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A review by thewallflower00
Ariel: A Book of the Change by Steven R. Boyett
4.0
They say if you can come up with one truly original idea, you've accomplished a great deal. Few people are good at that, but the next best thing is genre-mixing. Ariel is one of those books that is urban fantasy before it became a thing. But it doesn't have the cliche oppressed vampires, bare-chested werewolves, or leather-bound bounty hunters.
A unicorn and a boy journey from Atlanta to New York, having survived the apocalypse. There are dragons and gryphons, and there are skyscrapers and cans of beef ravioli. It's a got a street-smart unicorn and a samurai swordsman.
I can tell it was written linearly. It never goes back to previous plot points and there are parts that sit unnecessary, but interesting, such as the dragon-hunting boy. That's not something I like in a novel. I like the easter eggs scattered around to reward you if you're paying attention. But I guess writing on a typewriter means you can't page up to a previous section and insert so easily.
The fascinating thing is the Change. It's never specifically explained. The reader never knows why it happened or what it exactly is. All we know is that technology has stopped working and there are magical creatures around. You can't shoot a gun, but you can start a fire. Bicycles don't work, but wind-up watches do. But the funny thing is, I don't care. The author never explains it, and I never batted an eye. Why? Because the author pays you with an interesting story in exchange for the flawed premise.
A unicorn and a boy journey from Atlanta to New York, having survived the apocalypse. There are dragons and gryphons, and there are skyscrapers and cans of beef ravioli. It's a got a street-smart unicorn and a samurai swordsman.
I can tell it was written linearly. It never goes back to previous plot points and there are parts that sit unnecessary, but interesting, such as the dragon-hunting boy. That's not something I like in a novel. I like the easter eggs scattered around to reward you if you're paying attention. But I guess writing on a typewriter means you can't page up to a previous section and insert so easily.
The fascinating thing is the Change. It's never specifically explained. The reader never knows why it happened or what it exactly is. All we know is that technology has stopped working and there are magical creatures around. You can't shoot a gun, but you can start a fire. Bicycles don't work, but wind-up watches do. But the funny thing is, I don't care. The author never explains it, and I never batted an eye. Why? Because the author pays you with an interesting story in exchange for the flawed premise.