Fantasy Novella Review: The Keeper's Six by Kate Elliott

 

The Keeper's Six by Kate Elliott

The Keeper's Six is the latest novella by prolific science fiction and fantasy author Kate Elliott. Elliott is one of my favorite authors, with several series I really love (Jaran, Crossroads, Spiritwalker, and most recently the Sun Chronicles), all taking place along widely differing settings, even if there are some common and familiar themes. So The Keeper's Six was the rare book I pre-ordered months in advance rather than requesting my library do so. And the novella, featuring an older Jewish Mother getting her old crew of travelers through the dangerous Beyond in order to rescue her son, who had been taken hostage by a dragon, promised to be really interesting....and in some ways (the Jewish aspect) to speak specifically to me.

And well The Keeper's Six did exactly what I hoped. Its older Jewish Mother protagonist Esther is phenomenal as she and her crew, her Hex (the "Six" referred to in the title) are forced to come back together after Esther screwed them over in the name of helping others years ago. The story has a hint of romantic attraction that never distracts from the main story and instead adds flavor and character, while Esther's very Jewish nature (and that of the mysterious potential love interest) seemed perfectly tailored to hit everything I want in a Jewish fantasy novel. Add in a setting that is really interesting, a team of other characters who are solid if not super developed, and a story that has a rather nice conclusion that never relies on any big action beats (of which there are only a few such moents) and well, this is a big winner for me.



Quick Plot Summary: Esther and her Hex were suspended from traveling through the Beyond by the Concilium a year ago - suspended specifically because Esther had led her Hex on false pretenses through a mission to break up an illegal and evil operation. And since Esther did it without informing her Hex of what they were getting into, the five of them (not counting Daniel, her son and their Keeper) split off on bad terms and hadn't spoken since.

But When Daniel is kidnapped by a Dragon, Esther is forced to gather the Hex back together in order to save him. But the Dragon has a dangerous demand: for the Hex to give back Kai, Daniel's spouse...and the dragon the Hex unknowingly rescued from captivity five years ago. Neither Esther nor her Hex consider that an acceptable option, but the only other choice is to return to the scene of the chaos they once wreaked years ago, and track down what really happened back then....without the Council finding out or them getting killed by the Beyond first....

Thoughts: The Keeper's Six features a universe that is really complex and well explained, albeit through a lot of infodumping by its protagonist Esther. Yet Elliott writes this infodumping really well, with it largely coming out through Esther explaining the subjects of this world (and how its multiversal travel, politics, and dangers all work) to an outsider character Shahin, whose own ignorance of the setting is itself a mystery to be discovered. It's really well done and it paints an excellent setting I'd love to read more in.

But the star of this setting isn't just the background world, or the side characters (who aren't super deep but are still well done) or dragons, but its protagonist Esther. And wow did I love Esther and her journey, as an older Jewish Mother who cares deeply for fighting injustice, to the point of recklessness and occasionally screwing over her teammates, and who cares just as deeply about protecting her family, like her Keeper son Daniel (Daniel himself is great in the glimpses we see of him). Her Jewishness isn't just an informed attribute but a core and well described part of her and permeates throughout the book, which you can see in the prayers she mutters or the food she shares and eats with everyone, something I (as a conservative Jew) really appreciate. And her combination of forthrightness, wit, and caring make her an excellent protagonist, who draws upon her older age compared to usual book protagonists to give her the wisdom to better react to new situations.

Add in a side romance that is really well done and dialogue and little quirky situations that are incredibly well written and amusing as all hell (oh my god Daniel), and well, I just kind of loved this novella. Highly recommended.