Review Detail

A coming-of-age fantasy adventure steeped in lore. Hermium is a tinkerer, not a warrior, so he’s less than enthused to be selected for a prestigious warrior school (make that two - and he doesn’t get to choose). The bullies and grueling curriculum don’t do much to change his mind, but as Hermium makes friends and stumbles across old secrets, he’s swept up in a conflict of political powers and mythical creatures beyond anything he could have imagined.

Hermium’s journey begins as a classic school story, complete with proud but disconnected parents, a need to prove himself, bullies who are just plain mean, and mysterious artifacts in old closets. Everything is overflowing with detail, which creates the feeling of a complete, lived-in world. But be prepared to be tossed into the deep end! From the first page, there’s names, creatures, and inventions mentioned in context, and it’s up to the reader to piece together what it means, or to wait until there’s a direct description later on. While I admire the immersive approach, there were times when I struggled visualizing what was happening. (Is this character talking to a human? A magic tiger? Both?)

Perhaps counter-intuitively for an adventure story, I most enjoyed the quieter moments with Hermium where we really get to see what he’s feeling and what he thinks of the things happening around him. These parts felt the most grounded and relatable. When it comes to the action, there isn’t much introspection, and I wish we got to see more through Hermium’s eyes.

If you’re new to fantasy, I’m not sure this is the place to start. But fans of the genre’s hallmark fanciful names and hidden powers could enjoy getting to know this new world. The hardcover edition features full color maps on the endpapers, a printed cover, and a scattering of colored interior illustrations.