Book review- The Soul’s Aspect by Mark Holloway

Synopsis

16 year old Kehlem lives a simple life, apprenticing for his father in the art of healing. Sheltered and warned away from other, less desirable abilities Kehlem starts to become curious about the larger world around him. Particularly the Aspect. An energy source, located between worlds, just waiting to be manipulated by those who can touch it. By pushing Kehlem further and further away from his curiosities, he only stirs the inquisitive desires of a young boy.

When a Aspector comes to town, conducting experiments, Kehlem can’t help but be drawn in to a new world of curious, and devastating magic. Whisked away to the empires academy for magic users, looked down upon for his age and his race, will he survive the teachings and make it to the other side?

The Souls Aspect was a very enjoyable coming of age fantasy, suitable to readers of multiple age rangers. Within the space of 300 or so pages, the author touches on so many aspects we know and love in these stories. Love, friendships, the realisation out parents are just like us; human and trying to do what is best for our own good. The learning processes of our main protagonist feel authentic, for a naive young lad, who has never set foot outside of his own town without an escort. It can be frustrating, watching him make, some unwise choices, or getting sucked into bad situations purely because he doesn’t know any better. But as a reader it felt real.

My favourite part about this book, was the wonderful friendship dynamic explored between the boys in the academy. The scenes including our band of brothers had me gunning for them as they tried to work something out or smiling internally (sometimes publicly) when they were getting into mischief. These friendships were built up so well, that I couldn’t help feeling everything they were going through. The laughs, the frustration, the devastation, and the drama that comes with being a teenager, in a dangerous world.

Also noteworthy is the magic system. The Aspect. Our characters draw or weave patterns, attuned to different abilities. Each pattern has different levels, meaning each ability can be built upon to become more and more powerful. While it wasn’t as explored as I would have liked in book one, we did get a glimpse into how big this magic system could grow in further instalments to the story. 

I’ll admit I spent a lot of this book thinking that the main protagonist was too “nice” and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and for him to become a cold blooded killer. On more than one occasion “come on Kehlem, have a backbone”, but I had to remind myself this was a young, relatively sheltered lad who was raised to be a lover, not a fighter. Towards the end of the book, he starts coming into his own, and we get a tease, of just what he will become.

I gave this one a solid 7/10.

Book two The Soul’s Instruments comes out later this month on May 31st!