4.5/5 stars

The Last Vigilant is the first book in the epic fantasy series Kingdom of Oak and Steel set in a world where magic and monsters have been forgotten as myth. When a foreign child who was part of a hostage exchange between noble families goes missing, Sargent Holt Hawley is tasked with finding a Vigilant, a member of an ancient but exiled order of magicians, who may be able to locate the missing child before war breaks out. Hated by his own unit for his low blood, no one expects Holt to succeed except he does find an old woman who may be the real deal. Together, they travel to the castle in Scarfell where the boy went missing and uncover a far bigger conspiracy involving more missing children, corrupt soldiers, and power hungry politicians.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a steady 4-star read through most of the story with an exceedingly fantastic ending that pushed it up to a 4.5-star rating. An important detail to know about the book to set expectations is that this is more of a mystery than a true epic fantasy story, with over 50% of the book set just in the castle with a focus on the investigation. So it’s a bit like a locked-room mystery, and I absolutely love mysteries myself so I really liked the direction. To give comp titles, it’s Richard Swan’s The Justice of Kings with some of Robert Jackson Bennett’s characterizations from The Tainted Cup with a very strong Witcher (but not fairytale) vibe. I don’t know if that makes sense, but that’s how I’d personally describe it.

The book distinguishes itself by having the main two protagonists both be older and wizened and tired of life. Holt Hawley has been beaten down by life, having risen through the ranks despite being of low birth because of a backer who believed in him whose loss and Holt’s own mistakes has led to his alienation. While sharp in his own way, he is definitely the brawn in this duo to Enelde Drake’s brain. Nel is a grumpy old woman whose powers of observation feels like magic to others, but there is a method to her crazy ways that suggest an even deeper more mysterious power. I liked this pairing and how they played off each other in both helpful and conflicting ways. There are also a few memorable supporting characters that serve to soften the central duo’s grumpiness including a young castle ward and an idealistic guard captain.

The Last Vigilant is more a mystery than epic fantasy and serves as a great series opener that can also be read as a standalone.

*Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK for the eARC via NetGalley

A fun reading experience from start to finish. Intriguing story, characters that will appeal to all reads and action packed twists and turns.

5 ✰

Children are disappearing, and an urgent investigation must be carried out to prevent a war.

The Last Vigilant is a brilliant adult fantasy! This story masterfully blends mystery, unsettling disappearances, strange phenomena, and political tension, all set in a dark, richly built medieval world.

The plot is woven with finesse and intelligence, unraveling in a truly remarkable way. Clues are cleverly scattered, only revealing the full truth at the very end. Every reveal was surprising, and each twist was perfectly placed, I was completely speechless! Honestly, my brain felt scrambled, and I just stared at the wall for a few minutes afterward.

The main characters are so endearing, deep, and captivating. An unexpected duo forms, and I truly believe their friendship is one of the pillars of this book. It touched me deeply and made me feel even more connected to the story. I absolutely loved following their journey, they’ve definitely taken a place in my heart, and I know I’ll never forget them! Actually, Enelda reminded me a lot of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.

The secondary characters are just as interesting and nuanced. What I appreciated is that they aren’t just part of the background. On the contrary, each of them plays an important role or contributes meaningfully to the plot. Some are intriguing, others detestable or ambiguous, making the investigation even more complex…

The pacing is a bit slow at times, but the twists come at just the right moments to keep us on edge. The characters also bring energy and momentum to the story, so I was never bored for a second. Even when I wasn’t reading, I was constantly thinking about the book. I just wanted to dive back into it every chance I got!

After reading the final page, I felt so empty. Now, there’s only one thing I’m waiting for: the sequel!!


──── ⋆⋅༄⋅⋆ ────
•Mystery
•Disappearances
•Political tension
•The Broken MMC
•Redemption
•Forgotten & ancient magic


જ⁀➴ All my thanks to the author, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this eARC <33

The Last Vigilant is an exciting start to the Kingdom of Oak and Steel series. In a world where magic is nearly forgotten, Sergeant Holt Hawley is a soldier haunted by past mistakes. When a powerful ally's child goes missing, he embarks on a quest to find a mythical figure known as a Vigilant—rumoured to possess magical abilities and the power to locate the lost.

Hawley's journey leads him to Enelda Drake, an elderly woman who claims to be the last of the Vigilants. Though she is out of practice, together they uncover dark secrets and face challenges threatening their kingdom's fragile peace.

Latham's storytelling is compelling, with rich world-building and well-developed characters. The blend of magic, mystery, and political intrigue makes this a must-read for fans of epic fantasy.

I personally love the pacing in this book, as it makes this high fantasy novel easier to digest. Overall, I would say that it features the most well-developed world-building of any fantasy book I've ever read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I have in the past said that I would like there to be more fantasy mystery books as I have enjoyed the ones I had read, notably the Tainted Cup which is an excellent example of this emerging genre. This book did not work so well for me, although there were elements I enjoyed, notably the characters and their dynamics. However I felt both pacing and worldbuilding were an issue. There were times I found it hard to get immersed in the story and the fantasy elements do not play much of a role overall, mainly towards the end of the book. As this is the start of the series, perhaps this will be more prominent and expanded on in later books. I think this was worth a read, and would recommend for those ok with lighter fantasy elements.

The Witcher meets A Tainted Cup.

Sergeant Hawley is a disgraced, cursed soldier. Not of the blood, he is a pariah. He is sent on a mission to find a Vigilant, an old order who used to be the pioneers of justice. Instead, he finds Old Nell, the witch in the woods. It turns out Enelda Drake is more than just an old woman, she is a True Vigilant, the last one left.

Hawley is in for a rude awakening because all the stories and myths may not be so contrived after all and he has his hands full with Enelda.

<b>“I am the seeker after the truth. I am the voice of the meek. I am the sword of justice. I am the healer of the cursed. I am the watcher against the darkness. I am everywhere and nowhere. I am everyone and no one. The gods made me, the gods protect me, and the gods will one day take me.”
</b>
We have three perspective.
Mainly Hawley, who is resigned to his fate and angry at everything.
Then Enelda, who is shrewd and observant and keeps too many secrets.
Finally, the archduke’s young ward who is at the centre of the mystery behind disappearing children. She is curious as a cat, daring as a devil.

Hawley and Enelda of course reminded me of grumpy mentor and grumpy protector/apprentice figure similar to the dynamic found in A Tainted Cup.
Iveta is a strong girl, full of mischief and cleverness.

<b>“But then, would you not say,” Enelda pressed, to Hawley’s dismay, “that any law designed to prevent criticism of the law is merely tyranny in disguise?”
Hawley coughed loudly. For the first time that day he felt the pain in his ribs stab sharply beneath the linen wraps. “No, m’lady,” Hawley said. “I wouldn’t say that, neither, ’cause I like my head right here on my shoulders, where it belongs.”</b>

This works well as a standalone, but also sets up for a series with drops of lore and not all the threads wrapped up.

This has such interesting lore, sorcery, and likeable character dynamics.
I was teetering between four and three stars, as, though I had a great time, nothing truly stood out to me. It didn’t grip me, but it didn’t bore me. I think, had the pacing been tighter, especially towards the end, this would have bee rounded up.

I would still be interested in picking up the sequel.

Arc gifted by Orbit.