talismanbrett
Written on Dec 9, 2020
Book Review
By Brett Salter
Kaylen’s Rising is book one of author Yves Robichaud’s Tomes of Taria series which follows the main protagonist and main perspective of Kaylen, a cave elf living in the underground metropolis of Caverna.
14-year old Kaylen Amdir has been secluded at home by his pacifist parents all his life and knows nothing of the outside, wondrous world of Taria. Even in his hometown, he is ostracized and bullied by his townsfolk and his peers alike because of his family’s secrets and his abysmal knowledge of magic. You see, in Caverna, most cave elves enter into one of the apprenticeships needed to protect their kingdom from the constant threat from the humans of the kingdom of Voland. On this point, young Kaylen yearns to learn the ways of the magicians, and through a series of prophetic events, he discovers that he DOES in fact have powers of a rare and extraordinary kind. Along his journey to fulfill his own destiny, Kaylen meets some fascinating characters with some interesting quirks and powers. And it is a combination of ALL these allies that is needed to stay the looming war between the kingdoms. Will Kaylen and his friends see their quests to the end? Or will they become just another fairy-tale legend lost to the Tomes of Taria?
I just want to start out by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It easily has all the elements one would come to expect from a book that fits right in with the likes of Harry Potter; a relatable hero-in-training with a somewhat tragic backstory and an eclectic group of comrades to help him through both his internal struggles and the struggles of the world around him. The journey starts from Kaylen’s humble beginnings, takes you through several trials designed to test our diverse party of personalities, and finally concludes with an epic battle on a Tolkien-esque scale. As I read the book, I really felt as if I was witnessing a favorite Role-Playing Game converted from the console to the written page as I witnessed this motely group of elves, dwarves, and humans “level up” and fearlessly fight their way through challenge after compounding challenge. If you have an interest in charismatic characters, well-written dialogue, and action packed adventures in a fantastical land, then Kaylen’s Rising should immediately be placed in your Amazon cart.
Final Review: 4.5 summoned skeletons out of 5 (4.5/5)
Purchase Kaylen’s Rising on Amazon.com
Contact this phenomenal author:
Yves Robichaud
Author of Kaylen’s Rising (Tomes of Taria, Book 1)
www.facebook.com/KaylensRising
www.twitter.com/@yvesr72 Instagram/@yves72
www.yvesrobichaud.com/kaylens-rising/