#Review: Sunborn Rising Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff #YABooks #Fantasy

Summary:

Cerulean is on the brink of collapse. The decay wasn't fast, it wasn't obvious, but now the world stands on the precipice.

Woven forests floating on an ocean around a star, Cerulean's once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.

Barra, a young, willful Listlespur, finds her late father's hidden journal, and reads about his discovery of Cerulean's brighter past and the mysterious plague he believed has all but destroyed it. He warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words...

Together with her two best friends, Barra will rekindle her father's legacy and traverse the Great Forest to relight her world, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall.

My review:

This book is a YA book that builds on a new world that only a sci-fy author could dream up. The world is chock full of creatures and fantasy buildings made from the woods. The whole place seems to reek of a mystic dynasty complete with Elders and underlings alike.

In truth, I had a hard time getting into this book. It is not because the writing isn't good, because it is. Let's face it, just to create such a world is an amazing fete. No, for me, it was actually hard to picture in my mind what the characters looked like. However,  with the help of the amazing illustrations throughout the book and a little pushing of my mind, I was able to come to see some of them. Unfortunately, sometimes this is the problem with creating fantasy when it is only being read and not seen. 

None-the-less, the author still does a wonderful job and moves the reader through the world as the heroine tries to save her world from the creepervine. This is a first book of what is to be an on-going series. I can see how this book has to build up the fantasy world so as it can be moved from book to book. I really did like his characters and world and it would be interesting to see the main characters grow.

 Mentioning again the illustrations...WOW! They help develop an already darkness covering this world but also bring to light the creatures that inhabit the place. The illustrations were well placed. I could possibly see this book being turned into animated film which personally, I would go see.
3 1/2 stars
Check out the trailer.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. This review is also part of the iRead blog tours. ~M.M. aka Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Aaron Safronoff is author of the Discovery Award winning science fiction novel, Spire. Since his debut, he's published a sequel, Fallen Spire, and a novella of literary fiction, Evening Breezes.
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Safronoff's diverse background includes the formal study of computer science, bio-chemistry, and culinary arts. However, most of his career has been in the videogame industry in quality, production, and design.

Today, Safronoff is the co-founder and Chief Storyteller of Neoglyphic Entertainment, and is busy writing his fifth novel, the second installment of the Sunborn Rising series.

​Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook