Book Review for Taeowolf #1: The Zentrin Guard by Kris Moger

Taeowolf #1: The Zentrin Series, by Kris Moger, is a fantasy about breaking away from innocence, if only to pursue the thin threads of freedom.

Aiden Murphy is a young Wolvean trapped in the cogs of society. One day, however, he meets a strange man in a dream. Before he realizes it, he’s suddenly embroiled in a world where he must prove himself to be worthy of being in an elite force known as the Zentrin Guard. As he continues with this journey, he learns that there is more to this world than he realizes, and that, although painful, he must grow into the strong warrior he’s destined to be.

In a way, Aiden reminds me of myself. He was enticed by the illusion of freedom, but seemed too hesitant to reach out to it. Grinder and Tasan took it upon themselves to show him the way, to determine whether or not he could handle being apart of the Guard. From standing up for Tasan, to saving his friends, Aiden soon sees that he can’t remain trapped in his ignorance. As much as Tandelin annoys me, she does have a point; Aiden can’t afford to live with his naiveté forever, not only because of the dangers ahead, but also because his friends need him.

Freedom was a constant concept within the book. No matter how I look at it, Aiden was free to remain a child, though he would still remain trapped within the boundaries of society. But when Tasan came into his life, suddenly, everything seemed that much more uncertain. He found that he did miss his family, wondering whether or not they’d notice him gone, that he could depend on others, though they may betray him later, that there was so much more to the world than the lectures he kept hearing. Aiden knew he had to grow up, and that was an aspect of the book I fell in love with. However, with this newfound freedom, there lay the dangers that lurk within the adult world. In order to keep this freedom, Aiden also had to accept the dangers, and to be prepared for whatever may come his way.

There were a couple of scenes in the book that didn’t sit well with me. For instance, I would’ve simply kicked Tandelin and Rat out of the carriage, or even run Rat over. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Moger weaves a fascinating tale about a child who was just beginning to grow up, and learn the price of his freedom. The characters, the details, and the narrative, were also well executed. As such, I would give this book a rating of a 4.1 out of 5 stars, and would recommend it to fans of Jesse Teller and Jeff Pryor.

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