J.B. Ezar

Exploring the Different

Our language is a reflection of the structures of our mind, but the language is also what shapes them. We have no words for something we cannot experience. Every concept we use is there because someone who taught us our language gave us the words for it.

The prose in this story is strange. It’s challenging and convoluted, and it puts a strain on the reader. Because the narrator isn’t human. It’s very easy to guess, but the story doesn’t suffer from revealing it early on. It becomes an invitation to explore how a very different being would perceive something we take for granted. Would a life form with no eyes but able to distinguish darkness from the light because of its photosynthesizing nature identify and name shapes? Face and eye recognition is innate for all vertebrate social species, but would a tree have this concept? Would slow metabolism affect how creatures perceive time? Would an organism, evolved to spend years in an unmoving position know what motion is?

Even though the narrator is a botanical entity, this is a story written by a human and meant for other humans to read, so of course, the constructs here are adaptations, transcending biology and stepping into the realm of culture. Something we regard as a beautiful tradition can be gruesome and gory and fatal for those we see as unconscious.

Delightful duality

An unreliable narrator. The duality of interpretation. Two aspects of speculative fiction I adore.

This is a horror story. What scares you the most: losing your mind or meeting a non-corporeal being with a knife?

Posing as a letter written before facing the terrifying enemy, this short story is a memoir where the rational mind of a medical student confronts the certainty of an eye-witness. Shown from a sufferer’s perspective, this story leaves the freedom to decide if the protagonist has encountered something paranormal or she is delusional and paranoid.

Slightly ambiguous, somewhat leaning towards one of the alternatives, this story after some polishing could become a magnificent specimen of paranoid fiction.

A brilliant start

This is the first book in the series, it only sets the scene for more to come. Beautiful, Earth-like nature here is alive and sentient. In a world of anthropomorphic animals, some are chosen for a mission that involves magic, facing the enemies and their own demons. While we follow the party on a dangerous journey, we explore the questions of sustainability, fairness, and balance.

This fantasy story offers a unique take on evolution, natural forces and even afterlife. Filled with so much love for flora and fauna, it urges us to notice the current state of our planet, inviting us to become the real-life Guardians.

Being a massive build-up to something that might become epic, this book is not an independent piece but rather an introduction, filled with unanswered questions and teasing with hints. Highly recommended to serial fantasy lovers who appreciate strong logic and convincing worldbuilding.