Shadow Queen is the debut novel of Australian author Deborah Kalin, and the first book in her fantasy series, The Binding.

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The original manuscript of Shadow Queen was pulled out of the slush pile when the author, Deborah Kalin attracted the attention of Allen & Unwin (Australia) editor, Louise Thurtell. Kalin pitched the story of ‘Matilde of House Svanaten’ by email to The Friday Pitch – the opportunity given to unpublished authors of fiction and non-fiction, to submit the first chapter and a synopsis of their completed manuscript to the Australian publisher.

Deborah Kalin’s first work is well-written and the plot is everything we have come to expect from a fantasy novel. But I just couldn’t warm to the romance between the two main characters.

Queen-in-waiting, Matilde of House Svanaten is living a sheltered existence in a medieval palace, when a powerful enemy from the north of the continent invades her insular world and murders her entire family. As the last surviving heir to the throne of Turasi, Matilde is willing to do just about anything to ensure her own survival and that of House Svanaten.

After trading her life and her freedom for marriage (a binding) to Dieter – the handsome but ruthless leader of the invading Marsachen tribe – Matilde skulks around the palace under the watchful eye of Dieter’s sister, the very wicked Amalia.

But the relationship between Matilde and Dieter is like reading a bad romance novel. In what can only be described as a case of Stockholm Syndrome, Matilde falls in love with the man who holds her captive. It’s hard to understand why else a woman would fall in love with the man who is responsible for the murder of her entire family, forces her into marriage and then proceeds to psychologically torture her every chance he gets. Whilst Dieter never crosses the line into sexual violence, I would think it’s going to take more than just a few sweet nothings and glowing testimonials from Dieter’s friends, to redeem this romantic hero in the minds of most readers.

Despite these deficiencies, Kalin is a master of world building and her strengths as a writer lie in her ability to weave a complex plot complete with political turmoil and hard won alliances. Turasi is a land at war with itself as the different tribes battle for control of the kingdom and the ultimate prize – the throne. As the rightful heir to the throne of Turasi, Matilde will have quite a battle on her hands to claim her inheritance in a world that threatens to tear itself apart. Given the ways in which the character chose to deal with the first major threat to her throne, I’m not entirely confident Matilde of House Svanaten can save her kingdom in any believable way. But I suspect this exactly what the author wants us to think at this stage of the series – clever girl.

Shadow Queen – Book 1 of The Binding by Deborah Kalin is published by Allen & Unwin Australia and is available now at book retailers for AU$30 (recommended retail price).

Deborah Kalin worked as a chemical engineer before giving it all away to devote her energies to writing fantasy. She is 29 years old and lives in Newcastle, Australia. You can visit Deborah on the web at the url http://deborahkalin.com/

This book review was also published on the book reviewer’s blog Deb Down Under.