Official Review: The Edelion by M J Zeller

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Poppy Drear
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Official Review: The Edelion by M J Zeller

Post by Poppy Drear »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Edelion" by M J Zeller.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Edelion by M J Zeller is yet another fantasy book following in Tolkien's footsteps. It follows Harth, a twelve-year-old aspiring thief, as he attempts to join the Thieves Guild in a high-fantasy setting populated by dwarves, elves, goblins, and more. Harth has an incredible amount of magical power, and it seems he is destined to fight the Dark One, an evil force that is slowly awakening and overtaking the land. If this seems like a familiar premise, it is; the "chosen one" narrative is a staple of the fantasy genre. The question here is: does The Edelion have enough individuality to rise above the masses?

The answer is, of course, subjective. The book has some interesting elements, including orcs that are enslaved by goblin hordes, but nothing incredibly unique in the fantasy genre. Harth himself is a typical protagonist in every sense, and I never felt that his mindset or worldview was challenged by the trials he went through. That said, he never became unlikeable, and while he was usually saved at the last minute by his magical power, most of the time, Harth proved himself through cunning and sheer willpower that was very engaging to read about.

My biggest gripe with this book, though, is its relentless misogyny. This is thrown into almost every Tolkien-esque fantasy book, it seems, as a clumsy attempt at realistically invoking medieval times. In actuality, it comes off as flat and unrealistic. The only female characters in the book are defined by their sex appeal - there's one character who is a master thief, but her skill is never shown, and her only interactions with other characters involve them watching her "backside sway this way and that," particularly in "tight leathers that fit in all the right places." Every other significant character is male.

The book's writing style had some glaring grammatical errors, such as using the word "shown" rather than "shone," but it was extremely strong otherwise. The action scenes are compelling, and the language is descriptive without being overly wordy, painting a wonderful picture of the world Harth inhabits. It took a while for the plot to actually begin, though. The beginning section that follows Xavier, Harth's de facto mentor, reads like a worldbuilding experiment, rather than a part of a finished novel.

The Edelion is an engaging book with interesting characters and fleshed-out action sequences that, ultimately, falls short due to unoriginal worldbuilding. I rate it 3 out of 4 stars, and I'd recommend it to fans of fantasy books emulating Middle Earth that don't mind a rather overdone level of misogyny. With a bit more originality and a bit less reliance on overused and potentially harmful tropes, Zeller's writing could be truly exceptional.

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The Edelion
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Post by kandscreeley »

I'm not sure why we can't have a book like this without relating to women only by their sex appeal. There is more to women than that. Even though it sounds relatively interesting, I don't think I'd really enjoy this book as it seems fairly unoriginal. Thanks for the information, though.
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Post by kfwilson6 »

ViziVoir wrote: 15 Apr 2018, 23:20 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Edelion" by M J Zeller.]
The question here is: does The Edelion have enough individuality to rise above the masses?
I like how you introduce this question early on in your review and I was immediately on alert to see how you would answer, especially since I'm not what someone would call a Tolkien fan (don't judge me too harshly). I think it truly is hard for writers to come up with an original concept. There are some general storylines and concepts that I don't mind encountering again and again if they are well done, but there has to be something that sets them apart. It seems like this is not the book to go to if you want something original. I also don't really care to follow young characters (say under 16). I guess I'm just too far removed from childhood to relate to them and their immaturity annoys me. It seems like Zeller needs to let go of everyone else's fantasy ideas and create something of his own. Nice review.
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Post by stacie k »

I'm not sure this book has enough selling points to draw me in. I appreciate your honest evaluation. It helps me know what to expect. Thanks!
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Post by cpru68 »

While I like a good book of this nature, I don’t know if I’m getting burned out on this genre. Your review is very well done and descriptive, and I appreciate you pointing out what didn’t seem to fit. I think I will pass on this one for now, but thanks for the insightful review.
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Post by Helen_Combe »

That’s a great review, but I’ve been completely put off the book now :-D
I’m not a fan of Tolkien anyway and the misogyny sounds unbearable. As a sci-fi convention goer myself, I think some authors need to know that it’s not a boys’ club. Women enjoy it too.
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Post by Kendra M Parker »

I really appreciated the frank analysis in this review. You clearly answered the question you posed at the beginning, and I’m thankful for that.

Your point about misogyny being incorporated to evoke the medieval times is interesting. I think you’re right, and yet when these women do appear, it is hardly ever in a way that would be realistically medieval. It’s one of those strange connections that I find frustrating in so much of the genre.
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Post by Libs_Books »

ViziVoir wrote: 15 Apr 2018, 23:20 My biggest gripe with this book, though, is its relentless misogyny. This is thrown into almost every Tolkien-esque fantasy book, it seems, as a clumsy attempt at realistically invoking medieval times. In actuality, it comes off as flat and unrealistic. The only female characters in the book are defined by their sex appeal - there's one character who is a master thief, but her skill is never shown, and her only interactions with other characters involve them watching her "backside sway this way and that," particularly in "tight leathers that fit in all the right places." Every other significant character is male.
Thanks for the warning. Even if this was stunningly original, and it sounds pretty derivative, that would rule it out for me - I would be too bored to ever get as far as being outraged.
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Post by Stacy_Morgan »

kfwilson6 took the words right out of my mouth. If there's nothing that sets the book apart, I don't truly think I'd enjoy it. Unfortunate, because that cover is a book's equivalent of click-bait. Looks like it could be incredible, if only there was a bit more individuality...
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Post by Kat Berg »

You had me at aspiring thief. And then I read the rest of your review. Underlying misogyny is one of my biggest pet peeves in reading lately. I think that is because I seem to be reading so much of it, even by women authors. It drives me nuts when the main descriptor of a character is how big their breasts are, or *fill-in-the-blank-with-other-body-parts*. Don't know their hair color, but I know they have big boobs. (sorry for the vulgar phrase, but seriously...sigh) Thanks for the honest review.
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Post by maggiechap »

Thought the book received high reviews, I don't think there's enough interest to intrigue me. I would have to say it sounds very generic in it's style and I'm looking for the stories that really stand out. Thanks for your honest review though.
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