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Venus Fall
Onine is the only Kyprian who knows his species' ultimate truth, and he fears for El. From the moment he sees her, a slave at the Bathing Temple, he wants to save her. But the only way for him to do so is to give up his beauty, forego his fire, and become clay like her. An easy task if it were as simple as him changing his form. Unfortunately, she is the one who must be transformed and become Kyprian like him.
- GenresFantasy
Unknown Binding
First published March 21, 2015
21 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
K.P. Ambroziak
19 books73 followersK.P. Ambroziak's THE JOURNAL OF VINCENT DU MAURIER (RAGE FOR BLOOD) was featured in Publishers Weekly Reviews Roundup in 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 8, 2017
Kind of nice to find a book where everyone isn’t running from Earth’s final breaths or coming to Earth to intentionally blow it to bits! The planet Venus has its own problems, a civil war has sent Kyprians to Earth and with that move comes acclimating to a new planet and what better way to get to know the new neighbors than to have an inter-species union? Sounds pretty straight forward, but is it or could there be inherent risks that could bring both species down in a flaming death? One species is made of fire, the other from clay, two souls will test the waters of change to discover if they can survive the heat of their emotions and the burning flames of their touch. Only one man knows the truths hidden from their world.
K.P. Ambroziak’s VENUS FALL made me feel I was part of a dreamlike tale, a little shrouded in both dark and light mist, as she brings her fantasy world to life in a carefully choreographed tale of life, love and the differences between not only other species, but each other.
Her characters are spiritual, in their beliefs and their form, to go to Earth requires them to take a physical form that seems to sound rather cumbersome. Imagine needing to constantly tend to a form just to maintain it, far beyond what we earthlings do. Yep, no 7 day diets, no gym membership, that we may or may not use, we are talking constant, do NOT miss your appointment detail.
What K.P. Ambroziak does is mesmerize her readers in a world that questions all we think we know. Almost poetic in her writing, this tale glides more than moves along from start to finish. There is forbidden love, need and tremendous change. There is confusion, doubt and what is not fast-paced action and adventure is certainly a journey into a realm where fantasy tests our ability to imagine every step of the way! This is truly one of those tales that envelopes its readers in a reality that makes the world fade away! Dig in, settle back and become part of the details, the world and the lives of these characters and be amazed at how believable it all becomes!
I received this copy from K.P. Amroziak in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: K. P. Ambroziak; 2 edition (March 21, 2015)
Publication Date: March 21, 2015
Genre: Fantasy | Scifi
Print Length: 180 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
K.P. Ambroziak’s VENUS FALL made me feel I was part of a dreamlike tale, a little shrouded in both dark and light mist, as she brings her fantasy world to life in a carefully choreographed tale of life, love and the differences between not only other species, but each other.
Her characters are spiritual, in their beliefs and their form, to go to Earth requires them to take a physical form that seems to sound rather cumbersome. Imagine needing to constantly tend to a form just to maintain it, far beyond what we earthlings do. Yep, no 7 day diets, no gym membership, that we may or may not use, we are talking constant, do NOT miss your appointment detail.
What K.P. Ambroziak does is mesmerize her readers in a world that questions all we think we know. Almost poetic in her writing, this tale glides more than moves along from start to finish. There is forbidden love, need and tremendous change. There is confusion, doubt and what is not fast-paced action and adventure is certainly a journey into a realm where fantasy tests our ability to imagine every step of the way! This is truly one of those tales that envelopes its readers in a reality that makes the world fade away! Dig in, settle back and become part of the details, the world and the lives of these characters and be amazed at how believable it all becomes!
I received this copy from K.P. Amroziak in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: K. P. Ambroziak; 2 edition (March 21, 2015)
Publication Date: March 21, 2015
Genre: Fantasy | Scifi
Print Length: 180 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
June 9, 2016
I’m not sure how to state this both simply and without alienating potential readers, but if you’re not interested in a story that is going to stretch your mind and make you think, research, ponder, compare, and quite possibly struggle with your own beliefs, don’t bother with this one. In fact, don’t bother with anything Ambroziak writes. What you will find with El and Onine, and with her other works as well, is complexity, beauty, challenge, and a remarkable wholeness.
El and Onine is a creation myth, and a love story. It takes inspiration from Ovid’s, Metamorphoses, and if that doesn’t tell you a little something about what you’re walking into, it should. In the same way that Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy is suffused with depth and detail that only a professor of history could write, so is El and Onine enmeshed in the mythos of western literature in a way that only a professor of comparative literature could weave.
When you begin the story, you begin in the center. Ambroziak doesn’t build worlds as much as she invites you into a world fully built, and has ultimate faith that you, the reader, will discover all you need to know to inhabit this world along with the characters and live out their adventure. I personally, being a fan of creation stories (who doesn’t love a cosmic turtle or a spider woman?) thought I was in a good place to run with the story, and then boom. Suddenly we’re dealing with concepts like divine rape and the -- really truly physically as well as spiritually -- transcendent nature of love and absolute existence.
I scurried back to Ovid. I refreshed myself on the nature of traditional western gods (they were jerks) and the nature of epic poets (they were sneakily political) and the nature of spiritual transcendence (it quite often involves immolation – and that’s just the beginning of the adventure). I reminded myself that although my personal worldview primarily focuses on worldly regeneration and psychological rebirth, there is much more to the story for those who venture further into the realm of the spirit. And truly, Ambroziak does leave that element of the story a beautiful mystery. We’re simply not privy to the whole truth, nor are the characters –
“’It is unfolding as it should.’
She had no guarantees. We all walked blindly toward the new world.”
A note as to the characters. I find it fascinating that Ambroziak’s voice often finds its most eloquence with her male characters. You would be wise to pay special attention to Onine, as you read, for while El is the goddess, the creator, the mother of the new race that is to become, it’s Onine who truly gets stuck with the nearly Sisyphean task of making it all happen.
He goes through all the preparatory physical agony, all the politicking, the plotting, he carries the seed, plants it, protects it from all who would betray them, who would tear it out and plant theirs in its place, and he’s the one who, motivated by utter love and devotion, gives his all in nearly anonymous fireworks to ensure the plan works and the old can become transformed into something entirely new. El does more than her fair share of the planning and the suffering, but Onine gets to be aware of it all, he gets to drive, while for quite a while, El gets to snooze in the back seat.
But in the end, they are a team. The two of them, their intent, their action, and their belief are the Omega and the Alpha of this world. Their love transcends the suffering, and their intent works seamlessly hand in hand to create wholly new, unknown, unexplored, untested, brilliantly unique, (a little closer to divine?) life from the ashes of horror and destruction.
And one further note, the goat gets a happy ending. I really cannot ask for anything more.
El and Onine is a creation myth, and a love story. It takes inspiration from Ovid’s, Metamorphoses, and if that doesn’t tell you a little something about what you’re walking into, it should. In the same way that Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy is suffused with depth and detail that only a professor of history could write, so is El and Onine enmeshed in the mythos of western literature in a way that only a professor of comparative literature could weave.
When you begin the story, you begin in the center. Ambroziak doesn’t build worlds as much as she invites you into a world fully built, and has ultimate faith that you, the reader, will discover all you need to know to inhabit this world along with the characters and live out their adventure. I personally, being a fan of creation stories (who doesn’t love a cosmic turtle or a spider woman?) thought I was in a good place to run with the story, and then boom. Suddenly we’re dealing with concepts like divine rape and the -- really truly physically as well as spiritually -- transcendent nature of love and absolute existence.
I scurried back to Ovid. I refreshed myself on the nature of traditional western gods (they were jerks) and the nature of epic poets (they were sneakily political) and the nature of spiritual transcendence (it quite often involves immolation – and that’s just the beginning of the adventure). I reminded myself that although my personal worldview primarily focuses on worldly regeneration and psychological rebirth, there is much more to the story for those who venture further into the realm of the spirit. And truly, Ambroziak does leave that element of the story a beautiful mystery. We’re simply not privy to the whole truth, nor are the characters –
“’It is unfolding as it should.’
She had no guarantees. We all walked blindly toward the new world.”
A note as to the characters. I find it fascinating that Ambroziak’s voice often finds its most eloquence with her male characters. You would be wise to pay special attention to Onine, as you read, for while El is the goddess, the creator, the mother of the new race that is to become, it’s Onine who truly gets stuck with the nearly Sisyphean task of making it all happen.
He goes through all the preparatory physical agony, all the politicking, the plotting, he carries the seed, plants it, protects it from all who would betray them, who would tear it out and plant theirs in its place, and he’s the one who, motivated by utter love and devotion, gives his all in nearly anonymous fireworks to ensure the plan works and the old can become transformed into something entirely new. El does more than her fair share of the planning and the suffering, but Onine gets to be aware of it all, he gets to drive, while for quite a while, El gets to snooze in the back seat.
But in the end, they are a team. The two of them, their intent, their action, and their belief are the Omega and the Alpha of this world. Their love transcends the suffering, and their intent works seamlessly hand in hand to create wholly new, unknown, unexplored, untested, brilliantly unique, (a little closer to divine?) life from the ashes of horror and destruction.
And one further note, the goat gets a happy ending. I really cannot ask for anything more.
March 27, 2016
K.P. Ambroziak is unique among authors I'm familiar with. Traditionally even the most obtuse fantastical works will ease a reader into an unfamiliar world, gradually revealing facts as they become necessary - think of Tolkien's hobbits leaving the pastoral Shire or Martin focusing almost exclusively on the Stark family before expanding to the more complicated characters, politically speaking. Ambroziak eschews (or perhaps is incapable) of such worldbuilding. Her worlds seem to pop into existence fully formed, with deep wells of politics, biology, and tradition that the characters are all well aware of, and the reader simply intuits as time goes by (or doesn't.)
It's a dizzying talent, one I'm not sure I would even know how to go about replicating. Perhaps I shouldn't even worry about it, because it's what makes Ambroziak's work so unusual. With EL AND ONINE, she revisits some of the themes touched upon in A PERPETUAL MIMICRY, about spiritual beings taking on flesh and the seemingly casual cruelty that such hybridization breeds.
Rather than the angels of A PERPETUAL MIMICRY, the transcendent creatures of EL AND ONINE are Venusians, often described as beings of fire. (Who else could survive on the surface of Venus, after all?) A civil war amongst the Venusians has led to one of their religious cults taking a sort of a spiritual Stargate to a prehistoric (or perhaps simply ahistoric) Earth. The price of travel to Earth is taking on crude flesh, one that must be constantly fed by the sun, fire, great greenhouses, and luxuriant baths of molten gold. It all seems a terrible burden to the transformed Venusians.
Not to worry, though, because the Venusians have slaves to take out all of their frustrations upon! The Sapients, implied to be a pre-human race of "clay" are cheerfully enslaved by their Venusian masters. Some of the early chapters of EL AND ONINE got me really thinking about slavery. The Sapients hate themselves, despise their own visages, and consider the Venusians to be insanely beautiful - basically for no other reason than that they're constantly told how beautiful their masters are and how hideous they are. The book wasn't especially overtly political, but it definitely got me thinking about some real world parallels - why some people, entire groups of people, even, have to do all manner of nonsense to live up to a standard that was essentially set by slave-owning jerks centuries ago. But I digress without really digressing.
As I said, EL AND ONINE deals with a lot of the same issues as A PERPETUAL MIMICRY. Ambroziak seems drawn to the concerns of non-material beings in a way I haven't really seen addressed since I read Vonnegut in high school. I've kind of rambled on here a bit. This is all very heady stuff. Ambroziak is deeply intellectual in a way I haven't read in a long time either - I gather her stories would all change in light of a vast classical education - but also easily accessible. There aren't fifty cent words thrown in to remind you how smart she is. It's just goat farmers farming goats, and angelic beings trying to explain the ineffable to goat farmers with words goat farmers would use.
I don't really know where I'm going with all this. Perhaps there's just a lot to digest. I recommend you check out EL AND ONINE and all of Ambroziak's work before the secret gets out.
It's a dizzying talent, one I'm not sure I would even know how to go about replicating. Perhaps I shouldn't even worry about it, because it's what makes Ambroziak's work so unusual. With EL AND ONINE, she revisits some of the themes touched upon in A PERPETUAL MIMICRY, about spiritual beings taking on flesh and the seemingly casual cruelty that such hybridization breeds.
Rather than the angels of A PERPETUAL MIMICRY, the transcendent creatures of EL AND ONINE are Venusians, often described as beings of fire. (Who else could survive on the surface of Venus, after all?) A civil war amongst the Venusians has led to one of their religious cults taking a sort of a spiritual Stargate to a prehistoric (or perhaps simply ahistoric) Earth. The price of travel to Earth is taking on crude flesh, one that must be constantly fed by the sun, fire, great greenhouses, and luxuriant baths of molten gold. It all seems a terrible burden to the transformed Venusians.
Not to worry, though, because the Venusians have slaves to take out all of their frustrations upon! The Sapients, implied to be a pre-human race of "clay" are cheerfully enslaved by their Venusian masters. Some of the early chapters of EL AND ONINE got me really thinking about slavery. The Sapients hate themselves, despise their own visages, and consider the Venusians to be insanely beautiful - basically for no other reason than that they're constantly told how beautiful their masters are and how hideous they are. The book wasn't especially overtly political, but it definitely got me thinking about some real world parallels - why some people, entire groups of people, even, have to do all manner of nonsense to live up to a standard that was essentially set by slave-owning jerks centuries ago. But I digress without really digressing.
As I said, EL AND ONINE deals with a lot of the same issues as A PERPETUAL MIMICRY. Ambroziak seems drawn to the concerns of non-material beings in a way I haven't really seen addressed since I read Vonnegut in high school. I've kind of rambled on here a bit. This is all very heady stuff. Ambroziak is deeply intellectual in a way I haven't read in a long time either - I gather her stories would all change in light of a vast classical education - but also easily accessible. There aren't fifty cent words thrown in to remind you how smart she is. It's just goat farmers farming goats, and angelic beings trying to explain the ineffable to goat farmers with words goat farmers would use.
I don't really know where I'm going with all this. Perhaps there's just a lot to digest. I recommend you check out EL AND ONINE and all of Ambroziak's work before the secret gets out.
June 3, 2016
El and Onine
“El and Onine” is a complex story that does not fit neatly into any box. It is a creation story, an epic saga, a paranormal fiction, a fantasy, and a romance. I took my time putting this review together because I wanted to do justice to the deft way Ambroziak deals with the complexities of a theme which appears in many forms throughout our human history.
Those of us familiar with Ovid’s Metamorphoses will recognize the origins or theme behind the masterful way in which Ambroziak makes this recurring subject in literature new and fresh. As someone not familiar with Ovid’s version I found that my lack did not deter me from enjoying this one.
Even those not accustomed to creation myths will find this book a joy to read. Yet, its complexity will challenge the reader – in a good way. Ambroziak creates characters that reveal themselves slowly and patiently. She does so with such a clever hand that we are drawn to them, wonder about them, want to know them better from the outset, even become impatient to solve the riddle of who they are in their depths. While this is especially true of both El and Onine, our two main characters, even some secondary characters, such as the Venutian goddess, do not appear full-blown, but become known to us bit by bit.
The worlds Ambroziak builds, both on Venus and on Earth, are beautifully and completely wrought. The alien cultures are well developed, including the religious/mythological aspects which drive the theme forward. I marvel at the visual images that invoke both worlds. Ambroziak uses description with just enough detail that we see a full picture, but wastes no extraneous words to get us there.
The story does not follow a chronological line, but moves back and forth in time. This allows the reader to learn why things unfold as they do without giving away too much too early. Some characters are given two names, depending on what part of the story they live in at the moment, or which other characters they interact with. This keeps the reader guessing, at least for a time, as to who is who. We have our suspicions, but no certain confirmations until well into the book. It is a clever device that keeps us on our toes, asking questions, wanting to see how it all ties together.
While I loved all of these aspects, the underlying romance is what drew me in the most. Both El and Onine must suffer greatly before they can fulfil their destinies, El without knowing her role, Onine with full understanding. Yet neither are what they seem, at first, to the reader, or to each other.
This exceptional book will keep readers engaged from page one to its conclusion. I recommend it for enthusiasts of all the genres mentioned.
“El and Onine” is a complex story that does not fit neatly into any box. It is a creation story, an epic saga, a paranormal fiction, a fantasy, and a romance. I took my time putting this review together because I wanted to do justice to the deft way Ambroziak deals with the complexities of a theme which appears in many forms throughout our human history.
Those of us familiar with Ovid’s Metamorphoses will recognize the origins or theme behind the masterful way in which Ambroziak makes this recurring subject in literature new and fresh. As someone not familiar with Ovid’s version I found that my lack did not deter me from enjoying this one.
Even those not accustomed to creation myths will find this book a joy to read. Yet, its complexity will challenge the reader – in a good way. Ambroziak creates characters that reveal themselves slowly and patiently. She does so with such a clever hand that we are drawn to them, wonder about them, want to know them better from the outset, even become impatient to solve the riddle of who they are in their depths. While this is especially true of both El and Onine, our two main characters, even some secondary characters, such as the Venutian goddess, do not appear full-blown, but become known to us bit by bit.
The worlds Ambroziak builds, both on Venus and on Earth, are beautifully and completely wrought. The alien cultures are well developed, including the religious/mythological aspects which drive the theme forward. I marvel at the visual images that invoke both worlds. Ambroziak uses description with just enough detail that we see a full picture, but wastes no extraneous words to get us there.
The story does not follow a chronological line, but moves back and forth in time. This allows the reader to learn why things unfold as they do without giving away too much too early. Some characters are given two names, depending on what part of the story they live in at the moment, or which other characters they interact with. This keeps the reader guessing, at least for a time, as to who is who. We have our suspicions, but no certain confirmations until well into the book. It is a clever device that keeps us on our toes, asking questions, wanting to see how it all ties together.
While I loved all of these aspects, the underlying romance is what drew me in the most. Both El and Onine must suffer greatly before they can fulfil their destinies, El without knowing her role, Onine with full understanding. Yet neither are what they seem, at first, to the reader, or to each other.
This exceptional book will keep readers engaged from page one to its conclusion. I recommend it for enthusiasts of all the genres mentioned.
September 13, 2015
What’s It About?
When the Venusians leave their planet in search of freedom and renewal, they realize the benefit of a union between fire, (Venusians), and clay, (Sapients). Creating a new race presents its challenges though, as it is dangerous for those of separate races to touch one another, without being badly burned or even killed.
“We must become the fire and clay.”
El and Onine is a romantic fantasy about a Sapient and a Venusian who, despite the dangers of a inter-species relationship, are in love.
My Thoughts
I really enjoy Author K.P. Ambroziak’s story-telling abilities because she transports me to a different world with her words. She has such an incredible talent for world building, and the fantasy genre is certainly her niche.
The author created an atmosphere like no other, and yet there were things familiar such as a wheat field, and a cabbage patch on this fantasy planet. I enjoyed the unique setting of this novel very much.
I really liked the romance of El and Onine, and the star-crossed lovers vibe. There was also a happily-ever-after that surprised me and made me smile. :)
If you enjoy elegant, smart writing, vivid fantasy worlds, and everlasting love that stretches beyond the imagination, you should add El and Onine, by K.P. Ambroziak to your TBR list, (or even better, your book shelf or Kindle!)
***I received an e-copy of El and Onine by the Author in exchange for a fair, thoughtful, and honest book review. This in no way swayed my opinion or rating.
Please check out my full review: https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2015...
When the Venusians leave their planet in search of freedom and renewal, they realize the benefit of a union between fire, (Venusians), and clay, (Sapients). Creating a new race presents its challenges though, as it is dangerous for those of separate races to touch one another, without being badly burned or even killed.
“We must become the fire and clay.”
El and Onine is a romantic fantasy about a Sapient and a Venusian who, despite the dangers of a inter-species relationship, are in love.
My Thoughts
I really enjoy Author K.P. Ambroziak’s story-telling abilities because she transports me to a different world with her words. She has such an incredible talent for world building, and the fantasy genre is certainly her niche.
The author created an atmosphere like no other, and yet there were things familiar such as a wheat field, and a cabbage patch on this fantasy planet. I enjoyed the unique setting of this novel very much.
I really liked the romance of El and Onine, and the star-crossed lovers vibe. There was also a happily-ever-after that surprised me and made me smile. :)
If you enjoy elegant, smart writing, vivid fantasy worlds, and everlasting love that stretches beyond the imagination, you should add El and Onine, by K.P. Ambroziak to your TBR list, (or even better, your book shelf or Kindle!)
***I received an e-copy of El and Onine by the Author in exchange for a fair, thoughtful, and honest book review. This in no way swayed my opinion or rating.
Please check out my full review: https://aprillwood.wordpress.com/2015...
August 20, 2016
Just finished reading “El & Onine”, by K. P. Ambroziak. I had this book in my Kindle Library for a few months, but one day along with a few other books it arrived in my mailbox, signed by the author. Not for a honest review or any other reason, but because as she indicated in her signing that it was “Something a little different”! And that it was...this book went beyond your imagination to a world outside reality. It was a melody of words, singing off the page...intellectually and poetically written, and a most fantastical piece of metamorphic fantasy...another fabulous read from a brilliant author.
Synopsis: A civil war on Venus has driven the Venusians to Earth for refuge, where they must adapt to their new surroundings and adopt the planet as their own. The Kyprian council has selected El, a sapient and earth dweller, to be the other half of an interspecies union. But contact between the species may very well mean a fiery death to both, and El is terrified.
Onine, a Venusian leader, doesn’t know El, but from the moment he sees her he knows he has to save her. Sapients are slaves, soiled and dirty beings that inhabit the earth, and no Venusian would ever demean itself to take the crude form of the sapient. But the only way for Onine to save El is to forgo his beauty and fire, and become clay like her. A simple task if it were as simple as his giving up his form. Unfortunately, she is the one who must undergo a transformation, one for which she already has.
A creation myth inspired by Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” El and Onine pursue a love more resilient than the bodies they’ve been given and the universe in which they exist.
Synopsis: A civil war on Venus has driven the Venusians to Earth for refuge, where they must adapt to their new surroundings and adopt the planet as their own. The Kyprian council has selected El, a sapient and earth dweller, to be the other half of an interspecies union. But contact between the species may very well mean a fiery death to both, and El is terrified.
Onine, a Venusian leader, doesn’t know El, but from the moment he sees her he knows he has to save her. Sapients are slaves, soiled and dirty beings that inhabit the earth, and no Venusian would ever demean itself to take the crude form of the sapient. But the only way for Onine to save El is to forgo his beauty and fire, and become clay like her. A simple task if it were as simple as his giving up his form. Unfortunately, she is the one who must undergo a transformation, one for which she already has.
A creation myth inspired by Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” El and Onine pursue a love more resilient than the bodies they’ve been given and the universe in which they exist.
July 22, 2016
A captivating and intriguing interstellar love story with a twist. Ambroziak's writing style is hauntingly smooth, melodic, and slightly sensual as she touches upon themes of master and slave, innocence and knowledge, as well as transformation and rebirth. This is a story which, once read, will ingrain itself into the memory and might leave you questioning the validity of your core beliefs.
Excellent read--very well done!
Excellent read--very well done!
May 26, 2016
Weird and hard to follOw
January 15, 2017
Strange book, not a bad book, just, strange.
December 9, 2020
Seems ok
Seems like it could be a good story but this was too short and left me hanging. Plus part of it is confusing.
Seems like it could be a good story but this was too short and left me hanging. Plus part of it is confusing.
December 16, 2022
A weird journey that was hard to follow. I never was able to identify with the character's, and therefore had trouble following the flow of the story. Not my cup of tea.
October 12, 2015
*** I received a copy of El and Onine by the author in exchange for a honest review. This in no way swayed my opinion of the book.
In a world where the earth has been taken over by ‘aliens’, El is a sapient and Onine is a Venusian. Bound by the physicality of their bodies and the universe that they come from, any form of physical contact means a fiery death to both of them. Yet something draws them closer together… and when El is selected as the other half in an interspecies union, Onine must save her before it’s too late.
First off, let me just say that I am completely, completely in love with the setting of El and Onine. Ambroziak drew a very intricate, very detailed picture of the landscape, and it’s really quite wonderful to re-imagine society if it were to be broken down and then created again, this time by a species that’s not exactly human and doesn’t possess human logic. She also used different, alien-sounding words to describe human concepts, which helps me immerse myself deep into the setting and imagine it like I’m there. That’s not something every author can do, and it’s wonderful to see a fantasy novel that’s not bound by cliches.
However, I feel like it comes at the expense of character/relationship development. There is not enough for me to understand why El and Onine love each other except for their history, which isn’t also clearly elaborated on. There are other characters too whose story I'd like to hear (even) more about: Tal, Em, Minosh, to name a few.
Plot-wise, I don’t think that alternating perspectives is the best way to tell this story, especially when they’re alternating perspectives of the same events. There’s some overlap between El’s and Onine’s parts, which makes the reading slightly redundant at times. I also wish we went deeper into the setting and how it came to be this way, because that is certainly one of the strongest points of the story.
That being said, Ambroziak is a good writer, and there are some really beautiful, elegant descriptions in this story. As a fantasy novel, El and Onine takes the readers on a journey into a completely different world. The ‘otherness’ in this book is real, and readers who enjoy reading about unique, original worlds will love the tale that Ambroziak weaves.
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In a world where the earth has been taken over by ‘aliens’, El is a sapient and Onine is a Venusian. Bound by the physicality of their bodies and the universe that they come from, any form of physical contact means a fiery death to both of them. Yet something draws them closer together… and when El is selected as the other half in an interspecies union, Onine must save her before it’s too late.
First off, let me just say that I am completely, completely in love with the setting of El and Onine. Ambroziak drew a very intricate, very detailed picture of the landscape, and it’s really quite wonderful to re-imagine society if it were to be broken down and then created again, this time by a species that’s not exactly human and doesn’t possess human logic. She also used different, alien-sounding words to describe human concepts, which helps me immerse myself deep into the setting and imagine it like I’m there. That’s not something every author can do, and it’s wonderful to see a fantasy novel that’s not bound by cliches.
However, I feel like it comes at the expense of character/relationship development. There is not enough for me to understand why El and Onine love each other except for their history, which isn’t also clearly elaborated on. There are other characters too whose story I'd like to hear (even) more about: Tal, Em, Minosh, to name a few.
Plot-wise, I don’t think that alternating perspectives is the best way to tell this story, especially when they’re alternating perspectives of the same events. There’s some overlap between El’s and Onine’s parts, which makes the reading slightly redundant at times. I also wish we went deeper into the setting and how it came to be this way, because that is certainly one of the strongest points of the story.
That being said, Ambroziak is a good writer, and there are some really beautiful, elegant descriptions in this story. As a fantasy novel, El and Onine takes the readers on a journey into a completely different world. The ‘otherness’ in this book is real, and readers who enjoy reading about unique, original worlds will love the tale that Ambroziak weaves.
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April 19, 2018
See my other reviews at Never Enough Books
When a civil war on Venus causes it’s people to seek refuge on Earth, they must quickly acclimate to their new surroundings. When the ruling council decides to adopt the planet as their own, the idea of an interspecies union seems the best way to ensure the survival of both species. This is a problem though as even the smallest touch brings death to one or both individuals.
El and Onine was one of those books I had placed on my To Be Read list back when I started this blog and before I discovered what a wonderful author K.P. Ambroziak was. This was also before I learned what a very nice person she is, as I added this book to my list before we had spoken even one work to each other.
El and Onine is the story of two very different races of people coming to rely on one another. As a civil war erupts on the planet Venus, it’s people – referred to as Kyprians – travel to Earth. Due to their fiery nature, the arrival of the Kyprians is devastating to Earth and its inhabitants; those that survive are soon put to work serving their new masters.
Like with her other books, Ambroziak has built an entire new world for her book El and Onine. We are introduced to it slowly, the history of the place and the people who inhabit it told as flashbacks and memories. This makes it easier to take in the wealth of information given, a welcome change from the “data dump” some authors rely on to fill their readers in.
The only negative thing I have to say about this particular book is how short it is. At just under 200 pages, while it is a quick read it also isn’t enough for us to become totally invested in the characters. The story could have easily gone on for longer to give us more insight and background.
I enjoyed reading El and Onine and will very likely read it again. It is a layered tale that really should be enjoyed over and over. I recommend this one to my readers, as well as anything else by this wondrous author.
When a civil war on Venus causes it’s people to seek refuge on Earth, they must quickly acclimate to their new surroundings. When the ruling council decides to adopt the planet as their own, the idea of an interspecies union seems the best way to ensure the survival of both species. This is a problem though as even the smallest touch brings death to one or both individuals.
El and Onine was one of those books I had placed on my To Be Read list back when I started this blog and before I discovered what a wonderful author K.P. Ambroziak was. This was also before I learned what a very nice person she is, as I added this book to my list before we had spoken even one work to each other.
El and Onine is the story of two very different races of people coming to rely on one another. As a civil war erupts on the planet Venus, it’s people – referred to as Kyprians – travel to Earth. Due to their fiery nature, the arrival of the Kyprians is devastating to Earth and its inhabitants; those that survive are soon put to work serving their new masters.
Like with her other books, Ambroziak has built an entire new world for her book El and Onine. We are introduced to it slowly, the history of the place and the people who inhabit it told as flashbacks and memories. This makes it easier to take in the wealth of information given, a welcome change from the “data dump” some authors rely on to fill their readers in.
The only negative thing I have to say about this particular book is how short it is. At just under 200 pages, while it is a quick read it also isn’t enough for us to become totally invested in the characters. The story could have easily gone on for longer to give us more insight and background.
I enjoyed reading El and Onine and will very likely read it again. It is a layered tale that really should be enjoyed over and over. I recommend this one to my readers, as well as anything else by this wondrous author.
April 26, 2024
I’m not sure where to start. It was like reading classic lit. It was really hard to read. The plot and timeline were all over the place. It was like a twisted version of the Virgin Mary and Jesus combined with Adam and Eve. Then you throw in the alien colonization and story of recarnation. Add “planned” gang rape. Forced procreation and abortion. Accidental murder. I wouldn’t read this again. I’m not sure how this book has so many stellar reviews on Amazon and goodreads when the reviews mention near nothing of what the story actually was about.
January 5, 2017
The idea is not original
I have read lots of scifi with this similar concept
This is my honest reveiw !
I have read lots of scifi with this similar concept
This is my honest reveiw !
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