A promise fulfilled

Twenty-five years after Loren G. Warnemuende began writing what she thought would be a simple retelling of a Grimm fairy tale, she completed the story with Book 3 of her Daughter of Arden trilogy. In the nearly 700-page Promise (Bandersnatch Books), Warnemuende weaves together a story of redemption that can only be appreciated after reading her earlier two books, Exile and Wandering, making it a perfect series for summer.

In Exile, a headstrong Princess Maleen rebuffs her father’s wish for her to marry Prince Jared and form a strong alliance as rumors of war brew in neighboring lands. Maleen’s refusal of the marriage—and the protection it would have offered—leads her father to ensconce her in a hidden tower that will shield her from harm if the enemy invades the kingdom of Arden. In Wandering, Princess Maleen and her maidservant Marietta, who dutifully remained with Maleen, finally emerge from the tower only to discover vast devastation—and the kingdom of Arden overrun by the enemy. With no sign of her father or people, Maleen and Marietta must flee to the shelter of the kingdom of Dranneth. Promise opens with Maleen hoping to rally her people and reclaim her kingdom. As the story unfolds, Maleen’s trust in the Mighty One grows while she pursues his plans for her future.

Although the trilogy does not present an overtly Christian message, Warnemuende has woven elements of faith throughout the plot, forming an allegory of spiritual growth. This is particularly evident as Maleen struggles with a side effect of the dreaded Dragon Fever, which scarred her with a claw marking and gave her the ability to control others by a simple command. Maleen struggles with how to use this “gift” so it doesn’t turn into a curse. Astute readers will see how Warnemuende is challenging them to ponder the ways in which the world, the flesh, and the devil are like that claw, enticing us away from the Truth that sets us free: This tendency “is at the root of all of us—it is why we struggle to obey the Mighty One, why we can’t hear him. We seek to control ourselves because we think we know best and we are afraid.”

The series will have strong appeal with teen girls who enjoy the fantasy genre, while their parents will appreciate the clean and chaste plot. Like all good fairy tales, Promise offers a satisfying conclusion, but unlike many worldly fairy tales, this story also offers a beautiful picture of true, sacrificial love where a man and woman discover they can serve better together than apart.