Book Review: The Melding of Aeris

This dystopian fantasy follows the story of Aeris.  The fantasy concept intrigued me, so I thought I’d give this a try.

The Book

The Melding of Aeris: A Dystopian Fantasy
Author: Diane Wallace Peach
2016
Amazon Link

D. Wallace Peach hosts one of the most fantastic prompts here on WP.  I’ve been eyeing some of her books, and I purchased The Melding of Aeris when it went on sale.  Dystopian fantasy isn’t something I’ve meddled in much, so I’m excited to get started with this book!

Non-Spoiler Review

There are some great indie books out there that I’ve read, but I must admit that the Melding of Aeris is definitely in the upper ranks of favorites.  The story-telling was excellently done, and the plot built on itself with sheer perfection.  And the premise?  Fantastic.  Creative.  Enrapturing.

I was worried at the very beginning, since it felt like the first scene after the prologue was so airy, light, and romantic.  Given my past experience with romance, I wasn’t excited to read about Mylea and Gavlyn’s relationship woes.   But the interest turned around in the very next scene, and the importance of both Mylea and Gavlyn came to the forefront.

I wasn’t a huge fan of all the fight scenes – of which there were plenty.  I don’t think they were done poorly, I just didn’t think there needed to be so many.  Still, they built on each other well, and they performed their function.

Aeris flowed well, especially for an Indie book, and by the end you feel like you’ve read a complete story.  It was great overall, and I would definitely recommend.

5/5 Discoball Snowcones

SPOILERS REVIEW

The premise of the book, which I barely touched on in the non-spoiler review, was that people in this fantasy world could fuse the skins of animals or other people on their bodies, replacing their own bouncy flesh.  The problem, though, was that their children inherited monstrous versions of their own flesh manipulation.

When Aeris received skin with blond curls, I instantly worried that it was Gavlyn – one of the two lovers – who had been sacrificed to give Aeris this benefit.  That shock was what made me stick through the book entirely.

In the end, Aeris does what you want him to do the whole time and gives up the stolen skin from Gavlyn to help his friends.  He returns to a (slightly) less monstrous form than he started out with, but his friends become mostly human thanks to Gavlyn’s sacrifice and Aeris’s gift.  With that parting favor, he helps end the practice of flesh-exchange forever by eradicating the magic that grants it.

The line that resonated with me was uttered by Aeris’s swordmaster, Andonis: “It’s not your skin that makes you a man or a monster, but your decisions.”  This proverb was so well interwoven into the book, and Aeris’s growth to live up to the aphorism perfectly matched.

Next week:

Next week, I do something different since it’s a 5th Monday – hang onto your butts!