The Reaching

The Reaching follows Alaeryn, a vagabond elf of color, as he navigates the militarized world of West Men to which he has assimilated. When Alaeryn discovers that the lost dragon gods have blessed him with a dangerous gift, the paladin order he loves suddenly expels him from their crooked ranks. Soon, Alaeryn befriends elves, pirates, rogues, rangers, and witches who all see Alaeryn through a gamut of unearthly trials that prove him worthy of divine favor. Reaching for a destiny that he cannot see, Alaeryn explores every corner of his unkindness and cruelty, the depth of his fragility, the startling heights of his ambition, and the tangled intricacies of his own tribal identity. His journey rakes him through a unique kiln, one of racial, sexual, and psychological awakening in a world diametrically opposed to him: the brutal world of West Men, the world which he has grown to love, and the world which despises, distrusts, and slaughters his kind- the brown-skinned elves of Lumariel. Will Alaeryn wield his gift to bring the corrupt paladin order to its knees? Will he rise to expectations and dismantle centuries of racial oppression?