Welcome to this week’s post. Regular followers will be aware that I have been struggling to find a book, never mind a series, that really entertains me. Due to my mental health issues impacting on my concentration levels, I have been starting books then putting them aside after only a few chapters and I found this really upsetting.

Anyway, I found this series recommended in a Facebook group and gave the first book a try. Here it is…

Path of a Novice is #01 in R K Lander’s The Silvan series. This is the blurb…

“His face would kindle love, garner hatred, inspire loyalty – bring persecution.

An immortal half-blood becomes a novice warrior and joins the ranks of the Silvans as they battle Sand Lords and Deviants. He only ever had one dream; to become a Silvan captain in an army commanded by the dominant Alpine elves, colonizers of the Great Forest. There had once been another dream though – to know who his father was, but years of unanswered questions later, he told himself it didn’t matter anymore.

Meanwhile, the powerful Alpine lords weave a story of racial superiority, relegating the native Silvans to second-class subjects. Village leaders, Spirit Warriors and Foresters are starting to rebel.

Fel’annár learns the true meaning of warrior hood when he travels as the only novice warrior in a multi-racial patrol into the Deep Forest. As he battles the enemy for the first time, a power unfolds, one he cannot control – does not want. While friendships are forged, a destiny begins to unravel, one that is tied to a past he knows nothing about. For others though, it is only a matter of time before the truth is revealed and the danger becomes real.

Can Fel’annár overcome his fears, become the warrior he always wanted to be, or will his dreams be stunted by his own shrouded past? By one elf’s lust for absolute power?”

This was my response on Goodreads…

Path of a Novice by R.K. Lander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, with only a couple of issues. The plot moves swiftly and engages the reader, the character development was also well done and the setting imaginative. My main niggle is with the lack of female characters. Would it be too much to ask that some of the warriors could be female elves? There are a couple of females mentioned but they are not really central to the story. I hope this is rectified in later books in the series.

The other issue is really an irritation. I think this has been mentioned by other readers: the gratuitous use of apostrophes in the eleven names! How on earth does the reader make sense of the names, or should I write n’ame’s???

View all my reviews

---

Well, I must have enjoyed the book because I am going to read the second book in the series as soon as I finish this post!

Happy reading!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

📚📕📚📕📚