Taming of the Few (Guardians of the PHAE Book 1) by Rowan Dillon – Review by Francis O’Sullivan

Taming of the Few by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Taming of the Few is an exciting urban fantasy, the first in the Guardians of the PHAE series. People around their world are finding dormant magical abilities and mutations manifesting, and facing discrimination and violence as people respond in fear. PHAE have established a haven in Ireland, attracting “Unhidden” who have no option but to leave their own lives behind.
This is an engrossing and entertaining book. The characters really make it for me – they feel like people I know (albeit with paranormal abilities I’m not aware of my friends having!). We learn what makes them feel comfortable and safe, and then watch as they’re taken away from their comfort zone. There are plenty of moments of lightness and character-focused scenes as well as the action and drama.
One thing I really like is that the Unhidden aren’t overpowered. Many have niche and specific abilities, or even inconvenient physical mutations. This means that those who object to the Unhidden can pose a real threat, with the numbers and aggression to have the upper hand. It also means characters can’t rely wholly on their abilities to keep themselves and each other safe.
I’d recommend this book to fans of superhero stories like the X-Men, with characters learning to cope with new and growing powers. It gets five stars from me, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

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