Review by Yvonne Monique -- Zara Hanson & The Myster...

[Yvonne Monique]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Zara Hanson & The Mystery of the Painted Symbol" by J.L. Haynes.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Zara Hanson & The Mystery of the Painted Symbol by J.L. Haynes takes the reader on an exciting journey to save humanity. Zara Hanson is a special agent who is sent on a secret mission. She teams up with Ansebe, an alien being with mystic capabilities, who warns her that humanity is being observed by superior light beings, the Elb. Humanity’s technology has developed quicker than its spirituality, and the Elb will decide if humanity has to be erased from Terra (earth) before it’s too late. The Elb fear that humanity will make inappropriate use of its advanced technology, eventually resulting in Terra’s destruction. Ansebe and Zara’s rescue mission will take them on a journey across the universe, encountering many alien life forms and phenomena. Will their mission succeed?

There are several things that I liked about this book. Firstly, the beautiful book cover caught my attention straight away. Secondly, the book has some fun and interesting protagonists. My favorite characters were Fez-Pyan (“The Serpent That Shines”) and his dog Gnash-Byte. Fez-Pyan’s sense of humor and well-developed character were a real asset to the story. If you ever wondered why the British Mars Lander “Beagle 2” never made contact with earth, you will have to read chapter 24 and learn how Fez-Pyan messed up the expedition. Thirdly, the author has an admirable imagination. And lastly, chapter 28, “The Trial of Strength,” is very significant and transmits an important message.

Although I admire the author’s imagination, the vast number of alien terms resulted confusing. It took me a while to get into the story as I was trying to get familiar with all the uncommon names, races, creatures, etc. Phrases like: “My craft is a virmana, named the Newara, a talisman of the Simha clan of the Nirayana,” had my mind spinning. I really think that the book would benefit from a glossary with an explanation of all these names and concepts. This would help the reader to follow the author’s train of thought.

Occasionally, the author speaks directly to the reader, for example on page 201: “If you want to know what happens next, then keep reading, as the story goes on to tell of unforeseen revelations.” I found these interruptions unnecessary. The story itself is captivating enough to keep on reading and does not need direct encouragement from the author.

Due to the reasons stated above, and to the fact that I encountered just over 10 errors, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to science fiction and fantasy lovers. I do not recommend this book to readers who are easily confused by many different characters or unfamiliar concepts.

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Zara Hanson & The Mystery of the Painted Symbol
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[Saint Bruno]

Fun and lively characters make a book exciting to read. I am glad that this book is rich in such characters. Thanks for the terrific review and recommendation.

[kandscreeley]

Imagination in a story goes such a long way. Though this has some issues, it sounds like an interesting story. Thanks.

[Dimi1]

I also found the vast number of alien terms confusing. From one point it also becomes boring to keep trying to understand the new attributes provided. Great review by the way.

[MsH2k]

“My craft is a virmana, named the Newara, a talisman of the Simha clan of the Nirayana.” That is a mouthful. Trying to keep up with all the unique terms and names is one of the reasons I don’t read many sci-fi books. Thank you for your thorough review!

[NetMassimo]

This seems like a nice novel that maybe is overburdened by the many characters and alien terms. Still, I like the author's ambition in trying to create a rich fictional universe. Thank you for your great review!

[Prisallen]

I like science fiction, but I really don't want to struggle with trying to keep up with alien terms. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[Mariana Figueira]

OMG yes, I agree with you on pretty much everything: the need for a glossary or fewer characters, Fez-Pyan (loved him), and the author's interruptions. Thank you for the awesome review!

[Rayah Raouf]

Thank you for such a marvelous review! I have yet to see a bad review on this book. I cannot wait to pick it up

[Caro Banks]

I appreciate sense of humor in books, and this one did not fall short. Thanks for your recommendation.

[smolbird]

This book has garnered so many good reviews. However, I find myself hesitating to give this book a second chance because of its headache-inducing sentences. Thank you for the detailed review, I enjoyed reading it!

[Marcel Cantu]

It sounds like a very interesting premise, but I have seen in several reviews that the book tries to do a bit too much. Especially remembering different terms, It sounds like that can make the book a bit cumbersome to read.

[zainherb]

I agree with you. The terms were a bit too much and I loved Fez and his pet. True, the author's interruptions were unnecessary, but they made me laugh.
The editing ...

Anyway
Great review! I enjoyed reading it.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your interesting review. I read another review before, and it seems the reviewer also likes Fez and his pet. With his humorous character, I think I will like him, too.

[Ellylion]

I absolutely agree with you about the necessity of a glossary and very many confusing terms. But I loved the characters and the ending very much! Thanks for a great review!