Elven Jewel (book 1 in the Hunters of Reloria series)

Very vivid book, great story, beautiful cover. I felt that there was too much given away in the beginning, but that was the only issue I had with it. Otherwise, it's a great book and a fun read.

Elven Jewel, Book One of the Hunters of Reloria series by Kasper Beaumont.
An excellent adventure in a Tolkien-esque world populated by elves, dwarves, humans and halflings.
Reloria is “a peaceful land, protected by a massive force field” from the reptilian Vergais, who are determined to invade and complete their conquest of this world. The evil lizard men can occasionally rend a hole in the field and enter Reloria.
During one incursion they meet a family of halflings. The family travel through Reloria gathering allies, including a kingdom of dwarves and a few humans. They also meet an elven princess and her protector.
Through the eyes of the halflings we learn about the societies and peoples of the other humanoids of Reloria. We also learn of the halflings world – unique among the Relorians (and most of fantasy) are their fairies. Each halfling has their own fairy linked to their host. If one dies, apparently, so does the other. Although the halflings are not magical, their fairies certainly are. They are also fun and lighthearted for the most part. It is a nice and unique bit of flair added to the race.
We are also treated to some fun battle scenes against the Vergais, including a fun and epic final battle.
The book does not end on a cliff hanger, but it IS a continuing series and leaves some plot threads dangling. Friends are killed in the battle; enemies unite, if not as friends, then at least as allies.
Fun fantasy and highly recommended! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I am looking forward to reading the complete epic!

I was supplied this title by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Things the author did well

(1) The author does a good job at setting up a scene, describing things in a way that makes the reader feel like he or she is there.

(2) There was some dialogue that made me chuckle here and there, particularly between the fairies and their owners.

(3) I did like the hues on the cover.

Things that were opportunities for the author

(1) I believe that too much was presented too soon. For me, I was fascinated by the initial threat of the Vergai and the elves yet soon these other elements got thrown into the mix and the core conflict I was invested in got lost.

(2) Too many characters are in the fray, to the point where it is quite easy to get one person mixed up with the other. Also, that happens when the characters' names too closely resemble each other or sound too much like each other.

(3) The chapters are too long. This is a detriment because it delays the action. Also, if there is pertinent information towards the beginning, there's no guarantee it will be remembered by the time you get to the end of that chapter, heading into the next one. By keeping the chapters shorter in a fantasy, action/adventure work such as this one, it keeps you in the thick of the action instead of dragging you along.

(4) In all of these action sequences, one thing is sorely missing and it is focus on the Elven Jewel, which is the title of this work. For me, if that is mentioned in the book, then at some point, it should be the centerpiece. Yet in the presentation in the book, the Jewel is more a side item. I honestly think in the aim to make this work more exciting, the author added so many layers that the core layer got neglected.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Overall, Elven Jewel has potential with its premise, but here, less is more. The author should have taken more time to develop why the reader should really care about the jewel. Yet there are so many story lines presented. Since the author has made this a trilogy it is going to take a lot of diligence (as well as rushing) to tie up all the ends going into books two and three. For me, I would have preferred a sleeker story with less happenings than a whole ball of rush.

The author was kind enough to supply me with a review copy of this title, and while it isn’t the sort of read I usually find myself lost within, I was pleasantly surprised by the story.
This is a fresh and clean fantasy that can be enjoyed by a vast age range.
The author reworks ancient myths and creates new myths seamlessly and fantastically, just as it should be in a good fantasy.
The descriptions guide the imagination to places no one else could take you and I never had to pause to wonder where I was in this world. The attention to detail had me captivated.
This is a well-balanced tale of young love, extraordinary difficulty and the importance of friends, family, and honor. I was happy to note that the story was well structured and well edited leaving me free to explore the story itself. I thought it was particularly interesting how the fairies were named in their specific feminine or masculine context with a variation on the name of their people that made it easy to keep track of who they were and who they belonged with. The names, in general, were complimentary to the mystical tone of the story. I tip my hat to the creativity employed in that area.
I don’t want to risk giving away anything pertinent so I will be brief; the book is a really good one and fantasy lovers everywhere will appreciate it. I fully believe that I will see these characters at Comic-Con at some point.

Well, what can I say? I was instantly drawn into the concept of this world and found it impossible to put down. (When I say 'Put down' I mean, of course, look away from the monitor,) but as I usually favor the horror genre, I was actually quite surprised by how well I loved it.

Overall, the plot is nicely tied together with great compelling characters you can't help but care about, and it's a fun, exciting book to read.

I would recommend this book to any fan of YA fantasy.

This is a unique take on classic fantasy themes. It is well written and a very fun and exciting book for all fans of YA fantasy, even children.

The relationships between the principle characters is believable and well thought out. Kaspar Beaumont is now among my favorite self-published authors and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

What a terrific book. It is jam-packed with adventure and ‘turn paging’ action. I loved the central characters, Randir and Fendi. I enjoyed their relationship or bond with their fairies too.

When the magical continent of Reloria is under threat from the Vergai it is up to our heroes to save the day. These evil reptile like creatures even plan to steal the Elven Jewel without which the land of Reloria would be defenceless.

Ms Beaumont has deftly crafted an excellent tale for middle grade readers. It is complex enough to keep them reading but it flows so easily I can’t imagine anyone of them getting bored. Being the first of the trilogy I’m sure that your children will want to read the other books too.

There are many things teachers and parents could use to further the lessons on team work, friendship and building resilience too. It would certainly be a great book to share in the classroom.

I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. I was genuinely surprised and delighted with it. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Review: Hunters of Reloria, Elven Jewel

Book 1 in the Hunters of Reloria series introduces us to some wonderful and unlikely heroes. Fendi, Randir, and Sienna are teen halflings used to living a mostly quiet life but they are thrust into a harsh new reality when they embark on a quest to warn others of the impending invasion about to overtake their lush and peaceful land. Hoards of Vergai, reptilian warriors from the land of Vergash are pouring into their quiet world through a portal in the shield which protects them from invaders. They are caught up in the rush to assemble an army to fight the invaders and rescue the kidnapped Elven princess, Shari-Rose. Along the way they are able to enlist the help of a motely assemblage of Relorias varied inhabitants. Once mortal enemies forge alliances to save their land. Human Knights fight alongside Dwarves and Goblins. The mysterious Mountain Man, Asher Grey leads the Hunters of Reloria to a bloody encounter with over one thousand Vergai on the plains. The battle is ultimately won but not without great cost and the princess remains captive beyond the portal in Vergash.
Kaspar Beaumont creates a wonderful new world with diverse landscapes and people. The sense of urgency inherent in the quest keeps you turning the pages. The close friendships and teen angst of the younger characters are layered against the growing comradeship of the medley of warriors. It is a quick and easy read for fantasy lovers of all ages. I look forward to the next book.

I don’t read many fantasy book out of fear they would contain boring plots or poor writing. I was extremely relieved to discover that Elven Jewel (Hunters of Reloria) by Kasper Beaumont did not fall into that category. This story will appeal to all Lord of the Ring fans. I enjoyed the characters and their journey and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

Interesting characters and adventure. An Excellent YA Fantasy Book!
Would Recommend.