Swords of Aerides is the first book in the Darus of Aerides Pentalogy by Rob Dorsey, an epic fantasy with elements of sci-fi, set on a planet called Aerides. It is the coming of age story of Prince Darus of Avinon and the perils and challenges he has to face on his path to greatness. Watch as he faces dangerous creatures, difficult situations, and a rebellion that is designed to stop him at all cost. Most importantly, it is interesting to watch as he grows in strength and learns to trust in his instincts while he explores love. Does he have what it takes for a destiny as huge as his? There is a lot to love in this novel. First off, I was enticed by the glorious, exciting writing. Rob Dorsey is the owner of words, a master craftsman of exquisite prose with spellbinding descriptions. Behold the image he offers of one of the characters, allowing the reader to see her just the way he imagined her: "But far from being coarse or brutish, Zurah displayed the powerful grace of a trained dancer with a walk that reminded many of a stalking female voorcat." The characters are also very interesting and they evolve in a setting that is strangely familiar, thanks to the author's storytelling skills. He creates a setting that easily comes to the minds of readers, a place they'd love to visit. Swords of Aerides is conflict-driven and readers will love how the characters evolve through the conflict. Well-paced and beautifully-written, this one is an exciting gift to fans of epic fantasy.