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SUMMARY

Avem is a boy with nothing in the world. He steals for his own survival in the town of North Refuge. His striking yellow eyes are the cause of many whispers and fear. General Topea terrorizes him because of his strange nature, and it’s all Avem can do to stay out of his way.

When he is whisked away from North Refuge by mysterious wizards, he meets the Council of Stesti, and learns of his true nature as a Laeta. He is told of their pursuit in finding the Laeta King, a legendary hero that could help them defeat General Topea, who had been killing Laetas to allow a sinister plan to come to fruition without interruption.

Now Avem must fight to defend the only friends he’s ever known. The Council is quickly running out of time as Avem must push aside his doubts and fears to save a lost Councilman and help put an end to Topea’s plans.

Though, Avem will soon learn, destiny will not define him.

REVIEW

3/5 STARS

Avem is a young boy without a real home or family. He has to steal to survive in the town of North Refuge where he makes his way the best he can. To make matters worse, he does not fit in because he has the yellow eyes of a Laeta, and as a result, many people fear or hate him. General Topea has made it his mission to stamp out all the Laeta and he is after Avem. the Laeta are able to perform magic and could be the downfall of General Topea so he is determined to find and destroy Avem.

Just as Avem is about to face deadly dangers, a group of mysterious wizards takes him under their protection. From then on, Avem’s life will become one of adventure, mystery, empathy, and danger. He finds himself swept up in world events and tries to prove to the wizards that he is as capable as they are. Yet he is young and new to magic, making his journey all the more difficult. Will Avem be able to prove himself, save the world, and maintain compassion for others, or will he let down the only family he has ever known?

Avem’s character is well developed and his journey is an interesting one to the reader. The companions he has in the adventure have moments where they feel a little less than fully fleshed out but the story maintains itself well enough that the book is enjoyable throughout. The magic system is robust but not always well defined. This does provide for some interesting sequences and if you love high magic fantasy this is a book well worth reading.

If you love worlds full of magic, with epic battles and the struggle of good versus evil, and the question of whether someone deserves a second chance at its core, you will enjoy this book to the fullest.