While writing book reviews on my blog for the last fifteen years, I realized that I have read several first books in series (such as duologies like Gene Wolfe’s Wizard Knight or trilogies like N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth) but, for some reason, never continued with the later volumes. I enjoy those previously mentioned books and can’t explain why I haven’t continued reading the rest of the series. As a reader, you probably read according to your mood, only to discover after five or ten years that many series remain untouched.

This is the case with Morgan L. Busse’s Follower of the Word series. Back in October 2012, during the early days of my blog, I read Daughter of Light and thought it was a solid first book in a Christian epic fantasy series I wanted to keep reading. But I did not. However, I’ve decided to reread the entire series this year, especially since I’ve forgotten most of Daughter of Light from my first reading. Also, I’m featuring it as my third Indie Book Spotlight review too.

Daughter of Light narrates the tale of Rowen Mar, a young woman who discovers an unusual mark on her hand, which she later learns is a gift of immense power and personal sacrifice. Rowen attempted to lead a peaceful life in her village, but upon discovering the power of the mark on her hand, she was cast out for being accused of witchcraft.

However, Rowen gets an opportunity to become a guardian of Lady Astrea, the daughter of King Gaynor of White City, and begins a new life. War is imminent because of the threat of the Shadonae that wants to conquer the entire world of the story. We are also introduced to various other characters, including Lore, the Captain of the White City Army, and Caleb Tala, an assassin serving his cousin, Lord Tala, an ally of the Shadonae. The story is also told through the multiple viewpoints, allowing a sense of a larger force at work within each character.

Rowen uncovers her true heritage and must accept it to be utilized in a way that will rescue the people of White City and ultimately the entire world in the story. Additionally, her connection with Caleb Tala will be significant in the following books. This is a Christian fantasy, with obvious references to Jesus Christ and the idea of being His follower. However, I don’t perceive it as any different from the many epic fantasy novels I’ve encountered over the years, where a fictional religion is a key element of both the story and the invented culture.

After rereading Daughter of Light, I can say that I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I first read it back in 2012, and this time I plan to spend the rest of the month reading the remaining two books in the series: Son of Truth and Heir of Hope. Busse crafted a strong debut epic fantasy novel that merits greater recognition within the broader fantasy community.

If you want to find out more about Morgan Busse, visit her website.