From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Sevryn Dardanon is not your typical elf. In fact, the world of Kerith is not your typical elf world. In this spectacular series debut, the pseudonymous Rhodes (a prolific YA author) plays fresh variations on the standard epic fantasy tropes. Her elves, the Vaelinars, are outsiders, propelled by a magical cataclysm into an unfamiliar and somewhat hostile new environment. For Sevryn, a half-breed Vaelinar, life is especially difficult as he's neither of one world or the other. Meanwhile, human Dwellers take in the orphaned Rivergrace, an escaped slave of Vaelinar heritage, and raise her as their adopted daughter. Both Rivergrace and Sevryn struggle to survive as quietly as possible, until, by chance, their paths cross and they must help each other battle an unknown evil that's infecting Kerith. Sevryn and Rivergrace possess not only undeveloped magical powers but mysteries in their respective pasts that promise to keep the excitement level high in the next installment.
(May) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The first book of the Elven Ways series introduces the very detailed and well-drawn world of Kerith, in which four different peoples coexisted since the end of a devastating war, until a magestorm from another world brought a fifth people, the Vaelinars. Their powers, once they got over the shock of transition, proved great enough to rule the four established peoples. Now, after generations of rule, feuds are breaking out among the Vaelinar lords, and the discontented among the conquered peoples seek to overthrow them all. As hostilities escalate, fate throws up Grace, rescued from a river and with no memory of her past, and Sevryn, who has also had 20 years of his past wiped out. The two youngsters just may be formidable enough to deal with the land's foes, if their memories can be healed. Rhodes' use of detail will please those who like richly drawn settings and intricate plots but may confuse others whom the appended glossary and character list will help.
Frieda MurrayCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
