EverBright

 EverBright is a book that follows Tiernan, a half-halfling, a race I haven’t thought about much until this point. The society in this fantasy setting is also interesting. Here, halflings are second-class citizens and looked down upon, no pun intended. In the case of Tiernan’s mother, she works as the domestic servant to a lord. Tiernan’s father is largely out of the picture, but is a noble of sorts.

The book starts as a story of Tiernan’s development. It is often said books start in medias res, (in the middle of things), but this book started quite near the beginning in some ways. The life of Tiernan serves as a rather long start to the book. Starting with his development first as a musician, and then as a hunter. It’s only quite a bit later that the main quest and conflict are explored.

 

I guess like all things, it is subjective. Is the book a story about Tiernan’s fight with the Vorlox, a vile monster, or is it a story about his relationship with his father? Certainly, both in a sense, but depending on which you determine the main story, it will change some of the pacing. In either case, the book is often quite compelling. The plotting is a bit unconventional, as, by my reading, the exposition stage of the book is a bit long.

I also appreciated the discretion used by the author. The book avoids crude language and, while there is violence, everything is tame and tasteful.

If you enjoy high fantasy or want a variant to the standard use of Freytag's pyramid in commercial fiction, you will want to check out this book.

Length: 343 pages

Perspective: Omni 3rd person

Tense: Past

Kindle Unlimited: Yes

https://www.amazon.com/EverBright-Craig-Phillips/dp/B0FQ3RQW3J