Review by brianna5556 -- Herai by Aaron D Key
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brianna5556
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Review by brianna5556 -- Herai by Aaron D Key
[Following is a volunteer review of "Herai" by Aaron D Key.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Herai is set in a world where humanity lives in a city of caverns hidden from the Outside, as they live in fear of savage beings who roam there. However, there is a group within the city that yearns to live in the Outside again, and rebellion is stirring. There are two story lines within this book both set in the same world and following the same characters. These are told simultaneously as they happen in parallel time lines, with a single point of divergence. In one time line a character known as the ‘Old One’ died 10 years earlier, causing events to play out differently. The time lines were created by a being who is referred to as the Onlooker, who is curious about how the story would have gone if the Old One hadn't died.
Herai is the main character and is the child of a man named Glant, who rules the city. In one version of events Herai is attacked, and friends Koa, Monta and Jakem have to solve the mystery of who did it and why. In the other time line, Herai is sent Outside on a secret mission.
The character of Herai is written in first person, and all other scenes are written in third person. This was a little odd at first, but it didn't impact my reading experience much. In fact, it made it easier to tell what each chapter was about as only chapters following Herai directly would be written in first person. Interestingly, Herai is never specified to be a particular gender. Consequently, the character is more open to the reader's interpretation of the character, by building their image of Herai on actions and thoughts rather than any physical description.
The story is fast-paced, and I would describe it as a mix of mystery and fantasy. There is not a lot of physical action however the plot is exceedingly interesting and had me hooked the whole way through. I found that it was very character-driven which worked very well, as all the characters are well-rounded and each new event revealed a little more about the characters’ lives and motivations. This is one of the most unique books I have ever read, the premise is genius and more importantly it was well executed.
Furthermore, it was well edited as I didn't notice a single spelling or grammar error, or even any sentences that were worded oddly, which is quite an achievement considering the author was avoiding using pronouns for Herai.
The one problem with this book is that it can get confusing to follow, as there are two stories being told simultaneously by having different chapters in the different time lines. This is almost like trying to read two books at the same time, although the characters are the same in each story line. I ended up making a note of the main plot point that defined each story so that I could quickly refer to it at the start of each chapter. This method of writing also meant that although I remembered what happened to the main characters in each time line, I completely lost track of some of the minor characters. However eventually these characters were built up more and I began to recognize their roles in the different stories.
Therefore, I would recommend that this book should not be read by someone looking for a casual reading experience, as it requires some brainpower to keep the story straight on top of trying to predict the next plot twist. I would also recommend reading it quickly or in large sessions to decrease the difficulty in following the story. In my opinion this book is not suitable for younger readers as although there is no very explicit sex or violence it deals with several mature themes, particularly manipulation. I think that people who usually read fantasy, action, and adventure books will enjoy reading this.
Overall, I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I was completely hooked by the story lines and was genuinely excited each time a new twist was revealed. The characters give this book a real sense of life and I can’t wait to see what Aaron D. Key comes up with next.
******
Herai
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
4 out of 4 stars
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Herai is set in a world where humanity lives in a city of caverns hidden from the Outside, as they live in fear of savage beings who roam there. However, there is a group within the city that yearns to live in the Outside again, and rebellion is stirring. There are two story lines within this book both set in the same world and following the same characters. These are told simultaneously as they happen in parallel time lines, with a single point of divergence. In one time line a character known as the ‘Old One’ died 10 years earlier, causing events to play out differently. The time lines were created by a being who is referred to as the Onlooker, who is curious about how the story would have gone if the Old One hadn't died.
Herai is the main character and is the child of a man named Glant, who rules the city. In one version of events Herai is attacked, and friends Koa, Monta and Jakem have to solve the mystery of who did it and why. In the other time line, Herai is sent Outside on a secret mission.
The character of Herai is written in first person, and all other scenes are written in third person. This was a little odd at first, but it didn't impact my reading experience much. In fact, it made it easier to tell what each chapter was about as only chapters following Herai directly would be written in first person. Interestingly, Herai is never specified to be a particular gender. Consequently, the character is more open to the reader's interpretation of the character, by building their image of Herai on actions and thoughts rather than any physical description.
The story is fast-paced, and I would describe it as a mix of mystery and fantasy. There is not a lot of physical action however the plot is exceedingly interesting and had me hooked the whole way through. I found that it was very character-driven which worked very well, as all the characters are well-rounded and each new event revealed a little more about the characters’ lives and motivations. This is one of the most unique books I have ever read, the premise is genius and more importantly it was well executed.
Furthermore, it was well edited as I didn't notice a single spelling or grammar error, or even any sentences that were worded oddly, which is quite an achievement considering the author was avoiding using pronouns for Herai.
The one problem with this book is that it can get confusing to follow, as there are two stories being told simultaneously by having different chapters in the different time lines. This is almost like trying to read two books at the same time, although the characters are the same in each story line. I ended up making a note of the main plot point that defined each story so that I could quickly refer to it at the start of each chapter. This method of writing also meant that although I remembered what happened to the main characters in each time line, I completely lost track of some of the minor characters. However eventually these characters were built up more and I began to recognize their roles in the different stories.
Therefore, I would recommend that this book should not be read by someone looking for a casual reading experience, as it requires some brainpower to keep the story straight on top of trying to predict the next plot twist. I would also recommend reading it quickly or in large sessions to decrease the difficulty in following the story. In my opinion this book is not suitable for younger readers as although there is no very explicit sex or violence it deals with several mature themes, particularly manipulation. I think that people who usually read fantasy, action, and adventure books will enjoy reading this.
Overall, I give this book 4 out of 4 stars. I was completely hooked by the story lines and was genuinely excited each time a new twist was revealed. The characters give this book a real sense of life and I can’t wait to see what Aaron D. Key comes up with next.
******
Herai
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: We are Voulhire: The Fires of Virko by Matthew Tysz
