![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In the past, Aqib is the son of the Master of Beasts and has an affinity for animals, something that he takes for granted but that, in the future portions of the story, take on another level entirely. While at first blush the story seems to borrow from North African and Roman aesthetics, the similarities kind of end when aliens get involved, beings who are able to provide some of the civilizations with vast resources and technologies, but not without a price. The story jumps back and forth through time, revealing a setting that is rich, dense, and very strange. This story nails what makes novellas exciting-presenting an emotionally resonant, stylistically complex, and expertly paced story that can be devoured in a single sitting. Which is a shame, because as this one shows the form allows for an intensity and a depth that is harder to maintain over a novel-length work while still being able to stretch with a vivid world-building and complicated plot that would have felt rushed in a shorter piece. ![]()
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