Official Review: The Elfkin Journals: Blending of the Races

[Nisha Ward]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Elfkin Journals: Blending of the Races" by JDeVereS.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“Life is a moment in eternity… Love is eternity born in this moment in Life.”

Kindle Location 2021, The Elfkin Journals: Blending Of The Races

The last time I found myself quoting a book for a review, I had just finished reading The Undying Queen of Ur. I don’t often do this, what with my reading usually being for pleasure, but there’s something about JDeVereS’ The Elfkin Journals: Blending Of The Races that calls for it.

Half philosophical treaty, half narrative, the novel is the story of Garith de’Graoin and his team of Elfkin as they struggle against the Supreme Leader and Prime Acolyte, Adad. Spanning several lightyears and beliefs, this story is one of bravery, perseverance and rebellion. Garith’s team have it easy due to their ability to interface with their mind stones, but their ease is juxtaposed against glimpses of the people they seek to free that highlight what exactly is at stake in this war for the ages.

Before I get into the book’s good points, I just want to note that there were a lot of errors, most of them related to punctuation, and a questionable stylistic approach to the use of quotation marks. Words used within their proper context were often enclosed in these marks, leading to a bit of confusion on my part as to why that was. However, continued reading showed that there was no real reason for this, so I chalked it up to a slightly distracting quirk of the author’s style and moved on.

With that being said, I highly enjoyed the book. While it could be meandering at times, engaging in quite a bit of navel-gazing by both Garith and his mentor, Ramas, there was enough action and communication between the characters throughout the book to satisfy me. The characters were kind of flat, I’ll give you that, dear readers, but I think it was to the benefit of the book, which focused more on the plot than on anything else.

After all, The Elfkin Journals is about the journey to end an empire and build a new home after tragedy, not the actual characters. I won’t say the world-building is meticulous, but the attention to detail that JDeVereS puts into his work in this regard, albeit in a slightly disorganized manner, was a joy for those who, like me, revel in a world’s lore.

The philosophy of the book wasn’t lost on me either. The author proposes something along the lines of all life being interconnected, with space and time a matter of one’s connection to the universe rather than something concrete. All are one and one is all, with love being a connecting force while prejudice and greed are sources of destruction.

It’s all very simple, yet complex, within the world of The Elfkin Journals, and the author doesn’t mince words. The language is familiar and understandable, with only a bit of quantum physics thrown in at times to back up the science behind the Elfkin’s magic. Rather, the JDeVereS chooses to focus on the mind stones in the book and how they fit into the world at large.

To say that I was impressed by all of this is an understatement. While it’s not as thorough as Tolkien’s work, or as bogged down in detail as George R. R. Martin’s, there’s enough background information for the reader to always know where they stand within the story. Sometimes it can be too much, as with the epilogue’s long description of the modern Elfkin compound, but overall it works for the book’s framing as a historical record within a commander’s report.

As noted, I enjoyed the book immensely, my friends. There was so much to it, too much to describe in this review, but I never felt like I was weighed down by the narrative. It was, instead, uplifting. It’s a beautifully flawed book that I think deserves 3 out of 4 stars. Fantasy readers who like a bit of science and interdimensional travel will love it, but I should warn you. It’s not for those with a low tolerance for long, rambling descriptions.

Happy reading, everyone!

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The Elfkin Journals: Blending of the Races
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[Erin Painter Baker]

While I prefer character-driven stories, every once in a while, there's nothing wrong with an old-fashioned, plot-driven tale. And since this book spans lightyears and is about freeing people across galaxies, it sounds like, I get why it would need to be plot-driven. I love that you found it so enjoyable.

[Nisha Ward]

While I prefer character-driven stories, every once in a while, there's nothing wrong with an old-fashioned, plot-driven tale. And since this book spans lightyears and is about freeing people across galaxies, it sounds like, I get why it would need to be plot-driven. I love that you found it so enjoyable.

I'm much the same way so at first I was thrown off, but I came around to it. Thanks for reading!

[CherylTegan7]

I love a bit philosophy (adds depth) and some science/tech (adds realism), with great world-building. All of this really pulls readers into the narrative. But I'm not sure I would be inclined to read a novel that doesn't focus much on characters and has a slightly confusing writing style. I don't mind a slower pace, but the other things give me pause. Great review

[Nisha Ward]

I love a bit philosophy (adds depth) and some science/tech (adds realism), with great world-building. All of this really pulls readers into the narrative. But I'm not sure I would be inclined to read a novel that doesn't focus much on characters and has a slightly confusing writing style. I don't mind a slower pace, but the other things give me pause. Great review

Initially that gave me pause to, but I can assure you that the book is well worth the read. Thanks!

[Julius_]

Wow! This sounds like a nice read! With a mixture of philosophy and narrative. I like your review. Thanks for the review.

[Nisha Ward]

Wow! This sounds like a nice read! With a mixture of philosophy and narrative. I like your review. Thanks for the review.

And thank you for reading!

[xoxoAnushka]

You've summarized your views very well. Long description are huge turnoff for me. Thumbs up for your review!

[Nisha Ward]

You've summarized your views very well. Long description are huge turnoff for me. Thumbs up for your review!

That's fair enough. Thanks for reading!

[Adina Lutinger]

This seems like a very special and interesting book and you made me very curious to read it. Thanks for the great review!

[Nisha Ward]

This seems like a very special and interesting book and you made me very curious to read it. Thanks for the great review!

And thank you for reading.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

It is a sci-fi fantasy, so it is for me, and at the same time it has long descriptions, so it is not for me. Thanks for the nice and descriptive review

[Nisha Ward]

It is a sci-fi fantasy, so it is for me, and at the same time it has long descriptions, so it is not for me. Thanks for the nice and descriptive review

Thanks for reading!

[Nerea]

A book with incredible word-building can be enjoyable to read. The fantasy with a bit of science sounds appealing. Thank you for your incredible review.

[Nisha Ward]

A book with incredible word-building can be enjoyable to read. The fantasy with a bit of science sounds appealing. Thank you for your incredible review.

Very appealing. Thanks for stopping by.