What if you could hold a memory in the palm of your hand?
In the Mirage, you can. Reachable only by leaving the physical body and entering the out-of-body state, the Mirage allows all within it to trade memories like souvenirs and create structures that defy physics. And now, after centuries, even the memory of the devastating Vakragha attack on their world has all but been forgotten, and most have lost touch with the physical world altogether.
Jyana is different. Driven by her desire to understand the natural world, she dedicates herself to studying the sea below Mirage City. Yet when she finds that the coral reef is being decimated by an unknown cause, no one will take her seriously, not even Torin, whom she loves more than anyone. Ambrosia supply shortages are getting worse, and Torin fears a crisis is brewing. Its formula a state secret, ambrosia gives architects the power to form colossal structures, and without it, their ancient civilization would surely collapse.
In the midst of this, everyone is shocked when a refugee from before the attack returns. Filled with questions, Asha has come with a secret mission which may destabilize their entire planet, causing the end of the Mirage itself.
A fast-paced, out-of-body Sci-Fi adventure, THE MIRAGE ON THE BRINK OF OBLIVION is the triumphant 3rd installment in the EPIC OF ARAVINDA.
I would like to start this review with a few of my favorite passages from the book.
“To try, as best as we possibly can, to find the place where those three parts agree, because they all have something valuable to say.”
“But what if you can’t find that space where they agree? What then?”
“Well, then you remember their strengths.”
“The Mirage On The Brink Of Oblivion” is the third book in the “Epic Of Aravinda” series. Want to see my reviews of the first two books? Click on the covers below.
Now that I am three books into this series, I have to brag on Mr. Crusoe a bit. The first book was really good and I enjoyed reading it. The second not quite as good and the message of “one” kind of took over the story. In this, the third book, Mr. Crusoe’s writing has started to gain some finesse and it’s been a real treat to watch him evolve as a writer. That alone is a fun reason to keep reading the series.
In “The Mirage” (shortened the title), a beloved character from the first book comes back in a very unexpected way. I definitely did not see that coming. I have been wondering about the fate of said person since they went missing. Needless to say, a lot of the loose ends from the previous books are beginning to be revealed.
A bad habit that Mr. Crusoe has with his dialogue is over explaining situations. There is no need to simplify every single event. I suggest trying to replace some of that dialogue with action scenes. Show us, don’t tell us. And PLEASE don’t repeat dialogue. I got it the first time. If you’re trying to update a new character through an old character just write “Asha filled her in”, or something like that. Don’t re-explain! Argh! That drove me nuts. That is really the only thing left for Mr. Crusoe to work out.
The “Mirage” was an interesting place. This is a great example of how much Mr. Crusoe’s writing has improved. The picture he paints of this ethereal world is fantastic. It sounds beautiful and magical. I would love to see this world brought to life in film or animation.
Learning more about Asha was a real treat too. Her character is growing and I’ve built a real fondness for her. She’s strong and intuitive but not egotistical. The relationship that her and Zahn are building is beautiful to witness. The bond between them grows stronger every page. They bring a new definition to “soul mates”.
Speaking of growing character, Zahn is getting wise and very philosophical! There are a ton of points that he makes in the story that stuck me right in the heart. Between him and Asha, they would make one heck of a governing system. I would like to see them move up the ranks.
The action in this story is steady and is paced well to keep you on your toes! The creative plot twists were surprising and interesting.
I still have a few questions that I would like more information on. The biggest is the Confederation. We really don’t know much at all about them. I would like to see that part of the story fleshed out more. How does it work? Who is in it?
I’m rating this 4 stars.
The Technical Data:
Title: The Mirage On The Blink Of Oblivion | Series: Epic of Aravinda | Author(s): Andrew M. Crusoe |Publisher: Aravinda Publishing / Publication Date: 7-20-2016 |Pages: 241 (Print) | ISBN: B01GWD5A4O |Genre(s): Young Adult Science Fiction |Language: English |Rating: 4 out of 5 | Date Read: 12-10-2016 |Source: Copy from author.
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