The Forester by Blaine D. Arden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
4.5/5 Stars
I so wish this novella had been titled The Forester: BOOK #1 because, let me tell you, there’d better be a BOOK #2 in the works or else. Or else I just might cry.
Blaine D. Arden knocks this one right out of the ballpark on her first swing, in a CSI meets Law & Order meets J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy/mystery; then, to top it all off, she throws in a little tickle-your-fancy with a sweet ménage à trois, which comes together in a world where elves and magic rule. It all adds up to one wonderful read, as far as I’m concerned, evidenced by the fact that I was cursing myself the whole way through for not being able to read faster so I could see what would happen next.
There’s been a murder committed in the forest community, and as the Truth Seeker, it’s up to Kelnaht to investigate the crime and find the perp. His abilities exceed simple forensics, however, as he is also able to reach out with his mystical abilities and senses for guidance, which gives the story its police procedural meets the otherworldly atmosphere. But while the mystery was entertaining, it came in second for me when compared to the intrigue presented in the relationship between Kelnaht, his ex-lover Ianys, and the Forester, an elf who has been shunned for reasons I won’t divulge, and whose name is forbidden to be spoken aloud.
The Forester, Taruif, is a bit like the proverbial elephant in the room. He lives on the outskirts of the community, is seen but not heard, is noticed but ignored by all but The Guide. So, what’s a Truth Seeker to do when the one and only person who may be an eye witness to a crime is the one and only person he is forbidden to speak with? It’s a conundrum, especially when the investigator is also incredibly attracted to the forbidden. And especially when the man who betrayed Kelnaht, the man he still loves, is discovered to be the Forester’s secret lover. Whew! Got all that?
Now, the crime is resolved before the end, but the relationship between Kelnaht, Ianys, and Taruif? No, that’s only just beginning, which is why I must have a sequel to this story. There are hurdles crossed, but there are still more in the way, and the navigating of them must be done carefully or else all might be lost, and that must be avoided at all costs because these three men, well, they just fit together so perfectly.
Thank you for the wonderful review, Lisa.
I’m glad you liked my men so much :)
Hi Blaine!
Oh, I loved them a lot! I actually read this for Kris and Saundra for the blog I review for (Top2Bottom Reviews), but I was so excited about it that I wanted to post about it here on my own blog right away. ^_^
I sure do hope your planning a sequel–or 3 or four! I can’t wait to see how your lovely threesome works their way around some of those puddles. :-D
Oh, I’d better keep an eye on that blog, then :)
I can’t promise sequels, but I am working on a story in the same world (though different tribe/village, so no appearance of our men)
But who knows … maybe someday
Well, I’ll just be keeping my fingers crossed, then, that your muse might inspire you to write more about them someday. :)
I loved the conflict with Ianys and his daughter and Kelnaht and how that would all work out for the three men to be able to be together. The story had such a bittersweet quality to it and I was so happy when Taruif was finally claimed by Kelnaht.