Review: Uppvaknandet och Sveket by E.P. Uggla

In Sveket (The Betrayal), Tamea continues her quest to find her mother, the dragon knight, and uncover the secrets concealed within her family’s history. The interconnected backgrounds of the three friends are cleverly interwoven, creating a narrative that is both engaging and, at times, notably dark. She is accompanied on her adventure by Verven and Gizma. Verven, a character of both orc and elf lineage, experiences an internal conflict between his dual identities, resulting in a compelling and complex persona. Gizma, the resolute assassin duck, harbors a hidden agenda and begins to grapple with emerging sympathies.

E.P. Uggla’s writing exhibits a youthful and rapid pace, while simultaneously addressing complex themes of exclusion, loneliness, and vulnerability. The books are rich with action, humor, and warmth, rendering them accessible and captivating for both young readers and adult fantasy enthusiasts.

Each chapter presents events from a particular character’s perspective, ensuring the reader remains informed about their individual journeys. This narrative technique is particularly effective. Furthermore, each book incorporates a complete and playable Drakar och Demoner (Dragons and Demons) adventure, contingent on possessing the core rulebook and associated dice.

One observation during this review process: access was initially granted only to the second book, as it was the most recent release. Having not read the first installment, the narrative was initially challenging to follow. The absence of character introductions required some effort to establish their identities and relationships. Comprehending the second book necessitated reading the first. While these books are intended as a series to be read sequentially, and this is understandable, it’s worth considering Stan Lee’s adage: “Every comic book is somebody’s first.” Encountering the second book first may lead to initial frustration if context is lacking until the first book is read. This is a minor consideration, yet the limited character exposition in the second book felt somewhat unusual.

Conversely, the experience of reading the second book after completing the first is enhanced by the lack of redundant information regarding previously established elements. This presents a notable trade-off.

In summary, Sveket (The Betrayal) represents a compelling continuation of E.P. Uggla’s series, with a third installment currently in development. Readers can anticipate further adventures with this unique trio.

Fria Ligan (Free League Publishing) provided a review copy for this evaluation. Provision of materials does not influence editorial objectivity.