In Book One in the Chronicles of an Outcast series, The Scoundrel's Blade by Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis, readers are transported to a fantasy world where only a few elves still exist and magic is equally elusive. Avathar is a young elf orphan who has been plagued by nightmares since his father's failed ritual summoning brought destruction to their world. Avathar grows up as the foster son in a family that has a bond with him stronger than mere guardianship and with a sister named Anadriel. Eventually, Avathar must prove himself in his society by undergoing a three-day coming-of-age ritual test. The last night sees a demon possession in process and while it tries to wrestle his body from him, he accidentally kills his beloved Anadriel. Avathar runs with Anadriel's sword and later discovers the immensity of its power, but only Avathar can save himself from the demons.

When loss and tragedy are the milestones for every event of consequence in a young elf's life, Avathar's retreat in The Scoundrel's Blade by Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis makes sense. The demons that are a constant presence in all that he tries to do are the central dark force that Avathar has to overcome, and doing so requires a huge amount of courage and comes with pain that perhaps an elf who had not only experienced such brutal emotional torture might not be able to bear. In this regard, and as in the case in books with a young hero's journey, Avathar's past has prepared him for his future. There are exit signs but he resists in a self-sacrifice to stop the spread of evil. “I’m not asking you to give up, just to give in. Aren’t you tired of being afraid of your own body, of hurting a loved one without realizing it?” Halkiotis is at their writing best when Avathar is at his worst, and the companion the elf makes in Denarlia is the ray of hope filtering in after the loss of his sister. I like a strong female partner and Denarlia is that to a T and her ability to concoct an all-important suppression turns out to be critical to the success of Avathar's journey. This is a book with a lot of potential. Very highly recommended.

Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis' The Scoundrel's Blade is a noteworthy addition to the epic fantasy genre and serves as the inaugural installment in the Chronicles of an Outcast series. The narrative unfolds in a world characterized by a scarcity of magic and the clandestine existence of the few remaining elven races. The protagonist, Avathar, an orphan wracked with nightmares, must undergo his rite of passage under the tutelage of his step-sister and closest confidant, Anadriel. During his final trial, Avathar is besieged by a demonic facsimile of himself, resulting in a violent outburst leading to the accidental death of Anadriel. Plagued by remorse and self-condemnation, Avathar embarks on an arduous quest to seek atonement. His journey unravels secrets about his heritage and his family's involvement in the Great War. To overcome the challenges posed by dangerous territories and adversaries seeking to exploit his abilities for their nefarious ends, Avathar must confront his inner demons and choose whether to yield to his guilt or rise above it to safeguard the world from impending darkness.

It's never easy taking on a new fantasy series because of the level of commitment required by a reader, especially when the book is written by an author we have not read before. Between learning about a new world, new social and magic structure, and sometimes even a new language, we put a great deal of trust in the writer that the faith we have in them will be worth it. In The Scoundrel's Blade by Alkiviadis E. Halkiotis, the reward is wonderful. Halkiotis writes cleanly with both engaging and easy-to-absorb prose, and dialogue that rings authentic. Avathar is a character you really do want to root for even when he does the unthinkable, and even though he does it to the deeply connective Anadriel. The introduction of the companion he creates in both a tenuous and fortuitous alliance with Denarlia, who he begins to call “Little Raven”, provides a counterbalance to the loss of one important character without robbing her of her own agency and distinct personality. Overall, this is a really well-constructed novel and I look forward to seeing where the series takes us next.