The Fantasy Review’s Spoiler-Free Review of The Way of Edan by Philip Chase.
The Way of Edan is epic fantasy at its most stylish, with an ambitious plot of religious and political conflict between nations, and a chosen-one at its heart. There are plenty of tropes for fantasy fans who love to see them done well, but with heroes and villains who are not wholly “good” or “evil” which is to the book’s benefit.
If you have read The Lord of the Rings, and you are the sort of person who reads it every year (yes, you!), Philip Chase’s writing style will suit your tastes perfectly. You will get songs, ancient history, interesting languages and lore… Everything you love about fantasy!
But readers of modern fantasy will also find things to love in this book, with a great deal of care going into making the characters feel like real people with actual lives at stake, and brilliant fights and battles you feel in the midst of.
One of my favourite types of fantasy book is one that merges that classic fantasy story with a more modern style, and I think The Way of Edan does that beautifully. Definitely one of my favourite books of the year!
