3 out of 4 stars
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The North Pole in Christmas and throughout the year is an interesting concept to think about, fantasy or not. There are countless stories about Santa and the North Pole, and one can never get enough of them. The Elf Brief is one such story, which portrays a realistic and technical image of the functioning of the North Pole.
Noel Night is a young elf, relatively new to the North Pole and just beginning to understand how things work there. “Santa Claus” is more of a title than a single person, and in this world of routine, the only major change is the retirement of Santa and the nomination of a new one, once every hundred years or so. Noel, an elf fond of adventure, is lucky enough to have been tasked by the current Santa, Santa Christo, to chronicle the transition. Noel is to make note of everything that happens, so that it will help future transitions go smoother.
The entire book is about this transition and the interesting titbits Noel discovers during this time. The concept of technicalities on the North Pole and in the working of Elves and Santa Claus is one usually left untouched, and the author has given a unique and refreshing touch to the whole thing. It was a fun read, especially because the technical aspects like how the reindeers fly and how elves are recruited were mixed in with some laughs and a touch of mystery.
What I found most interesting about the book is how the author talks about the different departments on the North Pole, and how they come together to form something akin to a well-functioning factory. The First Contact department, which recruits new Elves, was the most fun to read about. Flight Con, the Lists Department and many others were also mentioned.
It cannot be called an action-packed novel by any means, and is not one for those who prefer thrillers and an adrenaline rush while reading. However, it is a light-hearted, fun book, with just enough adventure and secrecy to keep one reading till the end. The Elf Brief is only the first book in a series of nine books, and I can’t wait to see what happens after the end.
One thing disappointing about the book was its editing. Though there were no spelling mistakes as such, there were many misplaced commas and word substitutions, like “literary” instead of “literally”, or “not” instead of “now”. Because of these mistakes, which are quite a few, I would give the book 3 out of 4 stars. I want to read the next book in the series, but if the editing isn’t better this time around, it would put me off the series for good.
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The Elf Brief
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