Greetings Otherworld travelers, and welcome to our first stop of the week. It’s been a little while since we ventured off into other realms, but the wait will have been more than worth it, because we’re going to be diving into a substantial coming-of-age fantasy that will stick with you long after you’ve turned the final page. Read on to learn more about The Scoundrel’s Blade (Chronicles of an Outcast Book 1).
Author Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis unveils his epic fantasy debut in The Scoundrel’s Blade (Chronicles of an Outcast Book 1). A character-driven story, The Scoundrel’s Blade follows a lead that you see grow along the way, fighting demons both real and internal. Readers will be hard-pressed to leave Avathar’s side, greatly desiring to see him find redemption and peace. While Avathar is certainly a large part of the story, Halkiotis makes sure that he doesn’t carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Rather, the Forgotten Kingdom is filled with rich lore and mythology worthy of the grand age of the elves. But what makes the author’s world seem markedly different from much traditional fantasy is that there is a deep psychological underscore to be explored, and Halkiotis achieves this to great effect.
It has been centuries since the Great War between the now Forgotten Gods and Great Demons ended with both sides forcefully banished from the mortal realm. Magic is now scarce and the few remaining elven races are hidden.
One such elf is Avathar, a young orphan plagued by nightmares ever since his father brought upon destruction in a failed ritual summoning. Time passed and the dreams eventually stopped. The boy grew up into a carefree young man while in the care of his foster family. And now, years later, it is finally time for him to go through his ritual passing of age and take his place in Avaelin society, and his step-sister and best friend Anadriel will be his guide in his three-day ritual.
By the final day of his trials, he is worn out physically and mentally. After all these years the nightmares return, worse than ever. And at the last night, a manifestation of a demonic version of him attempts to steal control of his body, taunting him while Avathar fights back in blinding rage. But in truth, it wasn’t the demonic elf the one that he had struck down; driven momentarily insane, he had unintentionally killed his sister.
Filled with remorse and despair, he banishes himself, only taking with him a family relic his sister had, an ancient elven blade much more important than he then realized…
Halkiotis’s book is a captivating adventure, composed by a creator who readers will instantly recognize as someone with passion for the project and the genre. Creating a robust world such as his is an accomplishment on its own. But inserting a character with rich development and then bolstering them with other interesting characters, and making sure that they add to the setting, instead of just existing within it is quite a feat. With a second book on the horizon, there’s never been a better time than now to dive into this talented author’s work. Check out The Scoundrel’s Blade (Chronicles of an Outcast Book 1) on Amazon today! Also, those interested in a free copy of the book can reach out to the author here. They would very much like an honest Amazon review if you are able to provide one!
