Title: Radiant – Book 1: Ascension Series
Author: Ela Lourenco
Publisher: XlibrisUK
ISBN: 978-1-52459-336-0
Pages: 148
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewed by: Thomas Macolino
Pacific Book Review
Author Ela Lourenco’s book Radiant – Book 1: Ascension Series bears the heavy responsibility of being the cornerstone novel in an extended universe; a book which must lay the foundation and ground rules for all the others to follow. This is no small task, as the story in Radiant takes place in a universe completely alien to our own, where universal ‘magicks’ bind together all living beings while Gods and ‘observers’ struggle to maintain balance in the universe between light and shadow. Born into this world is Sena, a child of two different races, prophesied to be the lynchpin on which the fate of the universe rests. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, she learns of her unique heritage and powers, gains new friends, and begins her journey to discover what destiny holds in store for her. While she grows in power and maturity, two secret organizations, the Sahat and the Seekers, search frantically for a prophecy which can shift the balance between light and dark.
There is much to enjoy about this story – a sensible heroine, strong female role models, and a wonderfully nuanced villain. The appeal to young adults and new fans to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre will forgive some of the sentence issues, typos and misleading structure – instead relishing on the creative concepts contained within the world of Xanos. Lourenco did an excellent job crafting a nuanced and understandable villain in the Dohar. A level of complexity which I hope to see developed further in other characters as the series continues. However, the heroine’s romantic subplot lacked the subtlety and chemistry of many of the other relationships in the book. Also, certain sections of the dialogue could be off- putting, particularly the Dyx, whose dialogue more often resembles a middle- schooler than a creature of untold age and wisdom. These areas of improvement in subsequent sequels would show development of the author’s skills as the storyline deepens and progresses.
Overall, Radiant portrays a fascinating world with a ‘magick’ system in which any fantasy enthusiast would love to explore further. And while its main plot is intriguing, I found myself fascinated by the multiple storylines of the minor characters. I was captivated by the Sahat plotline, its political infighting and moral ambiguity added a depth to both the world and the story as a whole. Radiant is a good foundation for a series, if further character development is woven into the stories yet to come. Lourenco has begun to show the reader a vast world full of wonder and mystery, but the voyage is not yet complete.
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