Taeowolf: Zentrin, Book 1 by Kris Moger is a fantasy about breaking away from innocence, if only to pursue the thin threads of freedom. Aiden Murphy is a young Wolvean trapped in the cogs of society. One day, however, he meets a strange man in a dream. Before he realizes it, he’s suddenly embroiled in a world where he must prove himself worthy of being in an elite force known as the Zentrin Guard. As he continues with this journey, he learns that there is more to this world than he realizes and that, although it is painful, he must grow into the strong warrior he’s destined to be.

In a way, Aiden reminds me of myself. He was enticed by the illusion of freedom, but seemed too hesitant to reach for it. Grinder and Tasan took it upon themselves to show him the way, to determine whether or not he could handle being a part of the Guard. From standing up for Tasan, to saving his friends, Aiden soon sees that he can’t remain trapped in his ignorance. As much as Tandelin annoys me, she does have a point; Aiden can’t afford to live with his naiveté forever, not only because of the dangers ahead, but also because his friends need him.

Freedom was a constant theme within the book. No matter how I look at it, Aiden was free to remain a child, though he would still remain trapped within the boundaries of society. But when Tasan came into his life, suddenly everything seemed that much more uncertain. He found that he did miss his family, wondering whether or not they’d notice him gone; that he could depend on others, though they may betray him later; that there was so much more to the world than the lectures he kept hearing. Aiden knew he had to grow up, and that was an aspect of the book I fell in love with. Moger weaves a fascinating tale about a child who was just beginning to grow up and learn the price of his freedom. I would recommend this book to fans of Jesse Teller and Jeff Pryor.

Taeowolf is the first book in the Zentrin series by author Kris Moger. The caste system had been abolished, but in reality very little had changed The Hunaen clan still did the grunt work, Elvean tended the fields, Wolvean handled business, and the Feleal owned pretty much everything else. The only chance to break away was through hard work and education. That was precisely what Aiden had been doing, although he spent a lot of time dreaming. He'd always had one particularly vivid dream, and now a word had followed him back, Taeowolf. It was a name belonging to one of the five founders of the Zentrin Guards. He was a great leader, and his name became a title, a name for justice. All of Aiden's education could not prepare him for what he must do, what he must face; after all, the real history was buried and events manipulated to ensure no challenge would never arise and that the Zentrin Guards could never return. Aiden has been selected to face the challenges of the Mist, a test he must face to find balance and prove his worth, but there are those who would go to any lengths to ensure his failure, and not everyone can be trusted to guide him on the path of his destiny.

Taeowolf is an intense story filled with vivid characters and an imaginative plot; it is certainly an example of fantasy at its best and a book you'll be hard pushed to put down. This is not only an adventure, but one that plays with psychology, philosophy and relationships. The characters are easy to connect with, even the ones you may not like are, in their own way, likable, and I will certainly be looking forward to seeing the next book in the series. I can't wait to see where Kris Moger takes us next, but one thing is for certain, if they deliver on the promises made in Taeowolf, it will be a tremendous adventure.