I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Legend of Elberkhan
by Yuxiao Chen
Published by Independently Published on January 7, 2024
Genres: YA Fantasy
Pages: 419
Format: Kindle, Paperback
Source: the Author
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Google
Thousands of years after dark magic was subdued, unknown danger threatens the seemingly peaceful Hilldown Plain...
Aary, a youth of seventeen, is a captive and servant to the King of Elberkhan, a cruel, merciless monarch with a mysterious past. Living under constant mental and physical abuse, Aary's only consolations are his secret haven, a treehouse deep in the forest, and his friends, Rudi and Lyna. He would risk everything for them, but no one he cares about can truly be safe, when the king's biggest enjoyment is Aary's suffering...
A number of short music leitmotifs, illustrations, and nested sub-stories completes the transmedia storyline. A live performance of the theme music Kingdom of Elberkhan composed and conducted by the author, performed by the Sydney University Wind Orchestra, can be watched online at youtube.
The Legend of Elberkhan by Yuxiao Chen combines music and literature in a truly fantastic way.
Can Aary keep his safe haven a secret from his tormentor?
Aary
Aary has been an orphan for as long as he can remember. Okay, for basically his whole life. He has been a prisoner of war since he was nine, and he’s now seventeen years old. Aary has been through a lot since he was young, and I am glad to see that he has some things that keep him sane. He has his friends and his hobbies that keep him from spiraling. I like Aary, even though I wish some of the things that happened to him hadn’t, but I am glad that he is where he is meant to be.
Rudi
Rudi is a tree elf and has been around for a long time. He is the first character we meet in the story, and he’s pretty amusing. Rudi helps out Aary as best as he can, along with Lyna, once they meet. I honestly like Rudi and how he always lightens the mood with some story that cracks people up.
Lyna
Lyna is just a young girl who is trying to save her mom from a disease that no one has seen in a long time. She brings out the protectiveness in Aary, and I like how they get along and make the best of the time that they have together. Lyna is definitely a stubborn young woman who does as she pleases when she feels like it’s the right thing to do.
Five Stars
My rating for Legend of Elberkhan by Yuxiao Chen is five stars. I highly recommend this book, as it’s a fantastic read, and having the music play in the background while you read is an excellent addition. Ms. Chen did a great job not only writing the music and the book but also conducting the musicians who performed it. I love Aary and Lyna together and having Rudi be there as well. Ms. Chen has done an excellent job of making me think about these characters long after I have finished.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Legend of Elberkhan by Yuxiao Chen.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
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About Yuxiao Chen
Born and raised in Beijing and currently living in Sydney, having completed a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Architecture from Tsinghua University, Yuxiao is an engineer in architectural acoustics during the day designing world-class concert halls. At night, Yuxiao is an artist, musician, adventurer, and writer.
This story first came to her when she was in high school, as if transmitted through an electromagnetic wave from a parallel universe. Holding the belief that the story actually happened somewhere in the infinite space-time, and that every story needs to be told or it will gradually die and vanish, she felt obliged to write it down. Then, after years of translation work and detail refinement, the English version is finally ready to meet its readers. The English writing was proofread and edited by Dr. Bethe Schoenfeld, an English educator and friend of the author’s.
All the music pieces and illustrations in the book are created by the author herself, apart from her author photo.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2025 Goodreads RC
- 2025 Young Adult Book RC
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