Element Keepers: Whispers in the Wind

Even as a boy, I was never big on sword and fantasy stories. There was Thomas Malory and other versions of King Arthur, but they still had a toehold on history for their appeal. Therefore, it was a truly pleasant surprise when I started reading Element Keepers and found it enjoyable, even intriguing.

E.P. Marcellin takes a unique feminist angle to this story of myth, danger, and magic. While the central character of Rhet is a young male, he starts out as an abduction victim and measures his own growth by the reactions of the capturing women. This makes for a most interesting blend of empowered (and somewhat frightening) women who are simultaneously brave and nurturing.

Marcellin is a good, solid writer too. With any book of this type, one can get lost in the names of tribes, gods and so forth – now who was that again? – but she keeps the story moving and avoids the trap of having everyone speak in Thee and Thou terms. I suspect this is the first of a series (the subtitle is a clue) and I equally suspect it will do well.