Adventurers Wanted #2: The Horn of Moran by M.L. Forman

My name is Sindar, and our group is lucky to have Alex along on this quest for the Horn of Moran. His wizarding skills have greatly improved since our first adventure, although he's asked me for help in controlling his emotions. We need to retrieve the horn before the Spring Festival and return it to Bregnest's cousin. The horn will cement his cousin's claim to the throne before war breaks out. We know we'll need to pass through gates guarded by a sphinx and griffins and death awaits if we fail their challenges. Alex's mentor Whalen is writing fewer letters and seems to be letting him learn from his experiences. As an elf, my unique abilities will be an asset to the group, but Alex will be the key to our success. 

This series is a pleasant change from many adventure stories. It includes dwarfs, elves, goblins, dragons, and other familiar creatures. Alex is the main character and is full of kindness and compassion for others. He maintains an air of humbleness even as his powers and abilities grow stronger. However, his emotions challenge his self-control, which is a potentially disastrous situation for a wizard. The plot includes action, fighting, and some killing. It doesn't dwell on the fighting and death, and Alex always tries to find ways to avoid it. As with the first book, honor is a huge theme. Characters stick to their promises and display respect for their foes. A recurring event in each book finds Alex returning treasure bags to the heirs of deceased Adventurers. Even these exchanges display respectful negotiations that require the characters to avoid insulting high, or low, offers. An evil Shadow is a constant threat that appears in each of Alex's adventures, and I assume it will again in the sequel. It has tested Alex's abilities to the max and has been the most challenging antagonist. The book doesn't acknowledge its existence in the story until it makes surprise appearances to jeopardize Alex's mission. Overall, I'm really enjoying these adventures with tempered violence and recommend them to anyone loving medieval-type books. I suggest you read Slathbog's Gold first to fully appreciate the background story.