Enchantress, Book one of the Everman Saga, by James Maxwell is a fresh take on fantasy. It is not your classic, run-of-the mill, medieval setting, fantasy. It follows Ella who always wanted to be an Enchanter and her brother, Miro, who wanted to be a soldier in the army. Ella gets accepted into training as an Enhantress and Miro is accepted into the army. As they continue their training, their land is about to be plunged into civil war.
Enchanters
Ella is an enchanter. In this world, the power of each land is based off of their lore, a book that contains runes that powers the magic that they use. Each group has a different lore book with different powers. Ella’s people relied on enchanting. They use it for simple tasks such as lamps and more difficult abilities like powering the swords and armor of the Blade Singers, a special forces unit in their army. Enchanters use a liquid known as essence to inscribe their runes. It is very dangerous and can kill anyone that it touches. Ella must use special gloves to protect herself. But, there are some who are not affected by the essence. But more on them later.
Blade Singers
Miro proves to be an exceptional fighter. He is recruited by the Blade Singers, an elite fighting force within the army. They must be in excellent shape. They have to sing the runes during battle to activate and deactivate enchantments in their armor and on their swords that makes them nearly invincible in battle. Miro leaves on a mission and Ella is left alone.
Killian
Ella meets Killian while walking through the city one evening. They really hit it off and things seem to be going well. Unfortunately, his bear skin comes in contact with the essence that Ella is carrying. He is carried to the Enchanter’s Academy but is believed to be dead. Just when Ella had someone to fill the whole that Miro left, he’s taken too.
Lore
After Killian comes in contact with the essence, the Lore of Ella’s homeland is stolen. Ella sets out in search of the Lore Book. Without the book being present and being able to renew the runes inside with fresh essence, the magic of her homeland will begin to fade. If the magic fades, that will leave the Blade Singers vulnerable, as their runes will begin to fade also. Ella can’t leave Miro unprotected and sets out to recover the stolen Lore.
Conclusion
James Maxwell puts a new spin on fantasy. The magic system is different than most that I have read in the past. The idea of Lore and having to refresh the magic often to keep it effective creates tension and intrigue. The secret that some people are effected by essence and some aren’t is surprising. If you love fantasy, then I highly recommend giving this series a shot. You can find it here on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audio. If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can read the ebook or listen to audio for free. If you aren’t a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can check it out here and get a free 30 day trial.
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