The Beast Hunters by Christer Lende is the first entry in The Beast Hunter of Ashbour series and a captivating read for fans of fantasy. The story follows Ara, a young female protagonist, whose parents are murdered by a monster—and brutally. She is saved by two beast hunters who introduce her to their world and accepts her as their apprentice. Determined to learn the beast hunting craft and to save lives from the monsters that lurk in the dark, Ara sets herself to work. As dead bodies pile up in the village of Cornstead, Ara and her two friends, Topper and Khendric, become painfully aware that they are dealing with something far more sinister than they have ever imagined. Can Ara hasten her apprenticeship in time to be ready for the inevitable dangers that lurk ahead and the fight she must face?

The Beast Hunters is a well-paced and engaging tale with a strong premise. The female protagonist is a character that suffers unspeakable loss and is bent on taking revenge on the beast that murdered her parents while protecting innocent lives from a similar fate. Characterization is top notch and Christer Lende has the gift for writing captivating dialogues that allow character depth to shine through the narrative. Readers will adore Ara, Topper, and Khendric, characters that are fully developed and multidimensional. The setting is an imaginary world that will excite the imagination of readers with well-accomplished features and a local feel that is strangely familiar. The prose is beguiling and the plot deftly handled. What makes this story stand out is the intelligence with which the author writes the internal worlds of the characters, the masterful handling of conflict, and the incredible characters. With this exhilarating entry into the series, Lende proves he will be journeying with readers for long.