A B.R.A.G. Medallion honoree
In a world where magic reigns in place of science and frequent demon-attacks keep the population low and concentrated—a young elf discovers an ancient weapon on a day that changes his life forever. Already a member of an oppressed minority, his life grows even more challenging while showing him more about himself and his world’s lost history than he could ever have imagined.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The Path to Vihaan is a slowly-paced tale following the life of the elf Vihaan as he explores his identity and learns long-held secrets about his world that could change absolutely everything.
Prose: Lyrical prose paints a fascinating world while dialogue elevates the story, providing a wonderfully handled aspect of characterization. The narrative flows seamlessly through Vihaan’s childhood, teenage, and young adult years, never once falling into an awkward time jump.
Originality: A fantasy adventure unfolds when the young Vihaan, already struggling with his parents accepting that he is a boy who simply happened to be born into a female body, finds himself accidentally bonded to an ancient, magical weapon of unparalleled power—a soul Hilt. Worldbuilding unfolds naturally, crafted through the Vihaan’s own discoveries and the memories of the ghost Theia.
Character/Execution: Main character Vihaan is treated with immense love and care, his personal journey and character development propelling the story forward. Readers will find themselves quickly invested in Vihaan along with the more minor characters he meets, all of whom prove major influences on both the plot and Vihaan himself.
Blurb: A wonderful, character-driven fantasy featuring a world with a deep history and wonderful worldbuilding along with a trans main character whose personal journey is the very soul of the narrative.
Date Submitted: April 03, 2023
TITLE: THE PATH TO VIHAAN
AUTHOR: DANIEL J. LYONS
Star Rating: 4
‘A skilfully crafted fantasy novel exploring how difficult it can be for a transgender man to fit in – even when he´s an elf!’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
Meet Aadima, a boy elf born into a female body, living in a community and within a family which can´t accept him for who he is. I must say, although I´m a big fan of fantasy, this is my first go at a fantasy book with a transgender hero. And, for the most party, I very much enjoyed it. Not only that, in a western world where transgender rights seem to be the new hot topic, a novel of this nature will probably find a hungry readership – never a bad thing!
This story is multi-themed, exploring subjects such as self-discovery and finding inner-happiness. It is a thought provoking read and possibly not the sort of book a fantasy lover would normally be attracted to. But I personally think many readers (adults and new adults) would find this book not only compelling, but it will also have a lasting, positive effect on them in terms of understanding how difficult it can be to feel different. Thankfully, although the book´s theme is very much ´fitting in´, there´s also a compelling adventure for the reader to enjoy. Filled with magic and demons, it´s skilfully plotted with a powerful ending.
In terms of the writing style, although it's a little slow paced in parts, the author attempts to keep things light and accessible for his readers. The author´s particularly talented with speech, successfully using it to develop his central characters.
I would very happily recommend this book to adults and new adults looking for a story that's a little different and that has a strong, ‘hopeful’ feel to it. Also, LGBTQ+ readers will find a lot to enjoy here – and possibly even relate to. It's a story of growth - and, let's face it, we could all do with a bit of that.
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
