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The Books of Imirillia #1
The Queen's Gambit: Book One of Imirillia
“THE RULES OF WAR HAD BEEN CHANGED.
QUEEN ELEANOR WANTED TO KNOW WHY.”
Eleanor, the young queen of Aemogen, is confronted with the greatest threat her country has ever faced: surrender Aemogen’s sovereignty to the treacherous Imirillion Empire or endure a devastating and impossible war. Now she must decide if she will forfeit her people’s liberty or fight.
When Wil Traveler, the disenchanted Imirillion soldier, wanders into her country, Eleanor takes the gamble of asking him to train her ill-prepared men for war, despite suspecting he may be a spy.
Battling questions of war and conquest, Eleanor fights to protect her people as Wil challenges her way of life, all the while keeping the secrets of his violent past a mystery.
QUEEN ELEANOR WANTED TO KNOW WHY.”
Eleanor, the young queen of Aemogen, is confronted with the greatest threat her country has ever faced: surrender Aemogen’s sovereignty to the treacherous Imirillion Empire or endure a devastating and impossible war. Now she must decide if she will forfeit her people’s liberty or fight.
When Wil Traveler, the disenchanted Imirillion soldier, wanders into her country, Eleanor takes the gamble of asking him to train her ill-prepared men for war, despite suspecting he may be a spy.
Battling questions of war and conquest, Eleanor fights to protect her people as Wil challenges her way of life, all the while keeping the secrets of his violent past a mystery.
371 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2016
735 people are currently reading
5931 people want to read
About the author
Beth Brower
19 books4,184 followersLike many of my siblings, I would sneak out of bed, slip into the hallway, and pull my favorite books from the book closet. I read my way through the bottom shelf, then the next shelf up, and the shelf above that, until I could climb to the very top shelf, stacked two layers deep and two layers high, and read the titles of the classics. My desire to create stories grew as I was learning to read them.
Subsequently, I spent my time scribbling in notebooks rather than listening to math lectures at school.
I graduated with a degree in literary studies, and have spent several years working on the novels that keep pounding on the doors of my mind, as none of my characters are very patient to wait their turn. I currently live in Orem, Utah, with my wonderful chemist husband, and books in every room of the house.
Subsequently, I spent my time scribbling in notebooks rather than listening to math lectures at school.
I graduated with a degree in literary studies, and have spent several years working on the novels that keep pounding on the doors of my mind, as none of my characters are very patient to wait their turn. I currently live in Orem, Utah, with my wonderful chemist husband, and books in every room of the house.
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June 17, 2025Like most of her books, a bit of a leisurely start but SO GOOD. Immediately picked up the second one.
February 28, 2023
Whew, it's hard for me to know what to say about this one. Mostly because fantasy is not my turf. If I ever approach anything resembling fantasy, my overarching questions are things like, "Why are the names spelled with so many unnecessary letters?" Clearly I'm too pragmatic to get lost in those worlds most of the time. (Even if I do know, on some level, the answer to that question.)
Although – The Queen's Gambit doesn't feel to me like a very dense or out-and-out example of fantasy because there are no dragons and stuff (which, let me tell you, would have made it a much harder read for me!), but then what do I know about what's truly representative, since I haven't really read the genre.
Anyway, I enjoyed it quite a bit. The majority of the book was slow-paced and relatively peaceful, with lots of time spent getting to know the people of this agrarian, somewhat utopian country called Aemogen.
The basic plot is that they have received a threat of war from a massive empire to the north, and they have six months to decide whether to surrender and become like slaves or fight and face almost certain extinction. Meanwhile, Queen Eleanor has extended hospitality to a foreign traveler named Wil, a man who admits he has ties to the aggressor nation but seems disenchanted with their methods and willing to help a less powerful country out. So Eleanor, her counselors, and Wil take several months to travel around the countryside, taking stock of and training their fighting men before they decide what to do about the war.
One thing I've come to really enjoy about Beth Brower is that she's willing to take the time to write a world that lives and moves. She's not rushing from one plot point to the next; rather, she's building people and places and relationships, and she does it so well – and makes it so worthwhile an investment in the end – that I never resent the length of the book. There was still enough mystery and sense of threat to draw me through the pages at a pretty good clip.
The last third of the book carries a lot more action, tension, and battlefield trauma. It's not overly graphic, but it can be a bit intense. The book ends on a big cliffhanger, so do have the next book ready to go because there's no way you won't start reading it as soon as your eyes hit the end of the first book.
Most of the time I thought this was about a 4-star read, but realizing how well it played like a movie in my head and being just so impressed with the author's way of doing things, I'm not going to be stingy with the stars.
Although – The Queen's Gambit doesn't feel to me like a very dense or out-and-out example of fantasy because there are no dragons and stuff (which, let me tell you, would have made it a much harder read for me!), but then what do I know about what's truly representative, since I haven't really read the genre.
Anyway, I enjoyed it quite a bit. The majority of the book was slow-paced and relatively peaceful, with lots of time spent getting to know the people of this agrarian, somewhat utopian country called Aemogen.
The basic plot is that they have received a threat of war from a massive empire to the north, and they have six months to decide whether to surrender and become like slaves or fight and face almost certain extinction. Meanwhile, Queen Eleanor has extended hospitality to a foreign traveler named Wil, a man who admits he has ties to the aggressor nation but seems disenchanted with their methods and willing to help a less powerful country out. So Eleanor, her counselors, and Wil take several months to travel around the countryside, taking stock of and training their fighting men before they decide what to do about the war.
One thing I've come to really enjoy about Beth Brower is that she's willing to take the time to write a world that lives and moves. She's not rushing from one plot point to the next; rather, she's building people and places and relationships, and she does it so well – and makes it so worthwhile an investment in the end – that I never resent the length of the book. There was still enough mystery and sense of threat to draw me through the pages at a pretty good clip.
The last third of the book carries a lot more action, tension, and battlefield trauma. It's not overly graphic, but it can be a bit intense. The book ends on a big cliffhanger, so do have the next book ready to go because there's no way you won't start reading it as soon as your eyes hit the end of the first book.
Most of the time I thought this was about a 4-star read, but realizing how well it played like a movie in my head and being just so impressed with the author's way of doing things, I'm not going to be stingy with the stars.
September 5, 2021
Beth Brower has fast become one of my favorite authors. I can’t get enough of her books and I am devouring everything she has written. I pray she has more to come.
I don’t really know how to explain how she does it but she always manages to capture my complete interest in the first few pages and it’s all I can do not to put aside all that needs doing and just read but somehow I manage to save it and drag out the pleasure of the story.
Her characters are always amazing and you feel like you really know them. The romance in her books is always a slow agonizing burn and just when you think it will happen...well you will have to find out for yourself.
I can’t say enough about this authors writing skills and encourage everyone who enjoys a good clean read to give her a try.
This trilogy is so good so far and I am so excited to start on book two.
I don’t really know how to explain how she does it but she always manages to capture my complete interest in the first few pages and it’s all I can do not to put aside all that needs doing and just read but somehow I manage to save it and drag out the pleasure of the story.
Her characters are always amazing and you feel like you really know them. The romance in her books is always a slow agonizing burn and just when you think it will happen...well you will have to find out for yourself.
I can’t say enough about this authors writing skills and encourage everyone who enjoys a good clean read to give her a try.
This trilogy is so good so far and I am so excited to start on book two.
January 25, 2016
So happy I checked out Angieville last week when she mentioned her friend Beth Brower had written this great book. I trust Angie with my whole heart so I bought it even though Angie had not yet reviewed it. I cannot even tell you exactly why I love this book so much except to say it's smart and the characters are so well drawn and lovely. It kind of reminds me of 2 if my favorite authors, Sherwood Smith or Megan Whalen Turner. The story of a young queen's dilemma regarding her country's ability to fight/withstand an enemy invasion is heartfelt and heartbreaking while optimistic and, even at times, funny and sweet. And, the romance, it is the SLOWEST of slow-burn and achingly impossible, but I'm so rooting for these two...please Ms Brower, please find a way for a happy ending!
One of the best parts of this trilogy is that the author is releasing all 3 books over 2016 so no agonizing waiting (well at least not years of it) to find out what's next. Since this book ends with our couple in quite a bit of trouble, I really can't wait to find out what's next. So glad I only have to wait until April.
One of the best parts of this trilogy is that the author is releasing all 3 books over 2016 so no agonizing waiting (well at least not years of it) to find out what's next. Since this book ends with our couple in quite a bit of trouble, I really can't wait to find out what's next. So glad I only have to wait until April.
June 3, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up💫
I was excited to dive into Beth Brower’s backlist after falling in love with the Emma M. Lion books. I love her lyrical, atmospheric writing and it was cool to see it translated into a fantasy setting.
This story reminded me a little bit of A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross + A Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. The pacing is slow and character driven and there were no specific fantasy powers or worldbuilding other than the fact that there are multiple kingdoms fighting over politics.
I did like Wil’s character and I liked the plot twist! I was able to guess it pretty early on, but it still played out in an interesting way.
Overall I just found the book to be a bit repetitive at times. A lot of character dynamics seemed to be solved with a convenience that wasn’t the most exciting to read about. I also would have loved to see more BIPOC or queer characters!
I was excited to dive into Beth Brower’s backlist after falling in love with the Emma M. Lion books. I love her lyrical, atmospheric writing and it was cool to see it translated into a fantasy setting.
This story reminded me a little bit of A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross + A Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. The pacing is slow and character driven and there were no specific fantasy powers or worldbuilding other than the fact that there are multiple kingdoms fighting over politics.
I did like Wil’s character and I liked the plot twist! I was able to guess it pretty early on, but it still played out in an interesting way.
Overall I just found the book to be a bit repetitive at times. A lot of character dynamics seemed to be solved with a convenience that wasn’t the most exciting to read about. I also would have loved to see more BIPOC or queer characters!
August 7, 2016
Wow! My best friend recommended this book as her daughter in law's sister just wrote it. I couldn't have been more impressed. This is a great fantasy, with a beautiful layered story that kept me mesmerized. The writing had depth and flowed just right. I love and care for these characters already. Can't wait for the next installment.
Highly recommended
Just read this again, now that all 3 books are available. Loved it even more the 2nd time!
Highly recommended
Just read this again, now that all 3 books are available. Loved it even more the 2nd time!
August 17, 2016
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. Thank-you Beth Brower for letting me have a copy.
I really wanted to like this book. I did. Brower sent me a nice note along with the book and I was so excited to start reading. It sounded like my sort of thing: fantasy setting, complicated relationships, heart or country, WAR!
I crack the book open, and it's beautifully set. The font is perfect, the paper thick and white, and the words are just jumping out at me. Yes, all those cheesy things chronic readers say about books.
So what went wrong?
The prose.
I have not come across more mind numbing prose.
It was simple, extremely convoluted and tried to sound more intelligent than it was. The wording was often awkward, and I had to slowly read out some sentences to make sense of them. The large chunks of description held nothing of value and felt like wasted space. Not every celebration/ritual moves the plot along. I skipped over all of them, and still got the jist of the story.
And the dialogue. What a nightmare. Who even talks like that? Topics jumped like crazy and if the characters were not "surprised" at least once every other page (sometimes twice a page, Eleanor, what the fuck, how sheltered a life are you living), they might as well not have a conversation. I understand the concept of introducing differing points of view, and tension (that's a whole other paragraph of missed potential) but there comes a time, as a writer, when you should ask yourself: is this something my character, as a Queen of a self-sufficient and prospering country and a total scholar, should know and understand, contextually?
The answer is, undeniably, yes. She should be able to understand that different countries have different political systems, and not be fucking surprised when a dude from the country with a different political system expresses the way that political system works.
But, as they say, review the book you read, not the book you wish you read.
Queen Eleanor is given an ultimatum by a warring nation with double her military strength: surrender your country, and you can be a puppet monarch under our rule, or resist, and we'll kill you, and your entire nation. You have six months to comply.
Helpless and out of options, she lets this dude she barely knows but recognizes the military talent in train her army, because fuck compliance. But can she trust this Wil Traveler? Can she trust this coincidence?
She doesn't. Her council doesn't. But they don't have many choices. And so they go around her country, evaluating and training the soldiers. Wil gets frustrated because no one knows shit about fighting, and Eleanor actually thinks she has a chance at winning. Boring shit happens, Wil gets accepted by the characters, and Eleanor comes up with a wicked cool strategy only for it to fail long enough for her to pull the title of the book. And, of course, conveniently set up a narrative for the next book.
Which I may or may not be reading. Because 1) FUCK cliffhangers and authors that pull that shit make me so angry, and 2) the ending of The Queen's Gambit was actually interesting. The role Wil is forced to take on at the end of the book is filled with wonderful tension. And I'm a sucker for person vs. self conflict. Such a sucker.
But! (There's always a but, isn't there.)
The characterization of Queen's Gambit drove me up the fucking wall. Eleanor is a gem, one of those fake ones. Wil is a mess of contradictory narratives and angry emotions. As for the rest of the characters . . . flatter than flat bread. Existing mostly for the purpose of creating conflict with Eleanor and Wil, they were boring, unrealistic, and a literal pain to read.
And did everything have to be so fucking majestic all the time? The ceremonies, the characters, the speech patterns, the worldbuilding, the dancing, the culture of song and dance and harvest. The lush richness of the country described with unnecessary detail.
Beauty is so boring if it doesn't juxtapose anything. The characters all had personalities of rainbows and sunshine and Doing The Right Thing. They can Do No Wrong.
It made me roll my eyes a bit. (Okay, a lot. So much. Sooo much.)
If all this sounds like your cup of tea, then by all means, pick this up. You might even like it. It might even be the one and only cup of tea for you. But the lack of moral ambiguity, lgbt+ characters/relationships, and tolerable character interaction made me cringe with every turn of the page.
I'm sorry, Beth, I tried. I thank-you for the experience, and I am truly sorry I couldn't journey with these characters like you did.
I really wanted to like this book. I did. Brower sent me a nice note along with the book and I was so excited to start reading. It sounded like my sort of thing: fantasy setting, complicated relationships, heart or country, WAR!
I crack the book open, and it's beautifully set. The font is perfect, the paper thick and white, and the words are just jumping out at me. Yes, all those cheesy things chronic readers say about books.
So what went wrong?
The prose.
I have not come across more mind numbing prose.
It was simple, extremely convoluted and tried to sound more intelligent than it was. The wording was often awkward, and I had to slowly read out some sentences to make sense of them. The large chunks of description held nothing of value and felt like wasted space. Not every celebration/ritual moves the plot along. I skipped over all of them, and still got the jist of the story.
And the dialogue. What a nightmare. Who even talks like that? Topics jumped like crazy and if the characters were not "surprised" at least once every other page (sometimes twice a page, Eleanor, what the fuck, how sheltered a life are you living), they might as well not have a conversation. I understand the concept of introducing differing points of view, and tension (that's a whole other paragraph of missed potential) but there comes a time, as a writer, when you should ask yourself: is this something my character, as a Queen of a self-sufficient and prospering country and a total scholar, should know and understand, contextually?
The answer is, undeniably, yes. She should be able to understand that different countries have different political systems, and not be fucking surprised when a dude from the country with a different political system expresses the way that political system works.
But, as they say, review the book you read, not the book you wish you read.
Queen Eleanor is given an ultimatum by a warring nation with double her military strength: surrender your country, and you can be a puppet monarch under our rule, or resist, and we'll kill you, and your entire nation. You have six months to comply.
Helpless and out of options, she lets this dude she barely knows but recognizes the military talent in train her army, because fuck compliance. But can she trust this Wil Traveler? Can she trust this coincidence?
She doesn't. Her council doesn't. But they don't have many choices. And so they go around her country, evaluating and training the soldiers. Wil gets frustrated because no one knows shit about fighting, and Eleanor actually thinks she has a chance at winning. Boring shit happens, Wil gets accepted by the characters, and Eleanor comes up with a wicked cool strategy only for it to fail long enough for her to pull the title of the book. And, of course, conveniently set up a narrative for the next book.
Which I may or may not be reading. Because 1) FUCK cliffhangers and authors that pull that shit make me so angry, and 2) the ending of The Queen's Gambit was actually interesting. The role Wil is forced to take on at the end of the book is filled with wonderful tension. And I'm a sucker for person vs. self conflict. Such a sucker.
But! (There's always a but, isn't there.)
The characterization of Queen's Gambit drove me up the fucking wall. Eleanor is a gem, one of those fake ones. Wil is a mess of contradictory narratives and angry emotions. As for the rest of the characters . . . flatter than flat bread. Existing mostly for the purpose of creating conflict with Eleanor and Wil, they were boring, unrealistic, and a literal pain to read.
And did everything have to be so fucking majestic all the time? The ceremonies, the characters, the speech patterns, the worldbuilding, the dancing, the culture of song and dance and harvest. The lush richness of the country described with unnecessary detail.
Beauty is so boring if it doesn't juxtapose anything. The characters all had personalities of rainbows and sunshine and Doing The Right Thing. They can Do No Wrong.
It made me roll my eyes a bit. (Okay, a lot. So much. Sooo much.)
If all this sounds like your cup of tea, then by all means, pick this up. You might even like it. It might even be the one and only cup of tea for you. But the lack of moral ambiguity, lgbt+ characters/relationships, and tolerable character interaction made me cringe with every turn of the page.
I'm sorry, Beth, I tried. I thank-you for the experience, and I am truly sorry I couldn't journey with these characters like you did.
January 21, 2025
My, but it’s been awhile since I’ve read anything like this! As is so, it took me a bit of time to get myself situated, particularly with the unique setting and the character names which felt jumbled in my mind.
But as I progressed through, as I settled into this “world” of Aemogen, I started enjoying it more and more. I found myself getting lost in this story which is so unlike my own. Is that not what a great work of fiction does? It beckons us to step inside a story, to walk along unfamiliar paths, and to experience the thrill and excitement of something unknown.
Although it features less of the wit and metaphorical writing that are the treasures of Brower’s other works, I did find pieces of her characteristic poeticism and some quick dialogue that made me smirk.
This is a true series trilogy; the first book ending with such a cliffhanger that I’ll be racing to the library for Book #2. I would highly recommend this to any high school reader who enjoys the fantasy/adventure genre but wants it clean.
🤐: no language
😍 : no bedroom content, slow burn attraction
😇: the two countries each have their own spirituality, with religious writings & ceremonial elements
But as I progressed through, as I settled into this “world” of Aemogen, I started enjoying it more and more. I found myself getting lost in this story which is so unlike my own. Is that not what a great work of fiction does? It beckons us to step inside a story, to walk along unfamiliar paths, and to experience the thrill and excitement of something unknown.
Although it features less of the wit and metaphorical writing that are the treasures of Brower’s other works, I did find pieces of her characteristic poeticism and some quick dialogue that made me smirk.
This is a true series trilogy; the first book ending with such a cliffhanger that I’ll be racing to the library for Book #2. I would highly recommend this to any high school reader who enjoys the fantasy/adventure genre but wants it clean.
🤐: no language
😍 : no bedroom content, slow burn attraction
😇: the two countries each have their own spirituality, with religious writings & ceremonial elements
December 11, 2021
Eleanor is the queen of the agrarian and peace loving nation of Aemogen. Her country has stayed free of all foreign entanglements for centuries, until Eleanor receives a letter from the emperor of Imirillia. Surrender your sovereignty in six months time or face the complete destruction of your people. The people of Aemogen are not soldiers, how can they possibly stand up to the might of the Imirillion Empire?
Wil Traveler arrives at the Aemogen Court seeking the hospitality of the crown. He is from Imirillia and a trained soldier. Eleanor enlists his help to train her men as her country prepares for war. So many questions plague Eleanor over the coming months? Who is Wil? Why has he come to Aemogen at this time? Is she leading her people into certain death? Is surrender their only option?
I loved this novel. I've begun the second book in the trilogy, and I look forward to every minute I can find to disappear into the world of Eleanor and Wil.
Wil Traveler arrives at the Aemogen Court seeking the hospitality of the crown. He is from Imirillia and a trained soldier. Eleanor enlists his help to train her men as her country prepares for war. So many questions plague Eleanor over the coming months? Who is Wil? Why has he come to Aemogen at this time? Is she leading her people into certain death? Is surrender their only option?
I loved this novel. I've begun the second book in the trilogy, and I look forward to every minute I can find to disappear into the world of Eleanor and Wil.
January 8, 2026
the character work that this woman is capable of is honestly something to be feared
December 31, 2021
What a fun book to end the year on! Not as good as the Emma M Lion series, but I rarely get sucked into fantasy books, and I couldn’t put this one down. Loved the characters and plot. Onto the sequel!
March 4, 2026
This was a slow burn. It took me months and months to get through the first half of this book. Finally about 3/4 of the way through the book, something clicked for me. And the writing that I so enjoy from Brower began to shine through.
April 13, 2022
I love this book. From the first page, I was fully invested in the story and by now I am emotionally attached to all of the characters. Simply thinking about this series makes me a little starry-eyed! I’m so glad it exists.
Why I loved this book:
- The characters. I felt an immediate connection and affinity with Eleanor. I love her strength, grace, and wisdom. Wil was an enigma that I enjoyed puzzling out. Their interactions as they grew to trust each other and to understand their vastly different worldviews were so lovely. There are wonderful side characters with bright personalities as well, and all of the characters laced themselves tightly around my heart.
- Aemogen. Oh my stars, a Celtic-inspired setting? Be still my beating heart! (Can I please live there?) I fell in love with the people, the culture, and the landscape immediately. It’s like Beth Brower pulled everything I want in a fantasy setting right out of my head and onto the page. I could spend all day there - in the records hall or the gardens of Ainsley, at the fortress of Anoir, or the barrows of Ainse.
- The plot. It had a meandering feel, much like the setting itself, but I was in no rush for things to change. I savored every scene. Despite the peaceful atmosphere of Aemogen, there is no lack of action or suspense with the threat of Imirillia ever hanging on the horizon. Although I had no trouble figuring out some plot twists, the emotional impact of reading them play out was just as effective as if I had been completely blindsided. The writing was phenomenal.
- The themes. This book had so many lovely thoughts and threads to it. I adore books that make me think hard, and this book certainly did that. The internal moral conflicts that both Eleanor and Wil experience, political strategy and intrigue, and symbolism explored throughout this book pulled me in. I especially loved the beautiful quotes from Imirillian scripture, the myths of both Aemogen and Imirillia, and how Eleanor brings them to life in multiple ways.
Books like this are the reason I love reading. Sometimes my mind wanders back to this world and rests there a while, absolutely delighted. It is always an immersive experience to step into The Queen’s Gambit and I’m so lucky to have found this gem!
Why I loved this book:
- The characters. I felt an immediate connection and affinity with Eleanor. I love her strength, grace, and wisdom. Wil was an enigma that I enjoyed puzzling out. Their interactions as they grew to trust each other and to understand their vastly different worldviews were so lovely. There are wonderful side characters with bright personalities as well, and all of the characters laced themselves tightly around my heart.
- Aemogen. Oh my stars, a Celtic-inspired setting? Be still my beating heart! (Can I please live there?) I fell in love with the people, the culture, and the landscape immediately. It’s like Beth Brower pulled everything I want in a fantasy setting right out of my head and onto the page. I could spend all day there - in the records hall or the gardens of Ainsley, at the fortress of Anoir, or the barrows of Ainse.
- The plot. It had a meandering feel, much like the setting itself, but I was in no rush for things to change. I savored every scene. Despite the peaceful atmosphere of Aemogen, there is no lack of action or suspense with the threat of Imirillia ever hanging on the horizon. Although I had no trouble figuring out some plot twists, the emotional impact of reading them play out was just as effective as if I had been completely blindsided. The writing was phenomenal.
- The themes. This book had so many lovely thoughts and threads to it. I adore books that make me think hard, and this book certainly did that. The internal moral conflicts that both Eleanor and Wil experience, political strategy and intrigue, and symbolism explored throughout this book pulled me in. I especially loved the beautiful quotes from Imirillian scripture, the myths of both Aemogen and Imirillia, and how Eleanor brings them to life in multiple ways.
Books like this are the reason I love reading. Sometimes my mind wanders back to this world and rests there a while, absolutely delighted. It is always an immersive experience to step into The Queen’s Gambit and I’m so lucky to have found this gem!
April 19, 2017
4.5 Stars
Loved this story...couldn't put it down!
I pretty much liked everything about this book but especially the two main characters, Wil and Eleanor, both of whom have strong personalities. Eleanor is a very young queen but also commands the respect and love of her people. Will is confident but also wary and jaded by his life experiences. He questions and gives his opinion too freely and the opposition that creates, makes for some of the best scenes in the book. I enjoyed the mystery behind Wil throughout the story and the fact that his character is very layered and complex. Here is an example:
"...in the seconds after she had spoken, Eleanor appeared strangely ageless, a prophetess, perhaps. Emotions rose in Wil's chest--the edges of pride and shame, of homesickness and freedom--pulsing outward against the inside of his skin and back into his bones."
The writing is excellent and the pacing perfect with beautiful imagery and enough detail to keep my interest without getting bogged down. The world Brower has created is rich with history and tradition and has an almost ethereal feel at times with the stories shared from the ancient scrolls.
"I once believed the stars were old souls, passed away, yet scintillating in their rest, but now, I see they are but the nursery of the Illuminating God. And at the birth of each man therein is placed a star beside his heart, and while the heart gives its beat to the body, so the star gives its light to the soul."
I was completely invested in this story and the struggles the young queen must face to lead her people, as well as the weighty decisions that she alone must make in the wake of the ultimatum thrust upon her. The characters are so well drawn and given a life of their own that they feel like old friends.
This is a compelling read and also a fabulous debut for Beth Brower's first book. I've already got books two and three ready to go on my Kindle. I promise you will not be able to wait to finish reading this series.
Loved this story...couldn't put it down!
I pretty much liked everything about this book but especially the two main characters, Wil and Eleanor, both of whom have strong personalities. Eleanor is a very young queen but also commands the respect and love of her people. Will is confident but also wary and jaded by his life experiences. He questions and gives his opinion too freely and the opposition that creates, makes for some of the best scenes in the book. I enjoyed the mystery behind Wil throughout the story and the fact that his character is very layered and complex. Here is an example:
"...in the seconds after she had spoken, Eleanor appeared strangely ageless, a prophetess, perhaps. Emotions rose in Wil's chest--the edges of pride and shame, of homesickness and freedom--pulsing outward against the inside of his skin and back into his bones."
The writing is excellent and the pacing perfect with beautiful imagery and enough detail to keep my interest without getting bogged down. The world Brower has created is rich with history and tradition and has an almost ethereal feel at times with the stories shared from the ancient scrolls.
"I once believed the stars were old souls, passed away, yet scintillating in their rest, but now, I see they are but the nursery of the Illuminating God. And at the birth of each man therein is placed a star beside his heart, and while the heart gives its beat to the body, so the star gives its light to the soul."
I was completely invested in this story and the struggles the young queen must face to lead her people, as well as the weighty decisions that she alone must make in the wake of the ultimatum thrust upon her. The characters are so well drawn and given a life of their own that they feel like old friends.
This is a compelling read and also a fabulous debut for Beth Brower's first book. I've already got books two and three ready to go on my Kindle. I promise you will not be able to wait to finish reading this series.
September 19, 2025
I struggled a lot to get into this book. The names were difficult and I had trouble remembering which character was which. It was interesting enough that I’m planning to read the whole series, but that may be more because I want to read all of Beth Brower’s books and less because the series is very interesting to me. I have absolutely loved all her other books, apart from this series.
Second time: I decided to give this series another try, and I enjoyed them more this time. Knowing what to expect helped.
Second time: I decided to give this series another try, and I enjoyed them more this time. Knowing what to expect helped.
May 28, 2025
Having adored Beth Brower’s delightfully sharp Emma M. Lion series, I waltzed into The Queen’s Gambit expecting something…well…different. What I got was political intrigue, shadowy secrets, and the literary equivalent of a slow-building thunderstorm.
The first half moseys along—well written but definitely in no hurry. And then, just when I considered checking how many pages were left, BOOM. The final quarter comes in swinging with revelations, betrayals, and a cliffhanger so rude I feel like I stayed up late for nothing.
I guess I’m reading book two tomorrow. Send snacks.
The first half moseys along—well written but definitely in no hurry. And then, just when I considered checking how many pages were left, BOOM. The final quarter comes in swinging with revelations, betrayals, and a cliffhanger so rude I feel like I stayed up late for nothing.
I guess I’m reading book two tomorrow. Send snacks.
November 19, 2023
DNF - did not finish - we might blame this on my mindset after finishing a series of books I totally LOVED. This book was like a rebound boyfriend, seemed like a good idea at the time, and perhaps in another time I might have enjoyed it more. But after five chapters, I just didn’t care about any of it. And life is too short to read a book I don’t care about (at least for now)
October 31, 2023
Loved it. Great plot, good character development, believable characters and plotline that is fantasy but without dragons and magic and stuff. I immediately bought and read the second and third books. Immensely enjoyable.
May 22, 2024
I adored The Q, so I’m making Beth Brower’s books a priority. This one is far less complex (and much shorter) than The Q, but it’s still a worthy read, especially if you love character-driven royal dramas with lots of politics.
The bountiful land of Aemogen is a self-contained country that has little to do with the surrounding nations. When Imirillia, a battle-hardened nation to the north, declares war on the soft Aemogen people, the queen, Eleanor, must figure out how to ready her peaceful farmers for war against a foe that is more numerous and skilled than they can ever hope to be. It’s like The Shire vs. Mordor.
She finds unexpected help when Wil Traveler, a wandering soldier, arrives at court. Asking him to train her troops is a gamble, but she takes the risk.
This book moved slowly, without too much high action. This first installment in the series is more about establishing character dynamics, which, I’m sure set the stage for the second and third books. The characters are good—flawed and riddled with issues. There is also a lot of worldbuilding to clue us in on the traditions and ethos of the two warring nations. I think this is important to know going in.
There’s also a slow-burn romance that is not cheesy. Executing a romantic subplot without cheese on top is no small feat, but I love the way Beth Brower approaches it. You can hand this to any teenager without fear. It’s clean as a whistle without feeling sanitized.
This book doesn’t provide a ton of closure at the end. It doesn’t completely satisfy as a standalone book. The external plot wraps up, but the internal plot is just getting started, so you do feel compelled to read the next book. That’s also important to know going in.
I’m notorious for reading the first book in a series and never continuing. But, I might just keep going with this YA medieval adventure!
The bountiful land of Aemogen is a self-contained country that has little to do with the surrounding nations. When Imirillia, a battle-hardened nation to the north, declares war on the soft Aemogen people, the queen, Eleanor, must figure out how to ready her peaceful farmers for war against a foe that is more numerous and skilled than they can ever hope to be. It’s like The Shire vs. Mordor.
She finds unexpected help when Wil Traveler, a wandering soldier, arrives at court. Asking him to train her troops is a gamble, but she takes the risk.
This book moved slowly, without too much high action. This first installment in the series is more about establishing character dynamics, which, I’m sure set the stage for the second and third books. The characters are good—flawed and riddled with issues. There is also a lot of worldbuilding to clue us in on the traditions and ethos of the two warring nations. I think this is important to know going in.
There’s also a slow-burn romance that is not cheesy. Executing a romantic subplot without cheese on top is no small feat, but I love the way Beth Brower approaches it. You can hand this to any teenager without fear. It’s clean as a whistle without feeling sanitized.
This book doesn’t provide a ton of closure at the end. It doesn’t completely satisfy as a standalone book. The external plot wraps up, but the internal plot is just getting started, so you do feel compelled to read the next book. That’s also important to know going in.
I’m notorious for reading the first book in a series and never continuing. But, I might just keep going with this YA medieval adventure!
December 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this one! The first 3/4 of the book dragged a bit, but the last quarter was impossible to put down—and with a cliffhanger ending too! I loved how this was atypical from the usual fantasy battle trope, appreciating how the characters valued wisdom and life. There was at least one instance of language.
December 26, 2025
I’m clearly reading all Beth Brower’s books. As usual, it’s a pretty slow start but I felt like it was worth it for the twist. And I’ll definitely read the next one. Here’s my order of books I most enjoyed of Beth’s to least:
Emm M Lion series
The Q
The Queens Gambit series
Beast of Ten (not worth reading in my opinion)
Emm M Lion series
The Q
The Queens Gambit series
Beast of Ten (not worth reading in my opinion)
March 24, 2025
There is no way this is the same author as Emma M. Lion! Such a totally different book but still so good!
January 14, 2026
Excellent world building, beautiful writing style. Fairly slow and somber feeling.
Ends on quite the cliffhanger.
Ends on quite the cliffhanger.
January 16, 2026
Ooh fun! I’m all in for this story! Bring on book two!!
April 5, 2026
SooOoOoOOoO slow until about 75% of the way through and then I couldn’t wait to finish. Have the rest of the trilogy arriving next week!!!
September 13, 2025
4.5 stars
LOVED Eleanor and how she rules as queen. I was enchanted by Aemogen and their people. Loved the back and forth between Eleanor and Will. Excited to read more in this series, especially with how this one ends.
LOVED Eleanor and how she rules as queen. I was enchanted by Aemogen and their people. Loved the back and forth between Eleanor and Will. Excited to read more in this series, especially with how this one ends.
January 19, 2026
intriguing and captivating! Beth Brower can write chemistry and tension like no other 😍
August 6, 2016
I absolutely fell in love with this beautifully crafted tale! I tried to put the book down, but literally could not stop reading until I had finished reading it. I was glued to my kindle and I have no regrets.
In this fantasy tale in a fantasy world, we see a mysterious man sneaking his way into a foreign country under the guise of a simple traveler. We can tell he is so much more, yet we know not what or who he is. He creates a false name for himself, Wil. Wil Traveler, to be exact.
We also meet Eleanor, a Queen who is down to earth, intelligent, and quite fierce. When both of these characters meet, you can almost feel the clash of personalities. Eleanor does not warm to Wil quickly when her sister speaks in Wil's favor to offer hospitality. Eleanor is not exactly rude, but simply distant and unsure, because she knows Wil is more than he seems...and her neighboring country has changed the Rules of War without preamble. Adding to that...the most bloodthirsty empire on the continent has declared open slaughter against her country...unless she gives up her Sovereignty.
Eleanor is not impressed by the harsh terms that ensure her people will most likely suffer. She would much rather go to battle than let anyone destroy the way of life in her country! She is ready for war, even though her people have not a single warrior bone in their bodies!
The young woman has guts, even though our mysterious man Wil would prefer she surrender immediately...and he knows well why she should fear the approaching army. *wink wink*
The plot is wonderful and engaging, although I did clearly understand some of the heavy foreshadowing about Wil's true identity. Perhaps that had been the main point, to allow the reader some insight that Eleanor did not have. Despite having my strong suspicions, the actual reveal of Wil's identity somehow had me wanting to play 'The Rains of Castamere' as background music since the tension was so thick and the emotions so dark and betrayed!!!
I loved reading this book, would recommend it to any lover of fantasy and strong female leads. I will note, the book is split between Wil and Eleanor, although not in first person POV. We get a sense of both of our main characters while still having a certain mystery about them and their true feelings.
Cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
In this fantasy tale in a fantasy world, we see a mysterious man sneaking his way into a foreign country under the guise of a simple traveler. We can tell he is so much more, yet we know not what or who he is. He creates a false name for himself, Wil. Wil Traveler, to be exact.
We also meet Eleanor, a Queen who is down to earth, intelligent, and quite fierce. When both of these characters meet, you can almost feel the clash of personalities. Eleanor does not warm to Wil quickly when her sister speaks in Wil's favor to offer hospitality. Eleanor is not exactly rude, but simply distant and unsure, because she knows Wil is more than he seems...and her neighboring country has changed the Rules of War without preamble. Adding to that...the most bloodthirsty empire on the continent has declared open slaughter against her country...unless she gives up her Sovereignty.
Eleanor is not impressed by the harsh terms that ensure her people will most likely suffer. She would much rather go to battle than let anyone destroy the way of life in her country! She is ready for war, even though her people have not a single warrior bone in their bodies!
The young woman has guts, even though our mysterious man Wil would prefer she surrender immediately...and he knows well why she should fear the approaching army. *wink wink*
The plot is wonderful and engaging, although I did clearly understand some of the heavy foreshadowing about Wil's true identity. Perhaps that had been the main point, to allow the reader some insight that Eleanor did not have. Despite having my strong suspicions, the actual reveal of Wil's identity somehow had me wanting to play 'The Rains of Castamere' as background music since the tension was so thick and the emotions so dark and betrayed!!!
I loved reading this book, would recommend it to any lover of fantasy and strong female leads. I will note, the book is split between Wil and Eleanor, although not in first person POV. We get a sense of both of our main characters while still having a certain mystery about them and their true feelings.
Cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
January 30, 2016
The beginning of this book focused a lot on character and world building- but at a good steady pace. There was enough suspense and questions I needed answered at the beginning that I was interested to get through the book. The romance that built throughout the book was real and enjoyable. The last hundred pages I could not put down! I'm so curious what will happen in the next book between Eleanor and Wil!
I enjoyed the characters the most- they felt very three dimensional with deep histories and stories left to tell. Without giving anything away, the author left a lot untold about Wil's past that I hope will be answered next book. I also think Eleanor will really grow in the next book considering how the first ended. Looking forward to the Ruby Prince!
I enjoyed the characters the most- they felt very three dimensional with deep histories and stories left to tell. Without giving anything away, the author left a lot untold about Wil's past that I hope will be answered next book. I also think Eleanor will really grow in the next book considering how the first ended. Looking forward to the Ruby Prince!
June 27, 2024
2024:
Just as good upon rereading. Eleanor is the kind of heroine I want my girls to emulate!
Initial review:
The first half of the book, I was thinking that yes, it's so well written, and yes, I love the cast of characters and the world building, but that it was pretty clear what was going to happen by the end of the book. But as I kept reading, I realized that it didn't matter, because the journey of getting to the inevitable conclusion was a grand one.
While I know my girls will love the Emma journals and the Q, this is a Beth Brower series that I could see my son enjoying just as much. There's something reminiscent of the Blue Sword and The Queen's Thief series in this one. I frankly can't wait to find out what happens next, because I am hooked.
Just as good upon rereading. Eleanor is the kind of heroine I want my girls to emulate!
Initial review:
The first half of the book, I was thinking that yes, it's so well written, and yes, I love the cast of characters and the world building, but that it was pretty clear what was going to happen by the end of the book. But as I kept reading, I realized that it didn't matter, because the journey of getting to the inevitable conclusion was a grand one.
While I know my girls will love the Emma journals and the Q, this is a Beth Brower series that I could see my son enjoying just as much. There's something reminiscent of the Blue Sword and The Queen's Thief series in this one. I frankly can't wait to find out what happens next, because I am hooked.
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