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A review by book_scent
The Way of Edan by Philip Chase
4.0
What a great debut! The Way of Edan has that classic & epic feel I've come to appreciate & love in fantasy books. Chase does a wonderful job of combining elements of classic & modern fantasy with familiar tropes and beautiful writing, while also putting his own fresh spin on things.
The exciting prologue grabbed my attention immediately and provided a fascinating peek into the themes and story to come. I always find the exploration of religion & faith and how far some might be willing to go for the supposed good of the world very interesting. Chase does not shy away from the brutality & gray morality that inevitably come with the blind & fervent pursuit of something. The darker parts were unexpected and surprised me (in a good way), but this is by no means a grimdark book.
The bonds & relationships were another aspect that made this novel really compelling. The characters were very likable and easy to get invested in and root for. I also loved getting the perspective from the "other" side - not exactly making them relatable, but at least somewhat more understandable where they were coming from, and making it clear that this was not a simple good vs. evil story.
At times, some things may have been moving a bit too quick for me and I would've liked to see more development at certain points, but overall I really enjoyed this beginning of what feels like will be a big adventure, and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.
The exciting prologue grabbed my attention immediately and provided a fascinating peek into the themes and story to come. I always find the exploration of religion & faith and how far some might be willing to go for the supposed good of the world very interesting. Chase does not shy away from the brutality & gray morality that inevitably come with the blind & fervent pursuit of something. The darker parts were unexpected and surprised me (in a good way), but this is by no means a grimdark book.
The bonds & relationships were another aspect that made this novel really compelling. The characters were very likable and easy to get invested in and root for. I also loved getting the perspective from the "other" side - not exactly making them relatable, but at least somewhat more understandable where they were coming from, and making it clear that this was not a simple good vs. evil story.
At times, some things may have been moving a bit too quick for me and I would've liked to see more development at certain points, but overall I really enjoyed this beginning of what feels like will be a big adventure, and I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.