Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand

	Elves: Rise Of The TaiGethen by James Barclay Gollancz Supplied for review by Hachette New Zealand	Reviewed By: Cassie Craig
Elves: Rise of the TaiGethen is book two of the series Elves. This is an action packed novel which grabs the reader’s attention from beginning to end. The story follows two elves, Auum and Takaar, who both have two very different ideas about how to free the enslaved elf population of Calaius from man. This story has mankind in ownership of powerful magic and the elves seem powerless against it. Quite different from how we normally perceive the elven kind. Auum is determined to fight for elven freedom with those of his TaiGethen cell. He and sets off to the old Elven capital to gather his people to war. Meanwhile Takaar seems to be a traitor and in cahoots with mankind. Elves have been enslaved for 150 years and according to man they are ready to be slaughtered and exterminated from the land. Here we see the enemy typically underestimate their opponent. Man marches to finally conquer all elves with flying mages and sheer force of numbers, elves are viewed in their eyes as nothing more than animals. Auum races to beat man to the last bastion of hope where elves are still free. A new breed of elves emerges from the forest called ClawBound. These ClawBound elves have changed since their brethren have been enslaved and now they have developed special powers with panthers that their predecessors never had. The ClawBound and Auum’s TaiGethen make lightening attacks on man’s army. Meanwhile Takaar gathers devotees to be part of his new magical arts James Barclay is able to plunge the reader into a new universe and the story gallops fast paced the entire novel. This novel is exciting to read and not boring at all. Return To Reviews SFFANZ Home Page

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