In this serviceable fantasy series opener, 17-year-old elf Pil Persins and his friends Felicity and Dirk apply to join the Exidite—the only group of elfin allowed to leave their underground home of Westleton to hunt for aboveground supplies at night. Ever since dangerous creatures drove the elfin underground hundreds of years earlier, they’ve considered it too perilous to be on the surface during daylight. After passing an exam, Pil and the other new graduates are rushed into an important mission, where they learn that there might be a traitor in their midst. The trio must then survive on its own when a creature attacks the Exidite. Labbé’s debut requires two suspensions of disbelief: that brand-new recruits would be sent along on a dangerous mission, and that an authority figure would immediately reveal the presence of a traitor. The addition of a two-dimensional bully feels like a shortcut to building added drama. Readers who can overlook these stumbling blocks, however, will find enjoyable characters and an appealing world. (BookLife)