Nexus Moons is a work of fiction in the science fiction and fantasy sub-genres penned by author Ron Root. Set in a fantastical fantasy world where magic and royalty are the norm, we meet a cast of interesting and endearing misfit characters who are brought together by disaster and begin to seek out friendship and find a place in the world where they belong. The disappearance of the scholar Lavan during a magical experiment causes Magus Jarek Verity to embark on a quest to retrieve him, with many heroes and villains around to either help or hinder the quest. What results is a charming adventure fantasy novel with plenty of characters and hijinks to warm readers’ hearts.

Fans of traditional fantasy novels are sure to love author Ron Root’s approach, which opens the Tales of Graal series and introduces us to his loveable cast of characters. I for one particularly enjoyed Rayna Kent, who traverses the murky waters of the love interest trope and develops into a much more interesting and fully rounded character as the story goes on. Whilst this is very much a character-led story, the overarching plot is well crafted to showcase the excellent worldbuilding and magical lore that has been worked into the novel. As these different elements come together, so the novel builds to its entertaining conclusions and the results of the heroes’ quests are discovered as the characters find their limits. Overall, I would highly recommend Nexus Moons to fans of fantasy fiction and adventure stories alike.

In Ron Root's Nexus Moons, when a magical experiment goes disastrously wrong, Lavan, headmaster of the art university, finds himself in deep peril. His research suggested a power similar to the ancients could be found at the time of a Nexus moon, and he intended to investigate, luring his old friend, Magus Jarek Verity, along. The two had been inseparable, so his chance arrival had only added more excitement to what he thought he would uncover. Unfortunately, when things go wrong they go wrong in the most catastrophic way. During his experiment, Lavan is tricked and dragged into a dimension parallel to their own. Distraught, Jarek will do everything possible, risking life and limb in an attempt to return his friend. In doing so, he uncovers things he never dreamed possible; myths made flesh and terrors thought fables. There is no guarantee he will succeed -- what he will attempt is unprecedented and he may even change everything people thought they knew in the process.

Nexus Moons is book one in Ron Root's Tales of Graal series. From berserkers to magi, monsters to alternate existences, there is something for everyone who enjoys a good fantasy read. Following the arc of several main characters, you are drawn into a world of magic and control, where to practice can sometimes be viewed as heresy by those worshipping One God. On a quest to save the headmaster, Jarek is forced to confront things he thought were impossible, creatures he thought were but fables, and he is not alone. Uncovering a new power, Jarek's newly claimed nephew also has a secret, a power he is just coming into which sends him fleeing for his life, lest he be charged for something of which he is innocent. The gripping third-person narrative will keep the reader engaged and invested, and the growth and development of characters will not leave them wanting. I loved the speech and mannerisms, specifically the integration of old-world phrases and insults rarely seen in today's books. Action, mystery, looming threat, and danger drive the plot forward as kinship is forged and rekindled in unexpected ways.