The Rundown
Some books take a bit more time to get into, but once you’re into it, you’re fully into it. Alterni was that kind of book.
In a world very similar to ours but with magic, a secret ancient organization ruled by a not-so-kingly king, and paranormal creatures that only existed in stories and myths, Esme Kuchis had been summoned… along with nine other women who looked like her. Having been the bravest of the bunch, she was chosen to save this magical world from being invaded by horrible creatures called the malevolenci. She was someone not from this magical world. She was an alterni. And only she could tap into magic that no native could.
Much of the first half of ALTERNI was dreadfully slow. So slow, in fact, that it felt like much of what happened blurred together. The pace kicked up on the second half, offering the much needed action that the first half sorely lacked. Perhaps this was because majority of the first half was spent in letting the readers get acquainted with the alternate magical world Esme was summoned into. In all fairness, it did its work well – albeit a little too well.
On the other hand, the characters were well-developed and the world-building established brilliantly. While she initially seemed like a stereotypical Chosen One character, diving into her destiny without question, Esme’s actions and decisions made sense. Her development throughout the book was believable. The other characters were also well-developed and the roles of the paranormal creatures felt akin to the roles of the different species in the Disney animated film, Zootopia. Indeed, there was a system in place in this magical world.
The chemistry between Esme and King Owen felt off for most of the book. And given the circumstances, this was not surprising at all. The plot of the story, like its pacing, started off wobbly and unclear but you would finally see the direction it is headed by the second half. The ends were tied neatly enough to have a clean resolution but left a few unsolved threads dangling for the next installment. The epilogue, in particular, was written excellently so as to give the readers sufficient hint of what may happen next.
Overall, ALTERNI was a good reading experience. Written with enough room for its sequel to fill in and having relatable characters and strong world-building, it is sure to delight fans of alternate worlds.
The Recommendation
ALTERNI was a good reading experience. Written with enough room for its sequel to fill in and having relatable characters and strong world-building, it is sure to delight fans of alternate worlds.
The Rating
3.5 Stars (out of 5): Pretty good. For the right audience, this could be great. Sure, there were some issues, but it was still worth the read.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Believable, Characterization, Strong World-BuildingCons: Plotline, Starts slow
