A boisterous bard dazzles us with his tale of a pixie princess’s impossible quest—where love, betrayal, sacrifice, and second chances fight for a front-row seat
Escala’s Wish is an epic adventure about a pixie princess who is banished from her realm until she completes an impossible task. Along the way, she meets extraordinary creatures who show her immeasurable kindness. But Escala also learns that she is at the heart of a royal scandal, unknowingly the victim of unfathomable betrayals and the target of a generations-long revenge plan. Her enemies are conspiring to kill her, claim her family’s throne, and trick her into unraveling their entire universe.
Escala’s story is told from the perspective of a bard performing for an audience in a tavern—an excellent choice by author David James. Every historical, fantasy, and adventure novel I read from now on will be compared to the refreshing, supremely engaging narration of Wigfrith, bard extraordinaire.
“Now, I know a few of you have been hitting the dragonfire brandy tonight, and we all know what that does to a person’s sense of plot continuity. So let me recap…”
Wigfrith’s audience witnessed “that burning green sky we all remember from a year ago,” but they don’t know how Escala inspired it. The bard invites us inside to learn about the pixie princess “whose single kiss nearly unmade the fey realm and set our world teetering on the edge of total destruction.” It’s not just his top-quality storytelling that shines, but the fact that Wigfrith was there—he joined Escala’s quest himself and lived to tell the tale.
I tried to read this novel in small bursts, the way I eat a dessert I don’t want to end, savoring every bite. Wigfrith has the entire tavern—and my entire heart— captivated and entertained, hanging on every word. It’s such a joy to be on this adventure with these characters that, ultimately, my attempts failed—when I wasn’t reading Escala’s Wish, I missed its cast.
An overwhelming sense of hope radiates from every page when you consider how freely each new character offers to help Escala, asking nothing in return—risking their lives and lifting her spirits, out of pure curiosity and generosity. I loved them all for seeing a pixie out of her depth on a perplexing quest and stepping in to help.
One of these remarkable people is heroic, gentle, literal knight Roedyn—a fictional love interest for the ages. As Escala and Roedyn struggle to resist the feelings blossoming between them, David James delivers the yearning that slow-burn romance readers love. Everyone can see they’re falling for each other, encouraging them to discuss their feelings. In private conversations with their friends, Roedyn offers breathtaking declarations of love for Escala, admitting the pain it would cause him to lose her, but unwilling to risk her safety. They’re both too aware that a detour from her quest (and Escala breaking any more fey rules) could unmake the universe as they know it.
Readers who are touch-averse or have specific requirements around physical contact will appreciate that Escala’s new friends immediately respect her boundaries. From the very first time she says “No one touches the faerie!” they accept and protect her rule—with tremendous care and without requesting an explanation from her. Since Escala’s quest takes her into crowded places with strangers, “No one touches the faerie!” eventually becomes an inside joke among them. Even then, David James never allows this boundary to be ridiculed or crossed.
James’s villains are just as compelling as his heroes. Vengeful warlock Victor’s rage and Escala’s devious stepmother Morvena’s ambitions collide in glorious villainy, sealing “their unholy alliance…each bearing a grudge that could tear the realms apart.”
I found myself frequently awestruck by the author’s writing, describing magic systems (“Like a wound remembering how to heal, the realms began to knit themselves back together”) and characters’ mindsets (“The realization cut through her like light through glass—sharp, perfect, undeniable.”) with evocative finesse. When “grief tore through” Escala at the death of one of her closest allies, I felt the heartbreak as if a sword had sliced through me. When “their hearts split open by what they had just witnessed,” so did mine.
Escala’s quest takes dark, dangerous turns that force her to reevaluate everything she once believed true. The dramatic twists are death-defying, cinematic, and deeply emotional. If you love a high-stakes battle and suspenseful twists you can’t even imagine solutions to, Escala’s Wish will have you on the edge of your seat.
And when I say high-stakes, I mean it: Escala has several near-death experiences that genuinely feel like the end for her. Devastating deaths—of friends, parents, creatures both violent and vulnerable—flood our hearts with grief. But there are also resurrections and miraculous escapes, each of them shocking and thrilling in their own right.
More than anything, Escala’s journey highlights the expansive, exponential power of love in all its forms—parental, sacrificial, forbidden, and between friends. “Love wasn’t kisses or starlit promises beside a pond. Love was a choice you made to protect the beautiful and dangerous things you care about and those people you call family. She’d never thought of it that way. Now she couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
Escala asks everyone she meets to help her define love, to help her understand what love means in their lives. The result is a novel filled with profound, tender memories of love in action. If the author sold a companion book containing the various definitions of love featured in Escala’s Wish, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. The novel itself would make a wonderful gift. This is a story to treasure, discuss, and hold tightly.
I’d recommend Escala’s Wish to fans of coming-of-age stories; adventures that keep surprising us; fantasy concepts that reflect the hope in humanity; and epic, mysterious quests. If you loved The Letter for the King, you’ll love this book—the storylines differ, but they share a courageous charm and determined spirit. Both tales explore the wonder of unlikely allies discovering their destiny together and the unexpected power of found-family magic.
Step inside the tavern, pull up a stool, and allow Wigfrith to spin this magical tale as only he can. Escala’s Wish is an adventure you won’t forget and a journey you’ll want to return to.
What did you think?