Rex Rising is the story of Elei, a young man tormented by the parasites inside him. Elei, a sympathetic character if one has ever been written, arrives on the scene after fleeing the murder of his employer and mentor. He has one thought as he loses time and blood: get to Aerica, the last thing his mentor was able to tell him. Once on Aerica he finds Kalaes and Maera, a young couple who take him in and patch him up. Little does the group know the Gultur, the violent female rulers, are after him. They will stop at nothing to get the secret Elei carries inside.
The fantastic world that Thoma creates in the Elei Chronicles will not leave fantasy readers disappointed. The seven islands are home to a race of infected humans. The parasites that inhabit the humans change and enhance their bodies, but can also kill them. I found myself fascinated by the seemingly in-depth research that went into creating these complex parasites and their effects. Don’t get me wrong, this book is not a boring analysis on parasitic life. The story is jam-packed with action from beginning to end. Teens will be turning pages to the end.
Rex is a thoroughly enjoyable read. The characters are well-built and realistic; the world is creative and unique without being too foreign to leave us lost. Thoma’s pacing and structure kept tension on every page. The cover itself is stunning and I was pleased to note that Thoma designed it herself. My one critique would be I longed for a broader look at the life and culture of this new planet. Since Elei spent most of his time on the run or in hiding, we missed out on the broad landscape that might have really enriched this world for me. One can only hope that we see more of that in the sequel, Rex Cresting, now available on Amazon.
My recommendation is this book will please anyone who likes a good adventure into a new world. It is well worth the $2.99 price tag and while you’re at it you can pick up the sequel as well.
You can find Chrystalla Thoma on her blog, twitter, facebook or her Amazon page.
You can find Rex Rising here.
The fantastic world that Thoma creates in the Elei Chronicles will not leave fantasy readers disappointed. The seven islands are home to a race of infected humans. The parasites that inhabit the humans change and enhance their bodies, but can also kill them. I found myself fascinated by the seemingly in-depth research that went into creating these complex parasites and their effects. Don’t get me wrong, this book is not a boring analysis on parasitic life. The story is jam-packed with action from beginning to end. Teens will be turning pages to the end.
Rex is a thoroughly enjoyable read. The characters are well-built and realistic; the world is creative and unique without being too foreign to leave us lost. Thoma’s pacing and structure kept tension on every page. The cover itself is stunning and I was pleased to note that Thoma designed it herself. My one critique would be I longed for a broader look at the life and culture of this new planet. Since Elei spent most of his time on the run or in hiding, we missed out on the broad landscape that might have really enriched this world for me. One can only hope that we see more of that in the sequel, Rex Cresting, now available on Amazon.
My recommendation is this book will please anyone who likes a good adventure into a new world. It is well worth the $2.99 price tag and while you’re at it you can pick up the sequel as well.
You can find Chrystalla Thoma on her blog, twitter, facebook or her Amazon page.
You can find Rex Rising here.
