Review of "Elements of Change" by Keynin Battle

​Score: 93/100 (9.3 out of 10)

Elements of Change by Keynin Battle is a delightful and imaginative journey that seamlessly blends classic fantasy elements with a fresh, contemporary twist.

This relatively short novel follows the transformative adventure of Keith Cottam, an ordinary young man thrust into an extraordinary world where magic, camaraderie, and destiny intertwine.

Keith, disillusioned with his mundane life, is summoned to a world of magic by representatives of eight races: elves, trolls, goblins, lizardfolk, dwarves, fairies, vampires, and demons. Chosen as the latest human champion, he learns that his predecessors used their unique abilities to combat the darkness. Keith is tasked with training in magic while navigating school life, forming friendships, and facing challenges.

Keith learns he is the latest in a line of humans chosen to protect this world from the looming threat of Lord Valac, a powerful lich who was sealed away long ago but whose followers are actively working to free him.

As Keith trains at a magical academy, he forms close friendships with students from different races, including the noble vampire Catherine, the merchant goblin Noah, the warrior lizardman Zosk, and the cheerful demon Lulu. Along the way, he also adopts and cares for a young demon girl named Olivia, creating a surrogate family and finding a sense of belonging. Keith's skills in magic quickly grow, and he demonstrates his capability in a magical duel, earning widespread recognition and political intrigue as the rulers of the eight races take notice of him.

The stakes rise when Ahvas, a leader of the Dark Undeads, attacks the academy to retrieve the fire diamond, a powerful artifact that could tip the balance of power toward darkness. Keith and his friends rally together, using their unique abilities to save their school and prevent Ahvas from achieving his goal. Keith emerges victorious but faces lingering threats from Lord Valac, who continues to plot his return from the shadows.

Through courage, teamwork, and determination, Keith overcomes personal doubts and external challenges, rising to the position of student council president and solidifying his role as the world’s defender. However, the ominous final moments suggest that Keith's journey is far from over, setting the stage for future confrontations with the forces of darkness.

Something that really stands out about this book is that it's relatively short for a novel (probably between 40K-50K words), but it's DENSE with world-building and characters. It's a pretty ambitious project for something so small.

It really does seem packed, for better or for worse. There are times when characters and groups of people are thrown at you one after the other, and it's sometimes hard to keep track of who is who and what is what. It also often seems like this book is one of those adventure-filled but meandering books, one in which it often seems that characters are just going places and doing things. That might sound harsh, but that's part of the fun: discovering and finding things. It's kinda why a lot of us like traveling.

Another thing that's entertaining (and actually kinda funny) about this book is how Keith is pretty much a chick-magnet living a heroic male power fantasy. He's surrounded by females from all sorts of magical, mystical races, many of whom seem to want to vie for his hand or at least are available for the courting. There's Catherine Rodate (the hot vampire girl), Lulu Infernus (the cheerful demon girl), and Princess Gemstarzah Aeglin (the hot elf girl who probably looks like prime Evangeline Lilly or Cate Blanchett). This almost becomes like one of those Japanese dating SIM games.

It's also funny that there are one or two times when a bunch of these female characters go to events with Keith together. He is literally surrounded by them.

Anyway, while setting the stage for bigger things to come, it doesn't seem like this is a standalone book. This actually seems like the first in a series, ending on a dramatic cliffhanger.

All in all, this was a short and entertaining read that's sure to satisfy fans of fantasy.

Check it out on Amazon!