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The Way of Edan by Philip Chase

Expansive, richly-detailed fantasy novel by a first-time author (who happens to be a friend of mine!). A coming of age story, part one of a trilogy, set against a grand backdrop: a brewing military and religious conflict, triggered by a blasphemous false flag event, that sets off shifting and unsettled alliances among a wide range of peoples.

The main character, Dayraven, young but yet old in soul, captivates the reader on a few levels: he has a powerful gift that he can't control, he's deeply unsure of himself, and he has a seemingly impossible hero's journey in front of him. 

Author Philip Chase creates a textured Norse/Anglo-Saxon-inspired world, featuring multiple cultures, nuanced geopolitics, even an interesting linguistic history, and he tells his story with a mirthful writing style and a flair for turning a phrase. And everything in The Way of Edan is expertly described and accurate, right down to the most specific aspects of dress and weaponry. 

The story carries the reader along and climaxes with a gloriously gory battle, leaving the reader thrilled for the next volume.

Finally, while Chase began work on this novel many years ago, somehow it's a timely story right now as our "real" world feels like it's going through its own tensions, its own false flag events, its own shifting and unsettled alliances--and perhaps we will also face war. 

I'm partial to my friend's book of course, so take this with a grain of salt: but this work is a really good read.

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