Review: The Quest for the Last Kimeiji

Title: The Quest for the Last Kimeiji
Series: The Last Tales of the Kimeiji, Book 1
Author: Francisco Muñiz
Publisher: iUniverse
Length: 237 Pages, 397 KB,
Publication Date: March 4, 2008
Available Formats: Paperback, Kindle Edition.
My Rating: ★★★★☆

A High Fantasy children book that showcases the journey that a child is willing to undertake in order to prevent evil forces from obtaining a powerful amulet.

Book Description (from Goodreads):

In this debut of "The Last Tales of the Kimeiji" trilogy, the essence of a powerful magic force known as the Manaya is lost one night when a dark wizard tries to steal it to become its guardian –the Kimeiji– again. The incident triggers a chain of events that lead an entire world into war, and as a result, kingdoms fall, countries are divided, many die, and history is marked forever.

Yet under the trees of the enchanted Cloud Forest, a young elf named Atrelis has no knowledge of that past. When a wounded dragon who falls from the sky entrusts Atrelis with a magic amulet, the past seems to return, for the amulet is the key of the Manaya, which long ago allowed the Kimeiji to control the powerful magic force. Now, the evil Kali troopers are after the amulet, and Atrelis must deliver it to Minol, the last keeper of the Manaya.

Thus Atrelis is plunged into an unforgettable mission in which he encounters fantastical creatures and reaches extraordinary places where danger, excitement, deception, and magic lead him to the first step of the destiny he's not sure he wants to fulfill.

The Quest for the Last Kimeiji follows Atrelis as he crosses land after land in order to fulfill his mission. In his journey Atrelis meets great friends and even greater foes. The story takes place in a different world, it’s not our past or an alter reality, is a completely different world from ours. One that has strong magical connections and where the creature of folklore and legends are as real as the next person.

The construction of the scenery is beautiful, the elements are all of the ones you expect from fantasy, yet they still have uniqueness to them. I can easily see a 10 year old hunching over this book, using his/her imagination to transport him/herself to Cloud Forest, Queen Veda’s Royal Tower, the ruins, or the floating castle. There was one particular scene that made me smile, Tionz (one of Atrelis friends) share with him and Elken, “a forest star—a rare, green fruit with five equal sides that only grew in forests.” (Kindle Location 2719). Why was I smiling? Because, as I read this I kept thinking about the carambola; which I used to eat all the time when I was a kid myself.

The adventure has elements that are both fast and slow paced, as expected when you have characters traveling long distances. Do keep in mind that this is a children’s book, as such the prose is highly descriptive.

The bottom line is that this is a great book for kids and a good fantasy adventure.

Quote from the book:

"Long ago, three tales were written in another world—three tales that were supposed to be kept secret. Yet they were found and a great war erupted again, for they were the only evidence of an uncertain prophecy that some feared and others hoped would come true. The following is the first of those tales." (Kindle Locations 71-74)

If you want to learn more you can drop by the author's site. Or visit him on Goodreads. You can also check the book at:

• Goodreads
• Amazon (in either Hardcover/Paperback or Kindle version)
• Barnes &Noble
• The Book Depository
• iUniverse (Publisher's site)

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