The Trials of Uwe

The Trials of Uwe: Parts I, II, and III will reach young adult sci-fi readers looking for a strong sense of nonstop action in their stories. It follows the adventure of young wizard Uwe, who has spent his short life training for his profession, only to find his efforts lacking. At age 18, he's an orphan. His parents were killed fighting the self-proclaimed 'savior of the universe, the Evilore, who uses the magic in the souls of living creatures to destroy and reconstruct the universe time and again. Even though his great-great-great-great-grandfather, a wizard named Edam, has successfully thwarted the Evilore, perishing in the process but passing to Uwe the legacy of their wizardly ways, Uwe still finds himself lacking in ability. It takes an evil wizard with his own plans for takeover to help Uwe change. There's a deep, satisfying philosophical aspect to the story as it unwinds, which sets it apart from the ordinary action-oriented sci-fi fantasy: "Uwe spoke. "We have done the dragons a great disservice. In trying to protect ourselves from you and potential enslavement by you, we have instead enslaved you. My control over the dragons is more unjust then what you had in store for us." His drive to rectify his mistakes and his ethical conundrums makes for intriguing reading as the wanna-be hero finds himself trying to act in a morally correct manner even as he identifies evil and fights it both in himself and in the world. It should be cautioned that there are many subplots and takeaways, here; from an evolving love between Uwe and Amanill to a quest that sometimes mirrors the Evilore's purposes: "He had accomplished what the Evilore had only dreamed of performing. He had gone too far; and there would be a price to pay." Young adults used to gaming choices and action-packed twists and turns may find these further injections of ethical dilemmas and subplots a challenge, but these successfully contribute to a story that, like any superior read, is greater than its individual parts and pieces. A more singular focus might have made the story more accessible to a wider audience. However, The Trials of Uwe: Parts I, II, and III challenges its young readers to absorb more than just a singular epic adventure. This is one of its strengths...and the reason why The Trials of Uwe: Parts I, II, and III is recommended reading for young adults looking for more than an adventure fantasy story alone.

I enjoyed this book and it was and interesting read