Return to Aramon is a very solid introduction into the land of Aramon and the adventure that takes place in it. I was very impressed by the writing quality in the book and the storytelling ability of the author. This is a book that could be enjoyed by a younger audience just as well as readers on the older side.

The book starts off strong with an intriguing scene that lays out a mystery and then begins to introduce a fairly large cast. The character work in the story was probably my favorite part. Each person felt like they had a real personality, motivation, and part to play in the world. The main character (Voldigar) and his wife, especially, had a great dynamic and the story creates a very real dilemma around their relationship. The other characters (some of whom I would actually consider to be co-leads) had such a great arc that I was always just as excited to read the chapters from their point of view and see what was happening with them.

The conflict and villain in the story rolls out at a fantastic pace. The story moves along in a way that builds the stakes and adventure naturally. The author does a great job of unfolding mysteries at the right time and the pacing of the story in general is definitely one of his strengths. The story and tension built at a steady pace and were resolved multiple times, only to reveal that an even larger plot was being constructed. It was shocking to me to think back near the end of the book and realize how many layers there were and how much had actually happened in the story. 

The action scenes were done well, it was always clear what was happening and they were exciting. The action scenes were also not overused. Overall, I was highly impressed with the quality of writing in this book, especially for what seems to be the author’s first novel.

There are also a few criticisms I have for the book. First, There are times that the author uses overly flowery or poetic language that doesn’t fit with the scene or can even be slightly confusing. This isn’t a common occurrence, which is likely why the few times it happened really stood out to me. Second, the size of the land seems a little strange when reading. When I realized what the distances are (I should have checked the scale of the map more closely), the travelling times made more sense but it also meant that the story takes place over a much smaller area than I had thought. Third, there are a few pieces of the world that lack explanation. The parts that stood out to me were the relationship of the Sun worshipers to the Brotherhood, the role of the Moon Cult, and the abilities/power levels of some of the characters. Most of the confusion didn’t interfere with the main storyline, so I didn’t consider it a major issue. I just would have liked to understand the world a little better on these points. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this story overall. The Brotherhood, especially, was incredibly interesting. It felt similar to something out of Star Wars and each member of the order had distinct personalities and powers. Some of the more minor characters from the Brotherhood ended up being my favorites in the book. The morality and ideals in Return to Aramon are very clear. It is definitely a good versus evil story, which I appreciated. It gave the story an epic, classic feel.

I would absolutely recommend Return to Aramon to anyone who likes the fantasy genre. It’s filled with characters to love, a fascinating, alive world, and a completely engrossing story. I can’t wait to read the next part of this story.

-Patrick Jones