4.7 star review by INDIE READER
THE VENCELLO by S. Amaranthine is a marvelous book, evocative in style and subject matter of sci-fi greats like Margaret Atwood or Octavia Butler...
Using omniscient narration, author S. Amaranthine is able to take us–not just inside the heads of her human characters, but the heads of the whale characters as well. Her well-researched insight into what the world of whales looks like--or, more importantly, sounds like--helps seemingly abstract scenes make sense of how the story unfolds. It's the whale characters readers can turn to in order to find definitive answers about the larger story, because they perceive things so differently than the human characters...
At its core, this story is a lyrical exploration of love and loss, hope and despair, and the ultimate connection we share to our universe. The messages present in Amaranthine's story are not preachy, but carefully ingrained into the arc of the characters' stories, so that readers are able to draw their own conclusions about what those messages might be. While this is the first book of a trilogy, it's excellent as a stand-alone story that will send readers back to the front page for another read-through.
IR VERDICT: A surreal-but-linear story that blends science-fiction, fantasy, and myth in a lyrical, literary style, THE VENCELLO both rewards readers with a great story and challenges their preconceived notions about life.
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4.5 star review by SERIOUS READING
CETAPIENS by S. Amaranthine. ...(book 2) picks up from where the first book in the trilogy, Vencello left off. S. Amaranthine teases readers about time travel in the first book. In Cetapiens, time travel actually takes place. The book takes you on an epic journey--you'll travel through time into ancient times and universes yet to be discovered.
The book will keep you hooked on till the end and when it does finally end, you'll be craving for more. When you read the book, you'll often feel as if a haunting and compelling music is playing in the background. An unforgettable experience that transcends all boundaries of time, love, and species is what this book offers you. Cetapiens is a thought provoking and entertaining book.
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ORCASEKAI (Memoirs of a Lost Universe) is the third book of the trilogy. The story continues, as told through perspectives of many, some introduced in The Vencello or Cetapiens, others are new friends to the final volume. As they struggle to save a dying universe, the multiverse also heals.
