Terra Whiteman

I received an eBook from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.

This book is aptly titled, Antithesis, as it deals with concepts that are often polarized at the ends of the spectrum: religion and science all combined in the eternal struggle between a heaven and hell. Combining the best features of action manga and urban paranormal, the integration of the two create an environment that while fictional has a sense of grounding in worlds more familiar, although completely new and imaginative.

The story starts in 1180 A.D., where Alezair is assigned to help Saladin defeat the Christians. He is nearly killed by a female warrior, and sets off on a mission to find her. When he finds Leid, he learns that she is a commander in Purgatory, and is responsible for informing on members of the Celestial Court that break the Code. Alezair is recruited onto the Jury, the group that oversees, punishes and brings to justice the wrongdoers in the battles between Heaven and Hell.

The story is full of super-human and paranormal powers, Angels, Demons, amazing fight scenes, and lots of very human, very modern behaviours: smoking, drinking, unrequited love and even bureaucratic red tape. It spans a series of events and years, real and imagined, but with a terrific flow that liberally incorporates science, philosophy, alcohol and chemical substances and the occasional expletive, without seeming to be at all self-conscious or self-serving. Some of the background information given does slow the reading down, but with so many concepts that are integral to following the story and understanding the characters motivation, those parts are necessary and do fill their purpose.

It’s not a quick read, there are parts that I had to re-read to be certain I knew why things were happening; and you cannot approach this story with a static set of beliefs about right and wrong, heaven and hell, or even science and the Christian doctrine. God and Satan, referred to in the story as Yahweh Telei and Lucifer Raith are more characters and human, capable of that singular dichotomy that all humans possess to be neither all good or all bad, will instantly challenge and grate on a reader who is unwilling to be open and fluid with their own personal beliefs that they bring to the story.

I’m glad I read it – it was a book that created a new world in a new way, with a well-crafted writing style and some innovative concepts unlike any I have seen before.
… (altro)