You look at the books in bookstores and what do you find? Endless homages to forbidden and tantalising love affairs, stack by stack of books about teenagers and weird creatures and ancient dieties, and that oh-so-cliche journey of growing up and maturing along the way.
Not "Parabolis", no.
What Eddie Han did to this book somewhat spiced up the literary dance floor. Every once in a while, someone with the audacity to be divergent comes up and Mr. Han is that person. It is a mash-up of a Steampunk fan fiction and an awesome epic fantasy novel that truly challenges you in ways you may or may not expect.
In this book of the clashes of races, ideologies, and cultures, the author has captured the essence of an imperfect world and served it to the readers on a dinner platter with little relish and toppings. It is through this method that he had created a perfect blend of good and evil and neutrality -- a world that is so well-crafted and humanised that it is the most relatable thing you could ever have.
With every word and every sentence, readers are taken through Dale Sunday's adventures. From the slums and red-light district of Carnaval City to the salty air at the World's End and to the metallic allure of the Ancile, "Parabolis" is a hand-crafted work of genius that could really be a bonafide cult classic in the years to come. It is thought-provoking, merciless with its gut-wrenching twists and turns, awe-inspiring with its well-structured landscapes, and yet there wasn't a single drop of magic involved.
Yes, it's true. Eddie Han managed to pull out one of the core-essential elements of fantasy that makes stories cliche, magic, and still managed to assemble together a fantasy worth the praise. That is a feat that is worth taking note of, so much as the lack of deus ex machine is.
Kudos to him and his book. I can't wait for the sequel.