The Ring of Eman Vath

After a century of peace, an ancient artifact spurs three unlikely heroes into action to save the land of Aeon in the fast-paced and thrilling fantasy adventure The Ring of Eman Vath by Hal Emerson.

A small-town girl named for two legendary female mages survives a raid and discovers she has a great power within. The youngest captain of a tribe of island fishermen loses his brother to the vicious and supernatural pirates invading from the north. An orphan thief discovers a unique ability to sing the unspeakable words of power and stumbles across a long-lost ring. These three heroes face a powerful threat, but a greater one looms on the horizon.

The Ring of Eman Vath is the first book in the Land of Aeon series. The majority of the book does deal with standard world-building and character introductions to set the scene for epic fantasy. However, Emerson crafts a wonderful story that builds upon those standard clichés. POV chapters between the three main characters not only establish their presence and importance but subtly build up tension.

One of the best parts of this story is AmyQuinn Stonewall, the small-town girl turned mage. Her name is a mashup of two legendary mage sisters that her father grew up on and had hoped to name his two daughters for. AmyQuinn yearns for more but doesn’t seem unhappy with her quiet life of helping run an inn and deal with travelers. The accidental discovery of her innate powers feels organic and not shoe-horned, a common issue with heroes in fantasy novels. Her journey from the small town to the Harry Potter-like university is fascinating and unique. She’s a strong-willed and intelligent novice but quickly surpasses her peers by sheer will.

The writing itself is highly polished and without any noticeable formatting or editing mistakes. This reads like a long-time author comfortable with his craft. The POV chapters alternate deftly and utilize cliffhangers to fantastic effect. Scenes are set with just enough detail to allow the reader to fill in the blanks and become fully immersed in the world. Instead of telling, characters are rounded out through action and realistic dialogue—showing the characters’ motivations and thoughts without hampering the flow of the story.

As the first book in the series, The Ring of Eman Vath excels at introducing readers to a new world and breathing life into the three dynamic heroes. Thundering action, contemplative dialogue scenes, and a fun magic system collide in an engrossing fantasy sure to thrill fans of Tolkien, Sanderson, and Jordan.