The Seldith Chronicles
The Seldith Chronicles is a series of fictional young adult (YA) works by William Vaughn, author, photographer and illustrator. Starting with [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=978-0964024243%20The Owl Wrangler], published in 2011, the second book Guardians of the Sacred Seven followed in 2012. The most recent book Quest for The Truth is to be published in November 2013.
Precis
Small ‘Seldith’ elves no taller than a mushroom live, love, survive, and perish. The youth must take on their parent’s role, regardless of the danger, and where the wealthy barter age-old secrets to the humans for power and wealth.
Written under the guise of a young-adult story, The Seldith Chronicles is in actuality, a biting allegory of our times. The forces of ignorance, bigotry, greed and intolerance of our times are reflected in the challenges the young elves must face to survive. The books explore the role of those who would manufacture their own 'truth' to further their own evil ends, and of those who would plunder the ancient secrets of the elven clan (the Seldith) to gain power, wealth and influence. It's also a coming of age story AbOUT elves and faeries who inherit an upside-down world—a world where their parents and elders are unable to see the corruption all around them, have chosen to ignore it, or participate willingly in it—expecting their offspring to accept their fate, regardless of the danger. It's a story of magic and how its power corrupts and draws the life from those who wield it. Some chosen Seldith are gifted with the power to heal or clairvoyance or controlling fire or as in the case of our hero Hisbil, to awaken animals so they can speak.
Reviewers have characterized The Seldith Chronicles as "...in the spirit of Watership Down." (Pam Binder, 2011)