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Book Review: The Silversmith by LJ Claren
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July 12, 2025
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Book Review: The Silversmith by LJ Claren
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Book: The Silversmith (The Selvaren Book 1) by LJ Claren
Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fantasy Series
Publisher: LJ Claren
The Silversmith by LJ Claren is the first book in her new Romantasy series, The Selvaren.
Ary Gold is barely surviving in the northern part of Nyrida following the disappearance of her mother and the death of her father and brother. She is eventually rescued by her friend Gemma and a group of unfamiliar men. Through them, Ary learns that she has royal blood and powers that mark her as “the chosen one” to fulfill a prophecy to save the people of her kingdom from dark forces. One of the men, Smyth, takes it upon himself to train Ary to fight and develop her gifts, but he carries secrets for the both of them that threaten to dismantle the plan everyone else has for the new queen.
“I have never despised anything as much as I despise this world for what it requires of you.”
Ary as the main female character has a strong arc in book one. We see the beginnings of her transformation from a helpless commoner into a fiery queen. I suspect this will only continue to evolve as we get further into the series. Based on the timeline of the book, it feels realistic that Ary would be where she is at in the development of her skill as a fighter and in terms of wielding her power. I think it is worth noting that the conceptual imagery of how Ary’s magic works is really interesting, and I can’t wait to see more of it.
Like a kitten… Small, adorable, fearless, and born to be lethal.
Smyth, as the morally-grey, male lead, is the personification of a man written by a woman. I expect that any Romantasy fan that likes this archetype is going to love his character. I rarely get choked up when I read, and Smyth’s yearning had me teary-eyed. He has an unmatched emotional depth, commitment, and loyalty compared to many other MMC’s I’ve read.
The supporting characters all have well-thought-out backstories and unique personalities. The found family aspect of the story is strong, and I am excited to see how each of the characters contributes to the plot of the story as we move through the series. There are a lot of dynamic personality traits at play here to set up substantial conflict.
The Silversmith is a great setup for the rest of the Selvaren series. It predominantly focuses on the lore of the world and Ary navigating her new life and uncovering her romantic history. Although we are dealing with reading a lot of backstory, LJ Claren plants many seeds for future plot lines. Pieces of the plot are somewhat predictable (which I believe is intentional), but there are some big twists I did not expect. In my opinion, this is a good balance. A lot of Romantasy readers are reading for both the comfort of tropes and the excitement of something new and unique.
“What’s the point of fighting, then, if not for good things?”
The romance Claren writes is something else. The deep and mysterious history that drives it is so moving. Because of the situation the MMC and FMC are in, there is a distinctive mix of instalove, slow burn, and deep yearning. The reader truly feels the sadness, want, and need of the love interests. This love story is equally sentimental and heartbreaking at the same time.
“There isn’t a time or a life or a universe where I do not love you, but I will not tell you what I am to you now. You decide. I’ve tried—and likely failed—to show you the best of me, to show you how much I love you, but it is your choice.”
The book touches upon many themes, but the idea of personal choice whether it relates to friendship, family, love, or one’s own journey is consistent throughout. As a huge fan of retellings, I did notice some Sleeping Beauty undertones in this novel as well.
“He told me to tell you he’s sorry he didn’t fight for your truth when he should have. He said it’s okay to be angry because of what’s been taken from you, and happiness… you deserve that too.”
As much as I want to be entirely objective in my review, I loved this book so much, it is difficult for me to not just gush over it. I gave it five stars, but I would give it ten if that were an option. With that said, I would be shocked if this series didn’t receive traditional publishing offers at some point in the near future. Having been in the tv/ film industry, it also seems like this could have the potential to easily be adapted to the screen. I believe this is planned to be a five book series, and I could absolutely see a large fandom developing around this story. For fans of Throne of Glass, The Kindred’s Curse Saga, or Quicksilver, this should be your next fantasy read.
Thank you to LJ Claren for allowing me to read this copy in advance.
This book will be published July 12, 2025, and it is available to order on Amazon.
Trope List for The Silversmith:
Found family
Touch her and ☠️
Morally grey MMC
Chosen one FMC
One bed
Forbidden love
Forced Proximity
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