Review of The Rhysu Alternative

[Nzube Chizoba Okeke]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Rhysu Alternative" by P.D. Blackwell.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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With a raging rebellion facing the Alliance and disagreement growing from within, many mistakes are made, and the losses are piling up. Will the humans continue to fight battles among themselves, or will they come together to face a threat far bigger than them?

After Bev Colli's disappearance, a cenotaph was erected in her honor. Unexpectedly, she returns, and in her new form, she brings news to Arlud and the warring humans. What news does she bring back?

The Rhysu Alternative by P. D. Blackwell is a thrilling tale that incorporates all the best elements of science fiction. It follows several characters' stories happening simultaneously, albeit in different locations. The book contains beautiful storytelling; I admire the author's ability to take the reader to an entirely different place and time. I love Petra's part of the story and how her bond with the sipá, Aluk, is described. With so few words (and none from the sipá), we can get the complete picture of the protectiveness and care from both parties. That part of the story is my favorite.

I love the depth of emotion that the characters portray. Besides being characters in a science fiction book, they hold deep feelings of love, guilt, and regret, and in the face of hopelessness and despair, they are determined.

The author added a list of terminologies used by the Alliance and also added several maps to make things easier for the reader and minimize confusion. This was a commendable thing, and it helped to an extent.

The book progression is deliberate and steady; nothing jumps out at you. The smooth flow of the book lures the reader into a rhythm. It will be easy to get lost in this book.

I have some complaints, though. The world-building is very intricate; there is almost very little that the average reader can immediately connect with. It is highly detailed. I admire the consistency in detail, but it is hard to flow with the book because of many unfamiliar terminologies. Readers will have to keep going back to check the meanings of some terms.

Even halfway into the book, I still experienced confusion with the plot. The whole foundation for this book was laid in the first book in the series, and it picked up from there in the second book. There was minimal attempt to give a backstory. I'd recommend reading the first book, Chaos Rising: The Erstallius Chronicles, Volume One, before reading this book.

Despite some errors, the book appeared professionally edited, considering its volume.

I loved the author's depiction of the characters' emotions, but some parts of the book were challenging to navigate. I'd rate The Rhysu Alternative 4 out of 5 stars. I took away one star because of the challenges I had while reading.

The Rhysu Alternative will appeal to lovers of complex science fiction stories, especially ones that incorporate a bit of political drama.

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The Rhysu Alternative
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[Marina Flisvou]

I appreciate your feedback about the story, characters, and world-building. It's great to hear you liked the emotions in the characters and how the author tells the story. It's great that you liked how the characters' emotions were portrayed and found the storytelling captivating. Your suggestion to read the first book in the series for better understanding is helpful.

[Anaïs Quesson]

I wish you could have described the story a little more for this review, Nzube. Since it is also something you reproach to the book, I think I'll pass and not read it. I am that kind of reader that needs thorough explanation to understand sci-fi and fantasy ahah. This one might be too complex for me.
I appreciate your feedback on The Rhysu Alternative. I like the manner you share your thoughts in your review, and I'm glad you liked this book! Keep up the good work!

[Gee-Q Mdluli]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book. I've never read it, and looking at the cover, I wondered what it could be about. Your review has convinced me to check it out. Thanks again for your insight.

[NetMassimo]

This series has some flaws but overall it seems interesting and well developed, so probably you just need to be ready to start a complex story being aware that you have to pay attention to everything. Thank you for your great review!