Synopsis:
After the events of The Prophet of Edan, Eormenlond is suffering from the chaos of war. While the dreaded Ilarchae are carving a war path through the land, civil war is also ravaging this world. In the midst of this turmoil Dayraven’s friends are searching for him as the elf shard may have talking over his mind and soon cause more destruction than anyone can imagine. In this seemingly hopeless situation, hope may be found in the most unlikely place.
Review:
First of all, let’s not kid ourselves, Philip Chase can write. He pulls you into a scene almost as if you are actually apart of the story. A shining example of this is the way he wrights battle scenes. Return to Edan contains some of the most vivid and brutal battle scenes that I’ve read. While jumping between multiple points of view there is practically no part of the scene that isn’t played out before your very eyes. Chase writes with an imagination like Tolkien and prose as beautiful as Robin Hobb, yet his own unique voice comes through loud and clear.
The characters in this story are well thought out and fully realized. Each of the main characters have something in their past that defines them in some way or that they must overcome. You will find yourself enthusiastically rooting for or against each character as some emotion will inevitably be evoked.
There is a lot going on here as far as the use of multiple story lines is concerned. This at times made me almost feel like the pacing was off just a bit. However, Chase makes each story line come together in a very thoughtful and satisfying way. So as they say, I would encourage the reader to trust the process.
Return To Edan isn’t simply a fine fantasy book, though it very much is. I believe it’s an important book that tackles issues that we might not see dealt with in other works of the genre. The Prophet of Edan preaches a sermon reminiscent of Christ’s Sermon On The Mount, calling his hearers to love one another as well as to forgive their enemies. We are challenged to see our fellow man, not through the lens of race or religion, but simply as people who deserve kindness and respect. In his book, Chase delivers a message of mutual love for one another while not at all sounding preachy.
I highly recommend Return to Edan to all readers of fantasy. Fans of traditional fantasy, grimdark fantasy, adventure fantasy will all find something to love in this story.
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