Soul Seeker by Jacquelyn Smith is a variation on the hero's quest where the protagonist, Iarion, sets out on a quest for something that may save the world, but holds much more importance to him personally.

Iarion is a great protagonist. He experiences a constant feeling of despair at not knowing his purpose, and it is easy to identify with his discontent. He is a flawed elf and he has been seeking his purpose in this world for thousands of years. The adventure begins when he sets out on a quest to bring back a piece of an enchanted tree, which is being held by the creepy villain, Saviadro.

The detail and world-building in this story is astounding. The battle scenes were amazing, though the ending did make me really sad. I guess it was meant to be.

I highly recommend Soul Seeker and I can't wait to dig into the next book in the series.