Malin finds that she’ll need to perfect her archery skills in order to stop some threats from a distance as the Snake is able to send attackers in many different forms. Danger constantly awaits Malin throughout her journey.  

What didn’t work as well:

While the plot moves swiftly, this results in a lack of character and plot development. Readers aren’t required to infer much as the narrator literally informs them of all problems and everything happening. There’s little need for reader imagination, thinking, or predicting. This may appeal to novice readers but those with more experience may miss a mental connection with the story.

The Final Verdict:

The exciting adventure and the partnership between Malin and Crimson create the foundation for a thrilling book. The lack of detail may leave some readers wanting more from the characters and story but it will be very entertaining for those wanting a quick read. I recommend you give this book a shot.