A compelling start to The Aspect Series that will

4/5 Stars

A compelling start to The Aspect Series that will pull at your heart. The story of a young boy who discovers there is more to his life and the countries history than he realizes.

Kehlem is a sickly boy who has devoted his life to learning the skills of a physician at his fathers side. Living in a small town where the losses of a past war are still felt by the older generations, Kehlem finally has a chance to move beyond his father’s shadow. Through a project of his own, he aims to gain an apprenticeship that will be the start of his own life. The Isale Academy calls, but not everything is as it seems.

The tagline “A Healer turned killer” is what caught my attention. I personally love physicians in fantasy settings. There are a variety of ways they can be portrayed alongside possible magic systems that create intriguing characters, and this was no exception.

As Kehlem is in his early teen years, this is a coming-of-age story that gives readers an insight into how the healer became a killer. Ultimately creating a captivating character arc within the first book of the series.

Speaking of characters, I found the side cast was built quickly but effectively. What does that mean? Well, the characters we meet and the relationships they build felt fast paced. However, it was done in a way that still gives the characters depth and meaningful relationships. This made it easy to connect with them, leaving me with both loveable and detestable characters.

The worldbuilding and magic system were interesting and are explored with the character’s own learning. Including aspects that were reminiscent of Dragon Mage by ML Spencer and yet vastly different in others. Such as the “magic school” trope. Though it felt like we only scratched the surface of the worldbuilding, it seems like there lots of opportunity for more exploration in the next books within the series.

We also see LGBTQ representation, young love, found family, grim dark elements, tension between countries and religious differences. There are also wholesome moments and others that will break your heart. Not to mention the twists and turns that pull you into this emotional story.

This is a coming-of-age story that will only get bloodier from here and I can’t wait to see what will happen next.

An accessible self-published fantasy and a great read for fans of Dragon Mage by ML Spencer.

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