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ETERNAL
"Until death do us part."
It was a solemn oath for them, a promise to be together until the very end.
When the blast reached them, the oath was fulfilled. Death took them, swift, ruthless.
Alexandra Gretchen thought she'd arrive at the gates of heaven.
Aaron Gretchen knew to expect oblivion.
They were wrong.
Death took them, and so began their journey. ETERNAL is a fantasy novel set in a grim yet wondrous afterlife; an afterlife shared with every other species in the Universe. It's a place where humanity has no shortage of enemies, where thoughts may shape reality and ceasing to exist is a very real possibility. Separated upon arrival, Aaron and Alexandra will strive through it all in the hopes of being reunited...but who could keep hope alive in the realms of the dead? ETERNAL reads like dark fantasy, but also incorporates science fiction and dystopian elements, exploring themes of faith, the resilience of hope, interspecies relations and the limits of human knowledge. It's a harrowing fight of survival; the unraveling of an ancient conspiracy; a heartwarming love story. A tale where death only marks a new beginning.
It was a solemn oath for them, a promise to be together until the very end.
When the blast reached them, the oath was fulfilled. Death took them, swift, ruthless.
Alexandra Gretchen thought she'd arrive at the gates of heaven.
Aaron Gretchen knew to expect oblivion.
They were wrong.
Death took them, and so began their journey. ETERNAL is a fantasy novel set in a grim yet wondrous afterlife; an afterlife shared with every other species in the Universe. It's a place where humanity has no shortage of enemies, where thoughts may shape reality and ceasing to exist is a very real possibility. Separated upon arrival, Aaron and Alexandra will strive through it all in the hopes of being reunited...but who could keep hope alive in the realms of the dead? ETERNAL reads like dark fantasy, but also incorporates science fiction and dystopian elements, exploring themes of faith, the resilience of hope, interspecies relations and the limits of human knowledge. It's a harrowing fight of survival; the unraveling of an ancient conspiracy; a heartwarming love story. A tale where death only marks a new beginning.
- GenresFantasy
452 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2014
2 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Israel Barbuzano
3 books20 followersISRAEL BARBUZANO enjoys quiet evenings and walks on the beach. He loves fun, music, good food, the night sky, butchering flesh, and his family. Sometimes, in the frigid dark of the Alaskan winter, he will bundle his skin in pelts and run wild with his moose pack, and many an enemy shall be trampled beneath his fearsome hooves. His breath will be as furnace bellows. His laughter will challenge the moon.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 30, 2017
It's a shame this novel's not better known, because it's well written, witty and very creative. The basic blurb reminded me of Philip Jose Farmer's "Riverworld" series, but that's where the similarities end. The scale is much greater, with every sentient being in the universe sharing the same bizarro-dreamscape afterlife, where thought and will dictate reality. This isn't a heaven. It's a grim place. The world reminds me of a MMORPG--with perma-death. (Yes, you can die in the afterlife).
While there's a lot of action, at its heart, the story is a romance, and it works because the protagonists are so well developed. I'd like to read about these characters in any setting. Alex is a badass, and Aaron is a nice guy nerd. They're a cute couple, and the flashbacks help flesh them out.
The book feels more or less complete, but could easily have a sequel. And of course the setting can be explored.
I discovered this after reading "Better Then," the author's Life is Strange fan fiction. Otherwise I'd probably never know this book exists. I hope this work gets more exposure. And I'll be keeping an eye out for anything else the author writes.
While there's a lot of action, at its heart, the story is a romance, and it works because the protagonists are so well developed. I'd like to read about these characters in any setting. Alex is a badass, and Aaron is a nice guy nerd. They're a cute couple, and the flashbacks help flesh them out.
The book feels more or less complete, but could easily have a sequel. And of course the setting can be explored.
I discovered this after reading "Better Then," the author's Life is Strange fan fiction. Otherwise I'd probably never know this book exists. I hope this work gets more exposure. And I'll be keeping an eye out for anything else the author writes.
November 26, 2017
I just finished reading Eternal. It took me just under 5 days (the book is like 470 pages long). I really enjoy reading, and I have read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi novels in my life. I don't consider myself some professional book critic, but Eternal is one of the best books I have read to date. I can count on the fingers of my hand the books that made me cry, and eternal is one of them. But where eternal really stands out is the creativity of the setting - when I was delving into the first few chapters I was genuinely in awe of the author's creativity. I am sure that anyone else who reads this book will also be stunned by just how awesome it is.
March 9, 2020
Just finished reading this for I think the third time, what a world, what characters! Originally, I didn't realise I was a romance fan 'til I got to the end.
Genuinely one of my favourite worlds I've been lost in, so detailed, so interesting and so cool!
When Alexandra starts being truly bad-ass I giggled like I hadn't in 15 years, reading Artemis Fowl. Pair that feeling with a gripping and very real story of love and loss and you've got a fantastic read.
Genuinely one of my favourite worlds I've been lost in, so detailed, so interesting and so cool!
When Alexandra starts being truly bad-ass I giggled like I hadn't in 15 years, reading Artemis Fowl. Pair that feeling with a gripping and very real story of love and loss and you've got a fantastic read.
March 13, 2026
I love this book so much. The imagery and the story telling was so colourful and satisfying to read.
There is a complex yet easy to follow narrative that grows your intrigue with each chapter.
The romance between Alex and Aaron got me kicking my feet in the air.. It was so endearing to imagine how the author's depictions of love were clearly drawn from their own relationship and it made the characters feel that much more alive.
There is a complex yet easy to follow narrative that grows your intrigue with each chapter.
The romance between Alex and Aaron got me kicking my feet in the air.. It was so endearing to imagine how the author's depictions of love were clearly drawn from their own relationship and it made the characters feel that much more alive.
March 13, 2026
I love this book so much. The imagery and the story telling was so colourful and satisfying to read.
There is a complex yet easy to follow narrative that grows your intrigue with each chapter.
The romance between Alex and Aaron got me kicking my feet in the air.. It was so endearing to imagine how the author's depictions of love were clearly drawn from their own relationship and it made the characters feel that much more alive.
There is a complex yet easy to follow narrative that grows your intrigue with each chapter.
The romance between Alex and Aaron got me kicking my feet in the air.. It was so endearing to imagine how the author's depictions of love were clearly drawn from their own relationship and it made the characters feel that much more alive.
March 13, 2026
I love this book so much. The imagery and the story telling was so colourful and satisfying to read.
There is a complex yet easy to follow narrative that grows your intrigue with each chapter.
The romance between Alex and Aaron got me kicking my feet in the air.. It was so endearing to imagine how the author's depictions of love were clearly drawn from their own relationship and it made the characters feel that much more alive.
There is a complex yet easy to follow narrative that grows your intrigue with each chapter.
The romance between Alex and Aaron got me kicking my feet in the air.. It was so endearing to imagine how the author's depictions of love were clearly drawn from their own relationship and it made the characters feel that much more alive.
November 22, 2024
A flash and you are dead.
You open your eyes and the afterlife is not what you were taught in Sunday school.
Love transcends time and space and knows no bounds.
I have a soft spot for love stories, this one enraptured me from start to finish.
It is a strong first novel for the author. And leaves you wanting more.
You open your eyes and the afterlife is not what you were taught in Sunday school.
Love transcends time and space and knows no bounds.
I have a soft spot for love stories, this one enraptured me from start to finish.
It is a strong first novel for the author. And leaves you wanting more.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews