Tre-erde

by U.L. Harper

What would you do for the future of your soul?   Like any other person in the community of Tre-erde, Janae believes each tree in the Tre-wood Forest grows from the soul of a buried ancestor, from a deceased friend, or a relative. Like any person in Tre-erde, she believes she belongs in the community, despite them shunning her for the nature of her estranged father.   But unlike others in Tre-erde, she can't believe what the Prime, the wisest person in all the communities, is telling the mythical dragon from childhood stories will finally arrive and eat the trees in the Tre-wood. It will then carry their souls in its belly across the sea to the other world, that promised better world.   When the mother and father of her friend Daneel take their own lives, it signals what might be a trending kind of travesty that will happen in anticipation of the dragon's arrival. Not accepting this fate for Tre-erde, Janae and Daneel travel to Kahlil, the community near the sea, to find proof that the dragon is not real and is merely part of a story.   In their journey, they discover half-truths that shaped Tre-erde's past, and unprecedented changes in the world around them. All this while gathering knowledge of a near future event that threatens, not just the lives of all those in Tre-erde, but the nature of what it means to have a buried soul.

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 12, 2023

About the author

U.L. Harper writes literary fiction on the edge of fantasy and horror.

Originally from Long Beach, California, he now makes his home in Tacoma, Washington with his wife and daughter.

Keep in touch by joining The World of U.L. at ulharper1.com

Reviews

[Roxanne Bland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some might think stories about portals between worlds is a well-worn trope, but Harper shows us it still has plenty of life. Tre-erde is a truly original take on the concept. In Harper's tale, on one side of the portal is the world we know, and on the other is a world that we would consider technologically primitive. People in both worlds can travel from one to the other, but doing so doesn't come without grave risk. For the people of Tre-erde, reaching the afterlife is a horrifying journey.

The story spans several decades, following Janae from her childhood to an adult. In Tre-erde, she is an outcast, yet her status serves her in good stead because it allows her an independence of mind and spirit her neighbors lack. She doesn't succumb to the people of Tre-erde's lore, but insists on proof, leading her to discover the terrible truth. Janae's character is compelling; headstrong and determined, yet tempered by pragmatic compassion.

Although quite well-written and superbly edited, the story would have benefitted from a thorough proofreading. Overall, the errors are not large in number, but enough to be noticeable. Even so, they do not detract from what is a cracking good tale.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.