JASPER'S BEGINNING

This opening volume of a YA fantasy series finds a teen searching for his true parents while torn between two potential lovers.

Eighteen-year-old Jasper Alazon is a member of the magical community of Lyteshaed. He’s in the woods performing the Ritual of Protection for his clan, the Zephyra, when he hears screaming. He returns to find the Zephyra castle ablaze and his father, Kato, battling a “shrouded figure.” An angelic woman in white appears and says, “Hurry, and save them all.” Jasper learns that the attack is an illusion, a warning of what may happen if he’s unprepared. Kato, who took Jasper in as a child after his parents died, knows that the Lady in White’s presence means that “It has begun.” This refers to the unblocking of Jasper’s memories of his true identity and magical skills. To protect the community and begin his training, the teen moves in with Kato’s friend Zara. Her son, Luca, is Jasper’s age, and they get along swimmingly—that is until Jasper’s acquaintance from the beach, Freya, starts hanging out with them. Freya herself is from another magical community; she can bring small creatures back to life. Together, the trio will learn about Jasper’s past and about their feelings for one another. Brown’s novel presents a smoothly paced, uncluttered fantasy that’s ideal for those new to the genre. Dreams, protective sigils, and special stones color the narrative. However, watching the characters carve their own paths is much more engaging than Jasper’s performing magic and saying, “It just came to me.” Jasper’s and Luca’s romantic feelings for each other remain oddly subterranean for most of the story. When Jasper wonders why Luca has become cold in Freya’s presence, Luca says it’s “Just something I have to deal with on my own.” Friction comes not from communal judgments of the pair but emotional misunderstanding. This is refreshingly inclusive but makes for facile plotting. Likewise the villain, Camille, justifies her actions with, “I’m evil. What did you expect?” A motive beyond Evil 101 may come in the next installment.

A well constructed YA fantasy, though the characters’ emotions deserve more exploration.