Lucent Sylph

by R.J. Conte

Lucas Thissel has something he an alien species of palm-sized glass fairies called Lucent Sylphs. They came through a portal from a metaphysical dimension, and they indenture themselves as slaves to human beings. Too much neglect or unkindness, and they will cloud over and disintegrate. Too much love and their hearts are overcome and burst.And one has attached herself to him.Winner of the prestigious Reader's Favorite 5 Star Award and Finalist in the Reader's Favorite Short Story/Novella Contest!

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Clean Romance, Science Fiction

76 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2015

About the author

RJ Conte has kissed only one boy in her entire life - and she married him - inspiring her to write about sweet or powerful love stories ever since. She writes issue-driven fiction that explores human nature and the depths of the soul while pointing readers to their Creator.

She writes a blog on parenting, publishing, painting, and perorating at http://blonderj.wordpress.com/

Reviews

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh Lucent Sylph was such a touching story! Goodness, I didn't expect to cry, but it was so beautiful.

I greatly related to Lucas and loved how his story ended. A powerful reminder to me to keep loving others and not be afraid to show that love.

Such a fantastic and tear-jerking story!

[C.S. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, bittersweet story, captivating in its simplicity and profound in its selective silence.

Highly recommended!

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Together, we can be Love for each other."

Wow! I want to take this book and give it to every confirmand I have ever had in 30 years, especially the boys. This is a story about coming of age in a HUGE world, of finding love so expansive it can literally kill you at the time, but you do it anyway. The love between Lucas and Nissa makes you want to find such a thing for yourself. And this tiny story will make even the biggest baddest cynic out there cry their eyes out.

If this is an exemplar of R J Conte's work, then bring.it.on! So far, the BEST of 2017. Highly recommended

[Heather Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bittersweet love story. Sylphs are similar to fairies, but unlike Tinkerbell, they don't need belief to live, they need love. Too much love, though, and they shatter... I love the twists to the fairy trope R.J. Conte has created here, and Lucas and Nissa captured my heart. Highly recommend.

[Michael Blaylock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book teeters on greatness, though it's held back.
The premise is strong and clever, and the emotional connection between the characters is adorable, and honestly reminds me of pairings like The Iron Giant. And there's a good story here.
On the flipside, much of the storytelling is rushed. There's a lot of infodump as opposed to natural discovery, and this hinders some of the more emotional moments because the book is telling us what to feel more than getting us to feel it.
However, I still gave it 4 stars because the premise was good, so good that I was sneaking in minutes so I could read more of it. If I'm trying to decide between doing my job and reading on the job, that's 4 stars for me. Plus, the story is super short, which means the problems of the book don't have time to build and crush it.
In short, easily worth your effort.

[Julia Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

Beautifully sweet story about the power of love and laying down your life for another. That ending hurt. Short,sweet and poignant.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for sharing my honest opinion*

This book, though short, was a well written and thought provoking read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Though this was the first story I dove into by RJ Conte I can see myself reading many, many more by the author because she had such a distinct writing style that kept me pulled in and flipping the pages that it took me no time at all to absolutely devour this book. Highly recommend and I can't wait to read more from the author!

[C.L. Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this short story by RJ Conte. The Sylphs are the best form of a fairy that I've read about and their unique design made the story so much better than it would have been if they were the typical fairy. The author totally stepped out of the box on that, so kudos! I love how this story speaks of God's love without being preachy. I truly can't do preachy. Not in real life or fiction... I think people of any age can enjoy this wonderfully woven story. I would have liked to learn a bit more about Nissa's original owner. :)

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art Painted With Words

Lucent Sylph is beautiful. There's really no other way to describe it. Deep emotions runs through this story, and give insight into the author's soul. The heart embedded in this story is strong, and will stick with the reader long after the final page!

[Celesta Thiessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the writing style, the characters and the creative ideas. I wished for a happier ending, though.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucent Sylph

I really enjoyed reading this, it was a short story, but it was very engaging. You could feel every emotions that Lucas felt for Nissa and her love for him.

[Ann Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story. I expected the ending but not how it came about. It is well worth the hour or so it takes to read this story.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story and was sad that it was over so quickly. Well worth your time.

[Fernando S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good and heartwarming book I enjoyed was the novel Lucent Sylph. It is very well written story because of the way it makes the reader connect with the characters. It explains very well what type of characters they are and thus evokes the reader to attempt to relate to them. It has a very benevolent aspect theme to the plot and delineates an interesting perspective of love one has for another. It elicits the reader to think about who they love in their lives and if it’s better to have loved and lost than to never of loved at all. A memorable aspect of the novel would be the fact that the plot explains the dilemma the characters are going through. A Lucent Sylph can only live through the guidance and love shared with a human but to a certain degree. The perfectly narrative dialogue from the characters makes one feel as if they too have a connection in the love they share. I especially enjoyed the message on loving too much as well as when loving too little can have deleterious effects towards others. Everything must come with appropriate measures including the insignificant things. The issues are well integrated to the plot and make the tone of the entire story captivating with its intriguing dialogue. There are many memorable aspects of the novel that are extremely interesting. For example, the thought of creating a story where a fairy is seen to be a kind of pet that a human can buy and to take care of. The plot definitely has creativity that is not seen much in other novels. Thus, it is why the novel is a type of pariah in the aspects of storytelling. All in all, Lucent Sylph is an emotional and simultaneously exciting novel. Therefore, it is in one’s best interest to read the shorty story Lucent Sylph.

[Imani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucent Sylph is well established and keeps the reader pulled in and makes you never want to stop reading. Although it’s short, you will never be able to put the book down. I like the emotional connection between the main characters that allows them to learn to love again and open up to those who deserve it. It shows the deep endearment they have for each other. All this happened, I feel like, because Lucas wasn’t like other boys his age. Boys his age would have wanted to play video games instead of making a “fairy” friend. Throughout the book, you could feel what they felt in that moment and what they felt for each other. Although I didn’t like that it left me with a bittersweet feeling; it will make you tear up or cry a river. I also would have liked to know more on Nissa’s original owner. This short story showed me anyways that even though humans try to isolate themselves away from other species, they are doing something wrong because they may find their true selves in that species and really connect with them more than their own species. The message is very heartwarming and tells the reader that they can face their fears and learn to love or learn to love again and open up to the right person.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unrealistic elements in the world such as fairies allowed for me to get hooked from the start. This book left me with a desire to one day myself own a lucent sylph. I liked just how fragile Lucent sylph’s are, they remind me of a child that needs constant love. Something i dislike about the book is it reminded me if you give to much of yourself away to someone it can lead to drastic decisions. The overall message allows for the reader too see the negative and positive effects of love and loneliness. Lucas the young boy you will read about will have you second guessing about just how great of a person you are all throughout the book. Nissa reminded me just how important it is to share your love with others. This book has you look at yourself and analyze just what type of person you are, A good one or bad? Leaving you with an unforgettable ending your sure to never forget. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a story to escape reality with a story of magical fairies, love and heartbreak. This book is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more.

[Artemisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lucent Sylph, I was given this short story as an assignment for class, and I can honestly say that I am so glad my professor picked this title. This short story is a quick read, I finished it within two days. The characters in this story are very well developed and they provoke a lot of emotions in you, ranging from disbelief, to sympathy, to anger. I was very interested in the storyline and can definitely see a sequel come from this tale.
I think that the overall message is a great one, I enjoyed how the author tied in human emotions with faith and understanding. I highly recommend this book, and can see myself recommending this book to my daughters one who is a preteen and the others who are in high school. At the conclusion of the story some of my classmates expressed that they felt a bit of sadness, I on the other hand felt that the ending was hopeful. My favorite character was Lucas, he was not at all what you would expect a teenage boy to be like. I am very interested to read more books/stories by this author. I like her take on these topics.

[Mahasin Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, touching story. Heartwarming short story that really analyzes love and the value of it. I have recommended this story to many friends because of how touching it is. The author beautifully describes the characters and the care it takes to maintain and look after a sylph. Really made me question humanity and our need to own and control things and how we define and monetize love. While the story is sci-fi, and I personally couldn’t relate to the characters, I could emphasize with them. The desire to have a sylph, the fear of keeping one alive, the struggle to release the right amount of emotions at all times, subtle emotional rollercoaster. This truly is a beautiful story that I recommend everyone read.

[StoryStormBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bittersweet and beautiful, Lucent Sylph is a short story about sacrificial love. Once again, RJ Conte has devised a tale with premise and characters that sucked me in and kept me turning page after page. What else can I say? The preview and blurb speak for themselves...

And here's another little excerpt:
“Her heart was hot, but not too bright. Like a pulsing ball of fire that dimmed when the lights went out. Her veins were deep crimson, but tinted blue at the edges. Her face was featureless glass –no nose, and only a parting mouth that spoke. But her eyes were balls of ink, depth behind them. I felt as if I could find the age-old questions of the universe if I looked long enough.”

[Jolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sad but sweet short story

I loved both Lucas and Nissa in this story. They were such wonderful characters to read about and watch develop a relationship. I cried at the end of the story but there was hope too so I was satisfied.

Even though this was a short story, the story was complete at the end. No unanswered questions to wonder about or cliff hangers to be frustrated by. If the author wishes to write more about this world, it could easily be done and I would be interested to read it based on this story but I do not have to have more to be satisfied.

Sex - none
Violence - none
Language - none
Religion - "God is Love"

[Bernie Quinones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and detailed. There was a powerful message in this book, and it was on how powerful love can be. This book can make you play out the scenes on when the author is describing this strange and cool place. It was a very nice book and very wholesome. What i also liked was that it was not long. The fact that this book was short and very well written, is what made me like this book.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Lucent Sylph" is a rather sweet story, but the writing/delivery are really amateur. There was also an awkward creepiness to the slave aspect of the story that undermined the pure love theme. Its a fast read, but I don't really recommend it.

[J.M. Jablowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and sad story that made me cry a little at the end. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because the idea that you can love someone too much is just too darn frustrating and doesn't make sense to me.

[Priscila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Lucent Sylph was everything I hoped it'd be (from reading the blurb) and yet so unexpected. I loved this short Fantasy story with Christian themes, and the sweetness it managed to portray regarding Love. Completely recommended!!

[Emily Golus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what a science fiction short story should be. It has an interesting premise, just enough world-building to immerse us without overwhelming us, and meaningful themes that make us think. A great little work from a writer who obviously knows what she’s doing.

[Kristen Kooistra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sad, but powerful story. Short story's are hard to review, and to write I imagine. I don't want to give anything away.

Lucent Sylph is a tale of a boy and a Lucent Sylph, Nissa. Lucas never wanted Nissa. He doesn't want the responsibility, and who would? Every Lucent Sylph dies, either from too much love or not enough. How as a human are you supposed to balance that? Especially as a teen boy with no mother and a father with several issues.

Part of what makes this story so sad, is that currently there's no solution. The Lucent Sylphs need the humans, and since they look like little crystal fairies, it's hard for the humans to see them as people. And if you do see them as people, you could kill them with love(accidentally). When Nissa explains why the Lucent Sylphs do what they do, it really made me realize how frustrating the situation was.

The ending wasn't expected, but I like how it was done. I like that Lucas becomes a stronger person who isn't afraid to love and reach out, and that he uses his experience and gifts to help other people who are struggling. I hope somewhere in the future there's a different solution for that world.

Quick read, but definitely worth the little bit of time it takes. It manages to do what every good short story should do: tell a complete story that makes readers feel.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucas never wanted to have a Sylph–he doesn’t want that kind of responsibility, and he knows his emotions are too strong to keep the Sylph safe. Still, through a series of events he ends up having to take in a Sylph in order to keep her alive–something that he finds to be even harder than he thought it would be.

I’d classify this as a YA (young adult) story. It has plenty of interesting information on the Sylphs–why they need the gold dust, why they come into our world and allow themselves to be enslaved, and so on. Lucas is the somewhat typical young man who wants very much to do what’s right, only to find out it’s a lot harder than it seems.

For an inexpensive short story I think this is a fine read, and I enjoyed it.


For a longer review, visit my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2015/09/r...

[Melanie Snitker · Rating 5 out of 5]

RJ Conte has done a fantastic job of taking a unique idea and fashioning it into a story that is an enjoyable read. From the first few paragraphs I was hooked and I didn't stop reading until I had reached the end. Lucent Sylph is thought-provoking, artistic, and leaves an impression you won't soon forget. I highly recommend it!

[Dyanne Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best short story I've read in a long, long time. It touched me deeply, I cannot stop thinking about it, and I want more. There's so much I want to say yet I don't want to give anything away. I asked a good friend to read it, too, just so I can talk about it with someone. It's that good. Well-written and fast-paced, it's worth your time.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very original story, sad but realistic, of a tiny alien species who voluntarily sell themselves as pets for humans. I only wish the ending had more resonance to match the mood and depth of the rest of the story.