Review: The Holy Grail War: The Hedgehog by Armanis Ar-Feinial

Review: The Holy Grail War: The Hedgehog by Armanis Ar-Feinial

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have loved reading for years and, in trying to find what appeals to me, I have come across some unique concepts that grabbed me and made me want to know more. When this happens, it is easy to get wrapped up in the story the author is telling, and I am more likely to have a positive experience.

With Armanis Ar-Feinial’s work, I was intrigued by the interesting setup and likable characters, and I wanted to know where the plot was going to take them. Unfortunately, at the same time, I see problems with the narrative that took away from my enjoyment of the story quite a bit. I will go more into this in the respective sections where it occurred.

For now, let’s get a summary of the story.

Summary

We open to a war zone where we meet the soldiers of Task Force Seven, enlisted to fight for the US government. The Task Force members find that they have been betrayed by the very people they are fighting for, as they are now being targeted. Stuck in battle, the Task Force decide to target a place known as Area 51, hoping to end the conflict.  

Seven years later, we meet a group of friends led by two people named Jennifer and Samantha. The group is very close, and they all appear to have few worries in life. However, when they meet a man named Ted Anderson, they are intrigued and want to know him better, while at the same time Ted struggles to let anyone into his life. As Samantha and Jennifer get to know Ted, they discover that he is suffering greatly, and they find that they are faced with wanting to help someone in need, as Ted continues to be haunted by demons of his past.

Meanwhile, a highly sought-after artifact known as the Holy Grail is stolen, leading to a manhunt for both the one surviving Task Force member and the Pandora’s Box connected to it. Will the Grail be recovered before anyone is harmed?  

Thoughts

I am conflicted. I see incredibly intriguing elements being played with here, and it is easy to get wrapped up in the story as the narrative goes on because the setup is very strong. However, if you have a strong setup for something, you must follow through with it, and I see things in the narrative that were not entirely followed through on, leaving me feeling somewhat disappointed.

At the same time, however, the portrayal of trauma and how it affects the individuals that experienced it is handled with extreme care and compassion, making it easy for the reader to feel for the ones struggling. Seeing this greatly improved the story. Even though I have issues with the execution, I do see great value in a lot of the subjects being dealt with.

Characters

Ted Anderson

Oh, Ted. My heart breaks for this character. The way Armanis Ar-Feinial writes about him shows a man who is haunted by his past actions to the point where he refuses to let anyone into his life. The guilt he feels is portrayed incredibly vividly, showing that he is struggling greatly to see himself in a good light after his past actions.

It is clear in the story that he cares greatly for both the people from the past and the people presently in his life. I immensely enjoyed seeing how his character grew and developed over the course of the narrative. The mystery surrounding him made me curious about not just who he is as a person, but what role he will play in the overall story being built.

Jennifer

I feel like we see Jennifer the most clearly in the narrative besides Ted. Seeing her want so badly to be close to him and learn about him is touching, and I wanted to see them grow to a point of mutual friendship. Seeing what Jennifer goes through in trying to get to Ted, pushing him a bit but never losing that kind, friendly demeanor with him is incredibly heartwarming!

Talking about Jennifer by herself, I found myself concerned for her as the narrative went on, especially as certain plot developments came out. That said, with those developments, it was awesome to see her reaffirm her connection to God and how she refuses to lose faith no matter what happens. This shows me an incredibly strong individual who will not allow any difficult news to knock her down. She refuses to give up being optimistic and faithful and wanting the best for others.

Lieutenant J. Nakamura

Now, on the flip side of the coin, Lieutenant Nakamura genuinely infuriated me. I could not believe some of the things she did, with really no remorse or care for how her actions affected others. She is painted in such a way that I wonder if she even has it in her to show any remorse for her actions. It was genuinely alarming to see.  

One example of this is how she treats a group of innocent children in the narrative, forcing these fragile individuals to engage in acts that will scar them for life with absolutely no other emotion on her end besides a disturbingly cheery tone. She works to show some of the more depraved aspects of the world being built and how it affects those victimized.

Structure

Now, unfortunately, the structure is where I ran into problems with the story. Armanis Ar-Feinial starts out the narrative with intriguing subjects and elements that I was genuinely interested in. However, not enough time is given to all these elements. While I greatly enjoyed Ted’s storyline, it was leaned into so heavily that the other plot points set up were neglected. By the end of the story, I was wondering about what happened to some of the things that had been set up. There are elements that are introduced, but not sufficiently addressed by the conclusion of the story.

Just as an example, what exactly is going on with this Holy Grail and Pandora’s Box? When these elements are introduced, they are talked about like these highly top-secret entities that a lot of soldiers are not allowed to know about. It is established that the Holy Grail is the key to Pandora’s Box. What does that mean? What is Pandora’s Box needed for? Why are casters not allowed to know anything about this? I think these elements are connected to both the prologue and the situation with NATO established in the beginning of the story, but I cannot be sure because they are not brought up often enough to confirm it.

Another example of the continuity needing improvement is with the situation regarding Jennifer. I feel like her arc needed more significant closure than what it got. I was waiting for something else to happen with her after that last phone call, and it unfortunately was never followed through on. The situation didn’t have to necessarily be resolved, but I would have liked at least a hint as to what comes next.

Writing

One of the pluses with this story is the writing. The prose is highly compelling and easy to get wrapped up in! Particularly in the sections dealing with Task Force Seven, it was gripping to see how everything unfolded because each scene is built with care and just enough detail to keep the reader invested, while also keeping up a sense of intrigue surrounding this element.

Another place where the prose sticks out is when we are following Ted when he is being tormented by his past. The tone of the narrative completely shifts from the warm camaraderie of Jennifer and her friends to the crushing loneliness and guilt of Ted’s character. On that note, it is also significant to me how, in one scene, Samantha goes to Ted’s door and hears him weeping. This type of scene would not work at all if that tonal shift did not occur, and the prose paints the scene with the emotional weight it deserves, helping the reader connect to and be moved by what he is going through.

Conclusion

So, I’m a bit mixed on this one. Like I said, I see a rather compelling setup, but the execution needs work for the narrative to hit home most effectively. There are elements that are very intriguing, and the characters are sympathetic, but the structure needs a more solid foundation for the story to have the greatest impact.

Despite the issues I have with it, however, I would recommend this story to someone looking for a heartwarming take on veterans and what impact time in the military can have on someone. In the end, Armanis Ar-Feinial has created a narrative that is incredibly strong on that front, and it is a story worth looking into for anyone interested in a deep-dive on a soldier’s life.