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.
(reviewed 11 months after purchase)