A young boy named Reiffen who is the heir to the thrones of two kingdoms is kidnapped by a group of wizards known as The Three. Reiffen's friends in his hometowm of Valing come together and plot a way to rescue the boy from Ussene, a place where no one has ever escaped. During his stay in the dungeons of Ussene, Reiffen discovers the intentions of the three. The wizards wish to teach him magic and use him as a pawn to rule the kingdoms. Reiffen also makes friends with a slave in the castle named Molio, but he is killed from the magic of the three. At the end of the story, a valiant effort by Reiffen's friends is rewarded by rescuing the boy, but Reiffen decides to return to Ussene and learn magic to use against the three, hence the title: Reiffen's Choice.
I really enjoyed this book, it was very interesting and there was always plenty of suspense. Usually in most book series, the first book has to incorporate a lot of information to paint a picture for the reader as far as what this world is like that the characters are living in. This book does that, but is also keeps the story moving in a way that doesn't bore the reader. This world that the author created fascinated me very much. The different kinds of creatures and places were great, and they also were new and oringinal; this book was definitely not another Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings as far as the setting of the story. I found the ending very intriguing, and it was a great way to set up the next book in the series. Overall, Reiffen's Choice and its sequels have great potential to be in the ranks of some of the best fantasy books ever.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 8
Reviewer Age: 16
Reviewer City, State and Country: Eden Prairie, MN United States
