Review by TripToAfter -- The Crystilleries of Echoland

[TripToAfter]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Crystilleries of Echoland" by Dew Pellucid.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Below the ground there exists another world, Echoland, full of translucent and familiar beings called Echos. The fates of these beings, as decreed by an ill-intentioned monarch, are directly connected to their matching Sounds (A.K.A humans as we know them). Will Cleary, a boy whose twin was sadly lost in Echoland and whose parents are obsessed with getting that sibling back, becomes entwined with a heinous plot to kill the prince of Echoland: Will’s Echo, William Cleary. Will goes on a tricky and treacherous adventure in the place he once visited in childhood, and he learns, with some friends he makes along the way, that there are some slippery secrets in this frosty, crystalline land that might just save everyone and bring long-sought peace.

Dew Pellucid’s The Crystilleries Of Echoland is a whimsical and beautiful fantasy complete with what can be considered an epic storyline. It’s a story that gives the reader a thrill and a keen sense of magic. These impressions are brought about by the stunning and exciting scenes and the odd and elusive characters.

There are many well infused fantasy components. They crop up in the setting and as magical objects and even as traits of some of the characters. There are crystilleries that can divine the memories of objects. There are crystal ball decorations and accessories that host eyes that watch like surveillance cameras. There are snow mounds that are “warm”. There are characters that can turn invisible at will. With all of these strange things made possible, there’s quite a bit of potential for almost anything to happen in the story. It made the chapters like candy, easy to just gobble up one after another.

But, with so much whirling action and information, confusion does come into play at times. There were points where I had to stop and take stock of what happened a few chapters back to really be able to evaluate and understand what was going on in the present chapter. It is an intricate story, because there are a lot of characters and a lot to know about these characters. Sometimes, it’s as though the flashy setting sort of distracts one from the real predicament at hand. But as long as you’re paying close attention and you’re patient, the meaning behind things that seem unclear will reveal itself.

I give The Crystilleries Of Echoland a 4 out of 4. There are few grammatical and spelling errors and typos. The writing is smooth and pretty. The characters are rich and impressionable, and same for the settings. The plot is enjoyable and it keeps the reader alert. There’s a lot to discover about this strange land and the equally strange beings that live there. It’s fascinating to get a glimpse of the Echos’ religious and societal beliefs. Overall, it’s a wonderful story that will probably appeal very much to fans of fantasy and speculation about parallel realities or other worlds.

******
The Crystilleries of Echoland
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like TripToAfter's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

It sounds like you enjoyed this one. I love learning about new lands, and this one sounds like it fits the bill. I'll have to dive into this one. Thanks!

[Nisha Ward]

I totally agree with you about the setting being distracting at times. It wasn't to the detriment of the book, but there was just so much that sometimes it was difficult to keep track of it all. Still, I really loved this book and your review hit on some of the reasons why.