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The world of Brae Wyckoff is populated by many humanoid races and quite a few mystical creatures. So, the pages of his book hide Humans, Ordakians, Dwarfs, Elves, trolls, dragons and a few more mysterious beings. Also, there is a lot of magic flowing around in the air. Enchanted objects and spells slap the reader until his cheeks turn red with excitement. However, Brae Wyckoff’s magic has a few rough edges and some elements lack a convincing explanation. From all of these creatures and objects, I found a tree the most captivating by far. The Tree of Lore is the first thing we see in the The Orb of Truth and it entrances the reader with the tinkle of its crystal leaves and its power to fulfill wishes.
In a place where a human kingdom has control over the realm and dominates the other races, a shift is approaching. The dark forces which feed this kingdom are finally being challenged. A group of friends set forth to find themselves between the lines of an ancient prophecy and bring back the Light where Darkness is. Spilf and Dulgin, an Ordakian and a Dwarf, decide to go on a mysterious adventure, following their Ordakian friend, Bridazak. He has experienced some very realistic dreams but nothing has ever been as real as a wooden box that seemed to have materialized out of his dreams. The three of them venture on a journey to unlock the secrets stored in the box, which has a strong hold over his owner, Bridazak. They will be assisted by an invisible protector, whose voice will light their way.
Bridazak bears the burden of the main character and that of the chosen one; he must fulfill an ancient prophecy and bring back the Light to the world. He is the one with whom a reader can identify most easily. This Ordakian is a (very skilled) thief who learns to put his talents to good use. He is joined by the loyal and calculated Spilf and the more reckless, wild-tempered Dulgin, who (too) often refers to others as “blundering fools”.
In the end, I give Brae Wyckoff’s The Orb of Truth 3 out of 4 stars because the mesmerizing scent of the Tree from the beginning of the book faded away with the pages. There was rarely time for the reader to catch his breath, as waves of action kept washing the shores of the pages. The characters were all painted in different colors, but there is still room to brighten and intensify these. Also, the dialogue was at times unrealistic, even in a fantasy world. It felt like the book was meant for a younger audience but I believe that anyone who enjoys works of magical fiction should take a look at The Orb of Truth.
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I am really glad to hear that it rose to its potential, all the elements were there, they just needed a bit of polishing. Please do let me know how it was, I am pretty curious (and looking forward to your review) 
