An Epic Series of Failures #1: The Legend of Greg by Chris Rylander

My name is Greg, and I unexpectedly discovered I'm a Dwarf and now live underground with others of my kind. I learned Elves and Dwarfs have never gotten along, which is funny since my best friend Edwin is the son of the Elf Lord. My father was captured by Elves after he discovered a new source of magic, but Edwin insists his parents had nothing to do with it. It's good that I'm a Dwarf with magical ability, but it's bad that a new war with the Elves seems imminent. I guess I rekindled all this trouble by insulting a man in my dad's store, but how was I to know he'd change into an angry Troll? Anyhow, I'm now training for battle with other young Dwarfs, but I'm a little uneasy about a legendary Dwarf weapon called Bloodletter; it speaks to me! It's calling for the blood of Elves, and stories say it will help defeat my enemies. However, the stories also say it will eventually lead to disaster. 

Dwarfs are usually sidekicks and minor characters in other novels, so it's cool to see them in a featured role. Greg is told the portrayal of Dwarfs in Lord of the Rings is inaccurate. Greg lacks confidence and feels like his family is cursed with bad luck, but it turns out all Dwarfs are pessimistic. Edwin is very supportive of Greg, both as classmates and as the plot moves outside the school. All Dwarfs distrust Elves, so Greg is constantly forced to question his friend's honesty and motivations. This is a shame, since Edwin seems to sincerely want to help his Dwarf friend. The Dwarf magic doesn't use words or spells, as it uses deep desires and feelings to control elements of the earth. Much of the magic seems instinctual rather than logical spells. Greg is unaccustomed to having friends, but he is supported by several other young Dwarfs. It's amusing to see the strongest and most aggressive friend is actually a female named Glam with an alluring mustache. Dwarf attractiveness takes some getting used to. Greg develops an affection for Ari, and I assume their relationship will be developed more in the book's sequel. That's a problem with reading new books in a series; I need to wait until 2019 for the next one to come out!