For Sam, immortality has been a curse more than a blessing. Destined to watch generations come and go when all he wants is to take root and be a teacher, he’s forced to flee when people start noticing he doesn’t age. With the task of finding more magic wielders like himself, his quest might be hopeless as the horde of Hunters has been wiping them out for centuries.

This is part of a series of interconnected standalone stories. There’s a sense of detachment to the story and its protagonist, and multiple time jumps between more expanded scenes that reminded me of LeGuin’s A Wizard of Earthsea.

The beginning was its weakest point, but as the story develops, it keeps getting better. The villain was a compelling character and their machinations are something to look for in future works in the series.

There’s a lot packed in fewer than 100 pages. There’s action, death, and even hints of romance. I was pleasantly surprised with every turn it took.