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Check out my review of Blake Vanier's "The Orphans of New Lur" on Goodreads! 10/20/2021 12:23:16 PM
Check out my review of Blake Vanier's "The Orphans of New Lur" on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4276711985?book_show_action=false
“The Orphans of New Lur” Book One of The Anterra Collection
By Brett Salter
Opening Line: “The relaxing buzz of the radio mixes with the sounds of clanging pans and running water.”
Favorite Lines: “Saraf’s expression shows shocked disgust. “Because they do cool things? That’s the best answer your feeble brain could come up with?” He exhales sharply. “We may be in trouble.””
The Review:
“The Orphans of New Lur” is book one of author Blake Vanier’s The Anterra Collection series which follows several main protagonists’ adventures around the continent of Majirin on the planet Anterra.
The titular orphans of New Lur are (in order of my favorite to least favorite) Nero, Korbin, Thea, Ryder, and Iona. I use the words “least favorite” extremely loosely as all five of these characters are very well-defined and make for exceptionally fun reading. Please don’t get me wrong. They all have personalities and intricacies that make them loveable, I just wanted to show my order for you guys! We get the most time inside Nero’s and Iona’s perspectives while the other three do not have this insight in the first book. It’s very rare that a book can pack five characters into it while not confusing the reader with who is who or who did what. That is a testament to the author’s ability to make these characters original enough to stand alone in several scenes of the book. Their personalities and interactions with one another define their most applicable traits excellently.
With reviews, I usually follow the plot of a story, but with this one, I am going to focus on the world and characters, so I don’t spoil anything or “read the book for you”. Anyone who likes this genre should one thousand percent check it out. That is a given. I want to tell you what to EXPECT not what you will read. And you WILL read it!
I just want to start out by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It easily has all the elements one would come to expect from a book that fits right in with a modern-day, sci-fi adventure. Blake Vanier has created an absolutely prismatic world with Anterra that is vivid and beautiful and dangerous and intricate. His creativity knows no bounds in the first book introducing us to the 3 “main” races of Anterra. The Humans, the Borukins, and the Erohsians (though other races ARE introduced, the first book focuses on these 3 humanoid ones). Each of these races has their own distinct culture that is explored in the pages. We learn that the technology-dependent Erohsians are borderline oppressors in this world to the Humans, whereas the Borukins seem to draw influence from more peaceful societies. If I were to make a comparison, I would say the Borukin are a combination of the Na’vi from Avatar and the samurai culture of premodern Japan. Both being respectful, pensive, and artistic yet able to fight when pushed. The Borukin race is thoroughly studied in the first book, and we learn about their weaponry, their rituals, their form of government (monarchy), and even their traditions throughout. Sometimes it can be tricky to comprehend, but Blake has provided a glossary in the novel for assistance which readily clears up any questions.
The Humans also play an important role in this book as we enter the world during the fledgling rise of a revolutionary group called Catalyst that wishes to put an end to the Erohsian (the Mini’s) rule over them. The history of this world plays out in a variety of ways including exposition by several Borukin characters and even a short, narrative diary interwoven into the main story. The different tactics Blake uses to infuse this into the book are masterful and fresh each time. There’s not one character that just rattles on and on for chapters at as time telling us what we need to know. It was well crafted and planned, indeed. I don’t want to spoil anything because I want all of you to read this book, but the second book sets up for even more involvement with the Humans and their attempt to right the world.
Then, there is the world itself; Anterra. Wow! Blake has created a planet that is so rich in world-building that you cannot help but imagine the scenes in your mind’s eye as they take place on the page. From the treacherous jungles to the bustling towns, there is life all over this planet. And although most of it is nonviolent, there are plenty of threats that look to snuff out five orphan lives at every turn. I will say that at least the Humans have the ability to control Aether in order to survive the harsh wilds and other menaces which hit closer to home.
So, now that you know you are getting into a deep world with plenty of relatable characters, lets do the positives of the book. Blake’s vocabulary is tremendous which I find as a positive since I had to look up a couple words like “hackles” and “coprophagist” (heehee). Expanding my knowledge can ONLY be seen as a positive to me. There are a LOT of secondary characters in this book, but most stand out in their own way. From the mysterious woman who helps a couple times to the Borukin shopkeepers and royalty who provide plenty of exposition dumps, each one has their role in setting up the separate acts of the book. Sosimo is my favorite character. I love how he is given quirky traits, a believable backstory, and a solid character arc through the interaction with the orphans. I fully expect him to have an expanding role in the next books as well. A close second would be the Erohsian, Isis whose arc in the first book is that of pursuing antagonist. But I can feel changes on the horizon for her as well. My predictions aside, I look for a much larger role for her in the future volumes.
Lastly, the use of Aether is a fantastic and innovative ability for these characters. And the mystery of Nero’s special relationship with Aether is extremely cool. I really hope it unfolds more as the series progresses. The other orphans and their Aethersottos are equally as interesting. Again, no spoilers here, but I am fascinated to see Ryder’s use of his Biat Aether, awestruck by Thea’s quadcast status, and a little nervous to see what Korbin does with his Ru Aether. The Aether is such a cool idea and a fresh take on things like Avatar The Last Airbender or Fullmetal Alchemist where characters use different elements or energies to wield incredible powers. Cheers to that!
This is a great book! I mean it! It is easily one of the better ones I’ve read in the genre, and it DOES harken me back to the Mistborn series. So, that is high praise. I only had one problem with this book, and it is such a teensy-weensy nitpick that I hardly think it will deter any readers of the series. I am just not a fan of present tense writing. I know! So small a thing, right? I understand WHY the book is in present tense, but it threw me for a loop near the beginning. I will say, after a while I did not even notice it anymore as the book is very heavy in dialogue, so the tense doesn’t even matter. But that’s it! I had no other qualms or issues with the book at all. So, do yourself a service and go get it! And then, reach out to me so we can theorize the series together!
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Sci-fi/Fantasy over the age of 14. There is mild cussing and fear, offscreen death, and child slave trafficking which may trigger younger readers.
Final Review: 4.7 Borukin styx out of 5 (4.7 / 5)
Purchase “The Orphans of New Lur” on Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Orphans-New-An...
