The Dark Age of Enya

Xandr is the last man of his people, the Ilmar. After the destruction of his home by the dark centaur Nessus, Xandr wanders the realms of the world of Enya bearing the legendary sword Emmaxis, knowing only that he has been chosen by the goddess Alashiya to be the Batal of legend who will end the Dark Age.

Following a summons to the city of Hedonia, only to witness the destruction of Hedonia at the hands of the Merquid, Xandr flees with his fellow Ilmar Thelana, the last woman of his people, and the golem Grimosse, to seek out his destiny.

If you're thinking this sounds predictable, you would be right. The back cover of the book as well as Nick Alimonos' own commentary on Amazon plays up the fact that he is tired of formula-driven fantasy and wanted to create something meaningful. While there are some good moments here and there, The Dark Age of Enya fails to live up to this ideal.

Aside from the plot that leaves little to the imagination, the characters don't fare much better. Despite Alimonos' attempts to provide some background for them (which does manage to be one of the better bits of the story), they never really rise above the archetypes of fantasy, especially Xandr.

Finally, the style could have used a bit more buffing. I hate to criticize too much on this point since it is the author's first published novel, but let it be said.

The Dark Age of Enya has its share of issues but if you're looking for something that doesn't break the mold of "traditional" fantasy, this may be right up your alley.