In The Wanderer’s Last Journey, the fourth volume of the Orpheus Saga for young adults, Murray Lee Eiland, Jr. delivers an exciting, fast-paced historical fantasy sure to please devoted fans of the series.
The Wanderer’s Last Journey begins with a burst of action. Traders from a foreign land have come to the kingdom of Linnaeus, where Orpheus and Clarice currently reside. A fight soon ensues, during which Orpheus is taken captive. To get Orpheus back, Clarice has no choice but to send for Daryush, the Kassite. She and Semria, Daryush’s wife, join Daryush in the search when he arrives at court. Soon, Zurga also joins the search. He first searches for clues first at home and then travels to Egypt. There, he learns that foreigners from across the sea have kidnapped Orpheus; he soon recruits a crew to go rescue Orpheus.
Meanwhile, on the ship, Orpheus is treated with respect, but he still has no idea why he was taken away. After thirty-four days at sea, he arrives in what appears to be the New World and is treated like a god; however, that doesn’t stop her from plotting to escape from him. But that soon turns out to be a ruse: Orfeo has been taken by the king of Ixtlán.
The ships that sought to find Orpheus, Zurga’s and Daryush’s, endure rough seas, little information, and mutinous crews to find the much loved and missed Orpheus. They meet in Nastase’s kingdom and immediately set off in search of Orpheus. However, upon reaching the temple where Orpheus is, they turn around to find that someone has set Orpheus’ ship on fire.
With Orpheus reunited with his beloved Clarice, as well as his companions, the group begins planning their escape. Alternate chapters reveal that the Kings of Nastase and Ixtlan are working together to get Orfeo back. But their internal strife escalates into a civil war, and thus allows Orpheus, Clarice, and their companions to escape the confines of the castle and board nearby ships. Unfortunately, Zurga, who fights bravely and heroically, is killed in the process.
After a somewhat hostile journey, the party returns home safely to be greeted by King Linneaus and Orpheus’s elderly mother, Hermia. Zurga is buried with great solemnity and honor.
With Orfeo and Clarice safe at home, Daryush and Semira travel back to their homeland where they find adventures of their own. After deposing Mad King, the pair assume their rightful positions of power.
The scene then returns to Orpheus and Clarice on Pylos. As in all adventure stories, the peace and quiet have been short-lived, and soon a minor war breaks out with neighboring Sparta. But the heroes defend Pylos with might and bravery, and the Spartans are forced to retreat. But while all seems well, an ominous cliffhanger leaves the reader anxiously awaiting the next volume in the series.
While The Wanderer’s Last Journey is sometimes confusing in its transitions between characters and various adventures, it provides an enjoyable read for devoted fans of the series and young adult readers of historical fantasy.
