The Demon's Crystal by Lenard Hale: A Review

BOOK TITLE: The Demon's Crystal

AUTHOR: Lenard Hale

ISBN/ASIN: B07Q5D65CX

GENRE: Science Fiction

NUMBER OF PAGES: 299

FORMAT: Digital / Kindle

SERIES / STANDALONE: Standalone (Sequel coming up)

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank the author and Debdatta Sahay of ddsreviews.in for this review copy

SUMMARY:

For Eric Frost, Madagascar is a place of beauty and learning. A researcher in bio-robotics, Eric finds the sheer variety of flora and fauna fascinating – but when he finds Unseen Madagascar, an unassuming book by a missing British author named Richard Walters, Eric learns that there’s more to the nation than meets the eye.

The text speaks of an island off the coast of Madagascar known only as Demon Island. There, the author suggests, lives an isolated and hostile tribe of natives who seem to jealously guard something held deeper in the island’s interior.

Eric, along with his friends Ivy and Max, pledge to get to the bottom of the mystery. They travel to Madagascar and begin to plan a journey out to Demon Island, but instead they meet the mysterious Daniel, a self-proclaimed American explorer full of dark warnings and vague stories. He eventually agrees to help Eric and his friends get to Demon Island, but at a price…

THE DEMON'S CRYSTAL is Lenard Hale's thrilling first novel, and is sure to appeal to fans of sci-fi and adventure alike.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

The cover was interesting, and the blurb set the scene immediately in my mind, making this an obvious choice to read on a dull evening. When I got a chance to pick this book up, I was immediately impressed by the blurb, wondering what uncommon thing could come out of a common premise. 

REVIEW:

The book begins like the usual thrilling script of a science fiction novel. A forest, a dark night, a mystery find, and abrupt silencing by unknown entities. I found that the beginning (in fact the entire first half of the book) kept me thrilled enough as I tried to remember the characters, second guess the stories and find out what was wrong and who was behind it. I had settled myself to read a version of earth-space dystopian science fiction, but the book surprised me. The story was intriguing enough with twists and turns that kept the interest alive.

The premise itself is deceptively simple, a secret trail that consumes those who go in search of it, and leaves no trace. Someone else follows him and uncovers new information that sheds light on the mysterious disappearances. But to try to bring 'Demon's Crystal' to fit this premise is an injustice to the wonderfully concocted story. The book wins in taking a familiar premise and spinning an interesting story behind it. While I was not entirely sold with the science fiction aspect of it (a fair few technical terms included), I really loved how the story progressed. Some terms did remind me of Latin spells (a mixture of fantasy, maybe?) but overall the book was written and packaged well.

True to the author's declaration about 'westerners' being the unchallenged authorities on all things science-fiction, the story does seem to work well in the way he has presented it, with western characters in western settings. But even through all that, the story transcends its need to be identified with a particular nationality. Special mention to the intelligent use of time relation, (a year ago, and this year, etc) instead of saying an actual year. This makes the book practically timeless, making it good enough from vintage to futuristic. I really appreciate how the book carried that off well.

The language is decent, the writing good. But the book could have really become a better read with another round of proofreading, for there were obvious typographical errors, especially near the climax, as that seemed to have been wrapped up quickly. I would rate the book positive for the attempt in decent sci-fi, and the engaging storyline and smooth language, but I wish the author had handled the sequence of events in a more streamlined manner. This is not a major complaint but still was significant enough to mention.

Hoping to read more Indianised sci-fi from Lenard Hale. 

WHAT I LIKED:

• An interesting, decent attempt at science fiction. This book has proven that it does not have to be in 'a distant planet a thousand years into the future.'
• The pace is even, and the book manages to hold the reader engrossed.
• The language is smooth.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• The characters (and their backstories) needed some fleshing out.
• A seemingly rushed climax that falls flat for all the pull of the book.
• The book is not exactly an action/adventure thriller. But more technical. That needs to be advertised clearly.

VERDICT:

An interesting attempt, with an engaging storyline and smooth narration.

RATING: 4/5

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle, Paperback.

PRICE Rs. 69 for Kindle, Rs. 315 for Paperback

BOOK LINKS: Amazon