The Crystal Eye

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Crystal Eye

For ten years Dusk has toiled away in the mines. His thoughts of freedom and escape long beaten out of him. When he discovers a hidden cavern in the mines, his life has the chance to change. Daring to take a gem from the bones of a long dead dragon, he hides his prize from the slave masters who would take it away. And when the next chance for escape arises, he finds a new sense of hope and seizes the moment. Dusk must choose who he trusts wisely as he pursues a life of freedom. His path will be plagued by dark encounters and powers he never imagined existed.

While it has a slow start, as the plot progresses, The Crystal Eye reveals itself to be a solid fantasy novel. The world-building and lore are framed as stories and children's tales told to Dusk by a fellow character named Lex. But have no fear, there are no large bouts of exposition. Blake R. Wolfe keeps the stories contained as easy to understand pieces and Dusk's enthusiasm to learn more about the world makes it all the more entertaining. He constantly questions the information he takes in. Dusk has such a thirst for life, it's hard not to smile at his wide-eyed view of the world, learning all he can.

There are some points where the rising action and resulting conflicts didn't quite line up. Specifically, in the earlier chapters, I wanted to see Lex and Dusk struggle more in their journey. I feel like some parts were played a bit safe, and could have built up the intensity. However, stick with it. The latter half of the book picks up in intensity and I have a feeling book two is going to be even better.

That being said, I'm a big fan of stories where characters reach their lowest points and struggle to make their life better. The Crystal Eye is the perfect example of such a story. Dusk has a lot to learn on the road. Watching him grow confident in himself and his abilities was rewarding. I truly enjoyed the character development and watching Dusk learn the complications that come with forging a friendship. I can't wait to see what is in store for the characters next.