Review - Twenty-Five Turns by Blaine D. Arden

Many years ago, Eer let the love of their life leave the village to find their calling as a truth-seeker. Eer understood why Kat had to go away but couldn't bring themselves to abandon the community they'd come to call home. It was a decision they'd often regretted. Now, Kat has returned to the village and bought a troubled young man with them. It seems that Willim isn't the only stranger in the area. When Kat's cousin is attacked, and then their sister is killed, Eer and Kat must confront a terrifying foe. Will it bring them back together or drive Kat away again?

This latest outing for the Tales of the Forest series takes place in the same world of elves as the rest of the books but in a completely different village. You can read this story without having read the other volumes, and all you'll be missing is some background about who guides and truth-seekers are. “Twenty-Five Turns” is definitely the queerest of the series so far. Call it ‘woke’ if you like, but it all fits in with the world this author has created.

Kat and Eer make a sympathetic pair. Like many people in the modern age, they gave up on the love of their lives to pursue their careers, which took them to different places. The decisions may have seemed justified at the time, but after many years, they both have regrets. We get to know them rather well, especially given the short length of the novella. However, there are a few tidbits that come out in the story that I wish were explored in more detail.

“Twenty-Five Turns” is available from Smashwords and Amazon.