Reviews

Review Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by: Vincent Dublado through Readers’ Favorite

Battle for Eklatros is the first book in the promising Rebalancing the Cosmos Series by Alex Galassi. Eklatros is a peaceful planet, but horrific tragedies occur, and the planet has seen its share of back-to-back conflicts, notably the War for Equality and the Dark War. As the planet had already been ravaged, humans, for the most part, have lost their ability to use magic. The arrival of the Gnusar is something no one expected. They come in a variety of forms, with the most common being that of a gelatinous mass. Others are covered in scales, while some have wings. They are all controlled by an omnipotent entity called Gnusaramnii that feeds by invading and taking over species and their planets. An elvish woman is the only hope of freeing Eklatros from the Gnusaramnii’s grasp, now that it has learned to mask its presence. But this fated heroine has no memory of who she is.

As the first installment in a new fantasy series, Battle for Eklatros has all the trimmings of a visionary fantasy adventure. It is a rousing tale, with skillful prose that blends world-building and characterization with enough detail that doesn’t slow the plot’s pace. Ànifa’s journey to discover her identity and her forging of new alliances become the crux of the storyline – an introduction to who is who and what is what for you to understand what makes the major players tick. As you become familiar with the general outline, you begin to admire Alex Galassi’s word painting, as he has created a compelling world and a unique work of high fantasy with a contemporary mainstream appeal. What he has done in this novel is awesomely difficult, and he deserves to be read.

Review Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by: Stephanie Chapman through Readers’ Favorite

Battle For Eklatros by Alex Galassi is a magic-infused journey featuring Ànifa, who was rescued by Charlotte when she washed ashore from the sea. Suffering from amnesia, Ànifa decides to repay Charlotte’s kindness by crossing the mountains to obtain herbs from Sage Mason. Along the way, she meets a wandering sorcerer, Theodore, who has lost his knight, Cecil. He joins her, hoping to find Cecil. The discovery of Ànifa’s ability to communicate with animals reveals that she is an elf. Ànifa’s ability allows her to fight against the possessed monsters during her travels. During the night, Ànifa keeps hearing a dark voice telling her to give in and die. She also has dreams of advanced technology that is creating cyborgs. When Ànifa discovers Charlotte has been abducted, she sets out to find the Ekataramn. The quest involves Ànifa gaining enlightenment, finding her purpose, battling powerful adversaries, and building loyal friendships.

Eklatros is diverse and depicted in vivid detail. I could feel the extreme heat in the desert areas, the cool mistiness of the riverbank, and the wind near the great barriers. Alex Galassi gave distinct personalities to all of the characters. I found the cursing of Vesten in keeping with the nature of a pirate. The description of the characters’ attire was just as varied as Eklatros. The story was easy to read and the amount of detail was not burdensome, allowing for the timeline and pace of the story to hold my full attention. There was not a moment in the entire story when I could pull myself away from the book. The incorporation of the animal gods and their appearances were some of my favorite aspects of the story. There is tragedy, humor, and determination involved throughout, and, of course, magic. The backstories provided me with insight into the motivation for the paths chosen, including that of the main villain. The conclusion of the story leaves an opening for an intense sequel, which made me eager to keep reading the series. I recommend Battle for Eklatros to readers who enjoy magic, adventure, fantasy, and intriguing characters who grow together.

Review Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by: Emma Megan through Readers’ Favorite

Ànifa wakes up in a woman’s tent without any memory of her past. To express her gratitude to her savior, Ànifa agrees to travel way across the Watthana Mountain Range to purchase some special herbs. On her way, Ànifa comes across a lost traveler named Theodore Henry Caldwell. They both decide to travel together to find the herbs and also Theodore’s lost companion Sir Cecil Kloud. On their journey, they both fight ugly jelly monsters, learn about each other’s powers and the Great Barriers, and that they hold the answer to Ànifa’s origins. Battle for Eklatros by Alex Galassi is the first book in the Rebalancing the Cosmos series. In this first installment, Ànifa fights the evil voice that haunts her dreams and forges new alliances that could help her awaken the Ekataramn, the entities that dwell within the Great Barriers and save Eklatros from the invasion of Gnusaramnii and its monstrous minions.

Battle for Eklatros by Alex Galassi is an extraordinary science-fiction fantasy novel that strikes a perfect balance between conflict, mystery, and character development. The intense series of events and battles and adventures throughout this novel is highly suspenseful, memorable, fun, and heartfelt. Alex Galassi crafted an incredibly immersive world filled with awesome and complex characters, such as elves, half-elves, angels, sorcerers, knights, sailors, and more. I am so invested in the world-building and the characters that I can’t wait for the next installment. Anyone interested in a gripping novel that follows a mysterious elvish woman as she discovers her identity while fighting an enemy that slowly corrupts the animals, humans, and gods must read this book.

Review Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewed by: K.C. Finn through Readers’ Favorite

Battle for Eklatros is a work of fiction in the epic fantasy subgenre and is the first part of the Rebalancing the Cosmos series. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Alex Galassi. The book follows the efforts of elvish hero Ànifa as she fights for the future of her home world of Eklatros after the corruption of the land by the mighty Gnusar. With the survival of the world at stake, and humans softened by millennia of peace, Ànifa must travel across the world reviving the planet with the help of new allies, each with a stake in saving the world from corruption.

The lore and worldbuilding on show in this work from the very first page are outstanding, with a complex and nuanced world that is highlighted beautifully by the narrative within it. Even more importantly, author Alex Galassi’s narrative voice does a sublime job of bringing us into this new world at just the right pace, making the world of Eklatros not just vivid and imaginative but also highly accessible to readers. Ànifa is an excellent protagonist for a fantasy epic, at once both a small figure when standing against the threat presented by the Gnusar and also a powerful figure in her determination and resilience. Her evolution throughout the story as she meets new people and overcomes the various challenges is so engaging to watch. Overall, Battle for Eklatros finds plenty of opportunities for all of its characters to shine whether that be through exciting action or deep reflection on their world.

Review Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewed by: Foluso Falaye through Readers’ Favorite

As a result of a cruel battle that took place thousands of years ago on planet Eklatros, the elves who were previously abundant are said to have vanished from the world. Ànifa, who seems to be an elf but has no recollection of her past, is discovered among humans at a time when Eklatros is being attacked by monsters and the planet appears to be on the verge of destruction. Subsequently, Ànifa sets out on an improbable journey to save the world with a bunch of new allies, using her talent for archery and her magical gift. They must look for the Great Barriers and overcome the difficult obstacles along the path, including pirates, monsters, gods, magical creatures, and more formidable phenomena. Battle for Eklatros by Alex Galassi is a fast-paced, magic-packed quest to save a world teeming with fearsome, wicked monsters and discouraging odds.

If you like frightening stories, be ready to be blown away by the book’s spine-chilling creatures, including the ugly monster covered in boils and warts. The world’s complexities, such as the fact that seeing a unicorn is always a warning of something horrible, make Battle for Eklatros feel more genuine and compelling. The friendship between the main characters, who joke about and try to always be there for one another despite the enormous obstacles they face, is truly admirable. Expect a fast-paced tale with several points of view, lively conversations, and nonstop action. The book’s numerous engaging aspects, ranging from communicating with animals to manipulating the weather, encountering wolf spiders, and hearing voices, will appeal to fantasy aficionados and adventure seekers who also appreciate dark themes. Alex Galassi’s novel is simply a terrific story to keep readers turning the pages!