I had a fabulous time with Child of Vanris by Nikki McCormack — a classic coming of age and chosen one tale with found family, animal companions and spirit siblings! At its core, Child of Vanris is about belonging and growing into who you’re meant to be.
Kasiel is a 17yo in the throes of first love, living in a tiny village, when his world is ripped apart. First betrayed, then abducted… and (thank goodness) rescued, Kasiel’s journey of self-discovery and adventure is just beginning. After this dramatic opening, I loved settling in with Kasiel to discover his true heritage, dispel all the lies he’s been told and get to know the group who would become his closest friends.
Child of Vanris is a heartwarming adventure — though there are a few darker moments that had me squirming. (I avoid the dark side of fantasy… and one scene in particular had me wishing I was reading instead of listening so I could flip forward.) But the dark moments were fleeting and not dark enough to break me.
Instead, I revelled in the comfort of Kasiel’s new companions — in particular his tehnaak (spirit sibling), Jethan. This utterly charming concept — where every baby is spirit-bonded with another, who will be their confidant and rock throughout life — is a foundation of Vanrian culture. I do wonder how often these bonds become romantic… Nonetheless, it provides Kasiel with an instant best friend who would probably die for him, and it helps smooth his transition into a completely new culture.
(For those wondering about romantic subplots, there are some youthful romantic “feelings” and some kissing in the book… but they’re not the most important relationships.)
The other highlight is Kasiel’s “mindcrafter” power: influencing and understanding animals. He learns about and grows into his exceptional and rare abilities through the book, ultimately gaining his own loyal (and terrifying!) creature companion. I adore protagonists who grow into their power because it’s who they’re meant to be.
The book seamlessly blends adventure, worldbuilding and character development, centred around a war between the Vanrians (Kasiel’s true people) and an alliance of other nations (where Kasiel was raised by people not his blood family). Having a high-profile father, Kasiel becomes a bone of contention between the two sides in this first book — and I can’t wait to find out where the story is going. I’m especially interested to learn how Kasiel’s relationship with his complicated father develops.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which was excellently narrated by Gary Furlong. Recommended for those into epic fantasy worlds, rollicking adventure, bands of brave companions, and characters with good hearts.
This was my first completed read for the 2026 Indie Fantasy Addicts Summer Reading Challenge.
Ellen Gregory 