The Unfettered Child by Michael C Sahd

A young girl is caught in a war between Mages and Elves in this fantasy from first time novel writer Michael. When Elves attack her tribe, Samara discovers previously unknown magic powers. Under the uncertain tutelage of a dismebodied Elf, she sets out to chase down the survivors of her tribe.




I'll be honest: I might not have chosen this book for myself, going by the blurb or the first few pages. It doesn't sound like the kind of story I usually like, and it opens in the middle of a story we haven't been told anything about before moving on to Samara. I'm glad I stuck with it, though, as it's an interesting read overall. Samara makes some errors, but she is a literal child, so we can forgive that, and she does learn a little as she goes. The storyline kept me interested, and it's clearly leaving space for a sequel down the line somewhere, without leaving too many threads dangling - a difficult balance!

When eight-year-old Samara faces the capture of her tribe, an unimaginable power awakens within her. Even as this magic threatens to consume her, a disembodied voice intervenes, offering guidance and helping her control these newfound abilities.

Meanwhile, Samara’s father chases his wife’s captors across an unfamiliar terrain. But can Orin find his wife in time to save her? Will Samara learn to control her power and reunite with her family? And who is the mysterious entity traveling with her?