Breaking the Circle
Kevin James Breaux
Xlibris, 2004, 293 pp.
ISBN: 141343021X

The island continent of Zrydova tasted war before dividing into four relatively peaceful kingdoms for the past eighty years. However, a vicious warlord leads a powerful army that is destroying the human settlements and uniting non-humans who believe the prophecy has finally arrived spelling the end of human domination. The High Council of Mages is divided into two conflicting camps. The White Mages decide the evil warlord can help them fight against the Black Mages. However, the White Mages fail to control their puppet. The horde devastates the White Mages to the brink of extinction while the Black Mages survive enough to try to remove him from Zrydova.

Three individuals stand in the way of Zrdyova falling, but each of this trio has flaws that could lead to failure. Melissa is a Mage-in-training; Keith is a cavalry soldier with critical memory lapses; and Kayla the elf may have a non-human agenda. Will this courageous threesome and their intrepid followers unite and prove strong enough to stop the conqueror?

BREAKING THE CIRCLE is an exciting epic fantasy filled with numerous twists and turns that end with one final spin that will surprise the audience though many will expect one more weave. The story line seems typical of the sub-genre with its good vs. evil Tolkien style battle. However, refreshing is that the characters are so complex that the good guys contain nasty traits and the evil studs have redeeming qualities. Thus the entertaining tale includes fully developed heroes and a moral that current leaders should remember when they put someone else's child in harm's way that the means needs to take the high road if the objective is to remain ethical.

Harriet Klausner