The Exiled is the first book of A Web of Lies fantasy series by Jason Leigh Smith. It's been fifty years since the Purge War ended, and the Elves have firmly solidified their dominion over the land of Belissia with the help of their mancers and Truthseekers. Daughter of the late hero of the Purge War, Selenna, Captain Selouteau of the Elven Armada, embarks on a mission to rescue the Elven ambassador to the human invaders. But the mission fails spectacularly, and suddenly, Selouteau finds herself on the run after crashing the negotiations between the humans and the Ez. While Ezell, the exiled Prince of Ez, disobeys his father and searches for allies, Selouteau learns about old wrongs, and her loyalties waver. Additionally, Grand Admiral Synnathril delves into necromancy to save an Ez with Truthseeking abilities.

If you love sprawling worlds full of different races, monstrous creatures, and lots and lots of magic, waste no time and grab a copy of The Exiled. This is a spectacular first installment of an epic fantasy series. Featuring a multiple-POV narrative with a large cast of characters, Jason Leigh Smith drops the reader into an intricately crafted world filled to the brim with action, lore, magic, and political intrigue. The story feels as epic as epic fantasy can get. The author paces the narrative very well, even though so much happens on every single page. I found myself deeply invested in the characters, especially Selouteau, Ezell, Wilhelm, and Wreadallon. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequels. Epic fantasy readers -- do not miss out on this one!

The Exiled is the first book in the Web of Lies series by Jason Leigh Smith. Captain Selouteau of the Elven Armada, the daughter of the Grand Admiral and the Great Inquisitor, has a legacy to live up to. When her father asks her to do a dangerous thing, Captain Selouteau has to accept. She knows she risks being branded a traitor and convicted of treason for acting without the Council's approval. Yet she must find the Prince of the Ez and convince him to get an audience with his father, the King of the Ez, before he sides with the Humans against the Elves. Humans may be preparing for war and recruiting Ez people. Shortly after, she learns that the exiled Prince of the Ez has his own plan for his people. Will Captain Selouteau live up to her parents' legacy, or will she find her own path? Will there be a war between the Humans and the Elves?

The Exiled by Jason Leigh Smith is an impressive work of fantasy. It is well-written and crafted with such deep care that even readers who are not fond of books with political intrigue will find it absorbing and utterly brilliant. It features high-stakes action, epic adventure, gripping world-building, advanced weaponry, magic, different races, exciting main characters, and more. All fantasy fans can now dive into a world where powerful Elves are forced to fight to remain in power and avoid a new war. This gripping tale of deception and magic will draw readers in and keep them glued to the pages with its tension, lies, secrets, and political intrigue.

The Exiled: A Web of Lies is a work of fiction in the YA fantasy, action, and adventure genres, and is the opening book of a new series penned by author Jason Leigh Smith. In this thrilling tale, we discover the Elves, fantastical people with airships and potent truth-reading abilities, who have maintained dominance through bloodshed and war. However, the arrival of a new foreign race in Belissia threatens this balance. Elven Airship Captain Selouteau races against time to prevent a Human invasion by seeking an alliance with the exiled Prince of the Ez. In the Prince's court, she discovers secrets that challenge the legitimacy of the Elven reign. As tensions rise and war looms, Selouteau must decide whether to uphold her race's power or seek justice for all.

Author Jason Leigh Smith utilizes a fantastic sense of imagination and description to craft an enthralling fantasy with a unique blend of high-stakes political intrigue and action-packed airship battles. The nuanced portrayal of the Elven society is a highly original take on the fantasy genre that will grab fans of the classics right from the start. The character of Captain Selouteau is equally compelling as we witness her struggle between loyalty to her race and the unsettling truths she discovers about them. There are so many interesting dynamics of power and dominance at play, and the dialogue is delivered well to explore these tensions without the need for slow, lengthy prose. This keeps the pace suitably action-packed, and the vivid descriptions of the larger-than-life airships and the Elves' unique paranormal abilities add to the continuing drama with great twists. As the story unfolds, the looming threat of war and Selouteau’s inner turmoil evoke a sense of urgency and anticipation, making it hard to put the book down. Overall, The Exiled is a superb work of fantasy that I would not hesitate to recommend.

It's been half a century since Selenna led the Elves to war against Vylok and Shadowbeasts (furious, foul creatures from the Shadow Realm). Tens of thousands sprawled lifeless on both sides. And though the Great Inquisitor Selenna defeated the Necromancer and brought peace to Belissia, no one alive knows the battle site. Decades after the Necromancer's war, the future lies on the verge of turmoil yet again. It all starts when the humans make landfall on the shores to the south and shoot down an Elven patrol airship. The crew aboard disappeared without a trace. Resorting to diplomacy, the Elven Council sends an ambassador to the human camp of Gusting. But there, he's held captive and is met with painful torture to the point of death. The two unprovoked hostilities can only mean one thing: war with the Elves. When the late Selenna's daughter Selouteau sets out to Ezguard citadel for help against the humans, dark secrets about the council unravel and shocking truths smelling of atrocities committed against the Lesser Races come to light. For a long time, the Ez, Swarmen, and Islanders have silently suffered under the Elves' reign. Now allies with humans, the Lesser Races are outfitted for war as never before. The invasion is unraveling quickly and is more twisted than the Elves first thought. Instead of marching to the Elven capital with warships and cannons, the enemy deploys sabotage, hindering the Elves from directly waging war, but triggering repercussions devastating to anyone not in line with the Human Alliance. Why did the humans come to Belissia? Could they be the end of the Elven reign? Pick up Jason Leigh Smith's The Exiled: A Web of Lies to find out.

An adrenaline-packed prologue sets the stage, and as the Elves fiercely battle Vylok's rotten army, readers are immediately drawn to discover what's next and feel the high-stakes situations bubbling from the depths. Jason Leigh Smith's description prowess makes words come to life, and the speculative alien world is evoked with astonishing clarity. You can visualize phantoms materializing around the Necromancer and almost hear hollow screams through the night haze from the condemned souls. The author's portrayal of Belissia as an advanced society is mesmerizing. From the Elves' celestial clippers to Ez's retractable underground cave systems, the inventive ingenuity that has spread across the land is unique for every race and delivers whole new possibilities. Combined with Belissia's abundant untamed wilds, the diversity integrates to create a lush, thriving metropolis. It's epic! The characters are captivating and unforgettable. And none shine brighter than Selouteau and Ezell (the Crown Prince of the Ez). Their relentless determination to question biased traditions and norms sets them ahead of their time. If you love tales rich with deeply resonating themes, fantastic magical realism, and lots of action, The Exiled is right up your alley.