Elseerian, Ben Hale

 

 

 

Today we are exploring the work of Indie author Ben Hale, and his wonderful book,  Elseerian, Book 1 in the Chronicles of Lumineia.

 

The Blurb:

The assassination of heroes was once a warning—for an invasion that nearly destroyed the world. On the brink of total victory, the black horde mysteriously vanished, leaving terrified survivors . . . and rumors. As the centuries passed, the holocaust faded into legend, and finally myth. But death is stalking heroes once more, and only a miracle will allow life to survive again . . . a miracle named Elseerian.

 

The Story:

Taryn Elseerian, half elf, half human and something more, yearns for knowledge of his parents and his family. An orphan raised by a elven weapons master on an island of warriors, on the day he comes of age Taryn sets out, equipped with the magic swords that are all that is left of his his dead parents, on a journey to find the Oracle and discover what he can about his true origins.  His good friends Liri and Mae go with him.

 

In many ways this first book in the series is a coming of age story.  There is a blossoming romance underlying the story, yet it's not the central theme, and it doesn't come to fruition in this tale.  The many adventures Taryn and his companions have on their way to find the Oracle are both ingenious and immersive. Taryn is a mighty warrior, and none can defeat him. However, during the course of the tale we discover that Taryn has one weakness--he cannot kill.  While he cannot be defeated, he is unable to bring himself to kill an opponent, and there are some who hold this inability against him.

 

Elseerian is a good escape for a cold winter's day.  While it is admittedly the setup for a series, the ending does not leave you hanging, and I liked that.  This book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel but I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series, The Gathering.