On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Welcome to my tour stop! Read my review and enter the tour giveaway below...
Heir of Elriyon
By K. Michele Moseley
Young Adult Fantasy
Paperback & ebook, 301 Pages
August 20, 2021 by Uncommon Universes Press
Summary
Aenya's destiny could cost her freedom.
After years of compulsory training to become an elite warrior, sixteen-year-old Aenya plans to run away with her friend Lewin. However, her plans crumble when she is chosen to be Elriyon’s new figurehead and wife to the future ruler, Rieve.
But Aenya has a secret: she is a Darcara—one chosen by elusive dragon-like beings, the Dargun, to receive the wisdom that once governed her people.
When the current rulers decide to stop a growing rebellion by killing the remaining Dargun, Aenya flees to Elriyon’s mysterious interior. Still, the Dargun’s words burn into her mind. They have a new task for her: return to her people and speak the truth, no matter the cost.
With escape close at hand, Aenya must choose between a dangerous calling or finally being free.
My Review
HEIR OF ELRIYON is a fantasy about a girl who has been trained to be a weapon and the secret she has been hiding since she was a child. It's about a corrupt world, war that sparks change, and the journey this girl and others embark on to bring peace. The world is multi-layered with various peoples that include humans, elves, dragons and others, and a world with different lands that reach beyond what takes place in this first book. Fantasy fans will find themselves easily pulled into this story.
This is a new-to-me author and publisher and you never quite know what to expect. I really loved the beginning of this book as it was easy to relate to the characters and the author did well in creating an emotional pull to the story. It helped that the main characters were all likable. Plus dragons. Just saying. It was an interesting world and the plot was intriguing. I did have some frustration along with Aenya in regards to her visions and the messages that were never completely clear, but that eventually gets worked out. I liked both Rieve and Lewin. The relationships felt genuine and I appreciated that there wasn't a love triangle. Rieve is actually quite a bit of fun and a good mix of a boy still trying to find his place and who he'll be while also filling his role as a future leader trained to be such.
Aenya goes on quite a journey in this story. She starts off very much a pawn in others' machinations. I did enjoy getting to know her and this world at the beginning of the story as well as seeing her relationship with Rieve grow. The rulers were a bit overly dramatic and naïve for their positions as well as one-dimensional, but otherwise played their roles well. When something happened and she had to make a decision she followed her training which kept her safe. She's very much opposed to risking everything to follow her visions. After a while she felt a bit petulant and childish, but I also understood why she resisted. I liked seeing different parts of this fantasy world and meeting some of the creatures during the second part of the story. The ending was a bit quick, with some resolution but also an opening to a second book.
I also had a few issues with the story. I pretty much loved the first half except for a few things, and didn't mind the middle when the characters were journeying. My biggest issue I think is that the message of the book felt a bit too pointed. As a reader, I like making my own judgements and not being told what to think and the author did this well in the first half, but then it switched so that Aenya was being told and thus the reader. I also wanted more world development as well as a bit more development in the plot and characters at certain points. There were a few things during the journey that didn't quite logically work for me and could have been worked out a bit more (such as characters almost dying from no food or water out in the desert, but somehow being fine the next day and travelling without packing sufficient food).
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an overall enjoyable story. Easy to read and flip pages, with likable characters and an engaging plot. Recommended for young adult and Christian fantasy fans.
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through Prism Book Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
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Tour-Wide Giveaway
Paperback of Heir of Elriyon by K. Michele Moseley, a set of two loose-leaf teas, a set of character art, and a bookmark (US Only)
Ends September 29, 2021
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