camryndaytona's review
4.0
This review was originally posted on Camryn DaytonaI got this book from Netgalley, but it's also available on Kindle Unlimited if you're hoping to read it yourself!!
Exile's Redemption is one of those books that I would not be surprised if someone like George RR Martin or Brandon Sanderson were to step forward and admit that they wrote it under a pen name. It's just that good, I can't believe it hasn't gotten more attention.
This book has pretty much everything I like: world-building, multiple POVs, magic, and elves. In fact, here's a short statement from the author that I feel sums everything up nicely.
Alright, did that sell you on this book? Because it should have.
Oh my goodness the WORLDBUILDING. I cannot express how much I love the world of Chronicles of Shadow.
The Elves believe that they were created by a super-strong elf with almost god-like powers who they call The First. His son, Umbral, turned against his father at a young age and tried to murder him, and for that he was exiled to a demon-filled world called The Shadow Realm.
But that's only half of the story.
One major feature in Exile's Redemption is how biased history can be. In fact, one of the two main characters is actually Umbral, and although we've yet to get the full story from him, it's clear he had a very different opinion of The First.
Since the book takes place over 10,000 years since Umbral's banishment, there's no one left (even among the elves) who recognizes him. Instead of announcing himself as "The Traitor" he picks the name W'rath (which cracks me up every time I read it).
Read this book.
Please.
I don't know anyone else who has read this book which is upsetting to me because I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
Exile's Redemption is one of those books that I would not be surprised if someone like George RR Martin or Brandon Sanderson were to step forward and admit that they wrote it under a pen name. It's just that good, I can't believe it hasn't gotten more attention.
This book has pretty much everything I like: world-building, multiple POVs, magic, and elves. In fact, here's a short statement from the author that I feel sums everything up nicely.
This isn't a story just about pretty people with long pointy ears. This is a tale about the choices we make and the consequences we have to live with after the fact.
W'rath is an individual who carries a great many regrets, not the least of which is seeing the affects of his past actions on his dwindling people. Raven is a young historian desperate to understand her people's past and help restore them to greatness - only nothing can be that simple. A terrible death of an innocent has left her with a crushing sense of guilt, and a need to grow up much too fast.
Alright, did that sell you on this book? Because it should have.
The World
Oh my goodness the WORLDBUILDING. I cannot express how much I love the world of Chronicles of Shadow.
The Elves believe that they were created by a super-strong elf with almost god-like powers who they call The First. His son, Umbral, turned against his father at a young age and tried to murder him, and for that he was exiled to a demon-filled world called The Shadow Realm.
But that's only half of the story.
One major feature in Exile's Redemption is how biased history can be. In fact, one of the two main characters is actually Umbral, and although we've yet to get the full story from him, it's clear he had a very different opinion of The First.
Since the book takes place over 10,000 years since Umbral's banishment, there's no one left (even among the elves) who recognizes him. Instead of announcing himself as "The Traitor" he picks the name W'rath (which cracks me up every time I read it).
Overall
Read this book.
Please.
I don't know anyone else who has read this book which is upsetting to me because I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
More...