A Hanging Moon by Phil Featherstone
In the thrilling third instalment of the mesmerising fantasy series, “Leopard’s Bane," the star-crossed lovers Yalka and Peglar face their most dire test yet. With their fates intertwined, but cruelly separated, Yalka finds herself imprisoned, caught in a dangerous game orchestrated by Vancia, Peglar’s stepmother, and his vengeful half-brother, Ragul.
As Yalka faces the darkness of her captivity, her loyal friend Eylese learns of her plight and sets out on a daring mission to rescue her. However, just as Yalka manages to escape disaster strikes when Peglar is captured and brought before Ragul, now the despotic ruler of the city. He is condemned to die by hanging at the next full moon. Peglar's fate appears sealed and despair grips the hearts of the lovers as they face the looming spectre of their separation, possibly forever.
Night falls on the eve of the full moon and a crowd gathers to witness the horror. The ritual begins and Peglar mounts the scaffold. All seems lost but then as the moon rises an unexpected twist of fate sets off a startling and unexpected chain of events.
In this exciting tale, treachery and undying love collide, loyalties are tested, sacrifices made, and the power of the human spirit shines bright against the backdrop of a corrupt society. Will Yalka and Peglar find a way to reunite and rewrite their destiny? The answer lies under the hanging moon.
Review
This is the third book in the ‘Leopard’s Bane’ series but it can easily be read as a standalone, as I was new to this series and picked up all the salient points! However, now I have read this book I will be going back and reading the previous two books as I fell hook, line and sinker for Yalka and Peglar’s story. The author managed to convey all the background information naturally and it didn't feel as if it was a ‘recap’ but rather part of the story flow. The world-building was also amazing and another reason why I would love to pick up the earlier books.
Book three follows the love story of Yalka and Peglar and the challenges that this brings. Peglar is being chased by his half brother Rahul and his mother Yancia. Yalka is captured in the hope of drawing out Peglar. I found the slave trade aspect of the story particularly interesting as we see Peglar move between masters in this outing. I liked Peglar as although he is intelligent he also makes some naivety and stupid mistakes - I was internally shouting at him for being so stupid at times!
This is an enjoyable good versus evil story, with believable and well-formed characters. The world-building was great and overall I didn't have trouble picking up on the story. Plus, if you are into romance you have Yalka and Peglar’s story! I flew through this book and I will certainly be reading the rest of the series and I look forward to any forthcoming books.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
