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The Journals of Incabad Reyl
Horizon. Α miniature universe small enough to fit between the Earth and the moon, brought into existence and dominated by electromagnetic forces.
A more colorful and diverse version of humanity exists there, dwelling on islands called troves that levitate inside eternal storms, held in place by electromagnetic fields.
Incabad Reyl is the greatest scientist of his time. It was his research of Horizon’s vast electromagnetic fields that ushered a new era of technological advancement for humanity.
Decades later, disenchanted by the military applications of his earlier research, professor Reyl embarks on a clandestine adventure to find what he calls the Master Equation. An equation that will define the elusive variables of the Horizon's volatile and ever-changing echomagnetic fields.
Or so everybody thinks.
His only improbable companion a cryptic Oracle from the trove Ocheron, Lieutenant Auburn Thorn.
Together, the two men leave the trove Accadia, one of the ten Cradles of human civilization and journey to the largely uninhabited and contested trove Tarn, where they venture deep into the uncharted jungle.
With the help of Auburn’s oracular abilities, they discover ancient secrets and dangers.
While the superficial harmony between the ten Cradles of humanity unravels around them, the two will have to face unforeseen adversities and betrayals, in a race to save humanity’s future.
A more colorful and diverse version of humanity exists there, dwelling on islands called troves that levitate inside eternal storms, held in place by electromagnetic fields.
Incabad Reyl is the greatest scientist of his time. It was his research of Horizon’s vast electromagnetic fields that ushered a new era of technological advancement for humanity.
Decades later, disenchanted by the military applications of his earlier research, professor Reyl embarks on a clandestine adventure to find what he calls the Master Equation. An equation that will define the elusive variables of the Horizon's volatile and ever-changing echomagnetic fields.
Or so everybody thinks.
His only improbable companion a cryptic Oracle from the trove Ocheron, Lieutenant Auburn Thorn.
Together, the two men leave the trove Accadia, one of the ten Cradles of human civilization and journey to the largely uninhabited and contested trove Tarn, where they venture deep into the uncharted jungle.
With the help of Auburn’s oracular abilities, they discover ancient secrets and dangers.
While the superficial harmony between the ten Cradles of humanity unravels around them, the two will have to face unforeseen adversities and betrayals, in a race to save humanity’s future.
310 pages, ebook
First published February 17, 2019
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 29, 2019
It is with deepest regret when I award a novel just one star. However, there are times when I simply cannot enjoy a book and can do nothing but tell the honest truth. I knew I was taking a gamble by reading this fantasy, but was desperate to try something new. However, this was a time when the chance did not pay off and instead I have completed a book that I really did not enjoy.
This appears to be a well-written story yet, the complex fantasy elements were too much for me. It felt incredibly convoluted at times: as if the editor had sat with a thesaurus to replace original words with one's that had far more syllables! Coupled with the alien terminology, this read did literally seem removed and out of this world. The writer does helpfully provide a glossary but I discovered this at the end of the book. It was too little, too late. It would have been more effective if the glossary was either at the beginning, or in the form of footnotes - a handy formatting trick to use when exploring this as an ebook.
The writing style reflects that of a scientific journal. Reyl is introduced as dictating his journals and this is reflected in the structure of his diary entries. As Reyl carries out his expedition and reflects on his discoveries, I found the plot became increasingly complex. To be honest, a lot of it went over my head and this made it even more difficult to connect with the story.
This is a proper fantasy novel and with its unique concepts that are fully explained at the end of the story, this should satisfy many fantasy, other world, fans. The terminology is imaginative and the ideas are definitely there but, for me, Tasoulas's novel did not appeal. Whilst this is the second part of a series, I was offered this as a stand-alone read. Therefore, I feel the writer has successfully created a story that can be enjoyed in isolation and one you can keep coming back to, should you so choose.
This felt like it had the potential to be exciting and immersive. It is undoubtedly an imaginative world that has been created but for me, this was just a step too far. I'm sorry, Gregory Tasoulas!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This appears to be a well-written story yet, the complex fantasy elements were too much for me. It felt incredibly convoluted at times: as if the editor had sat with a thesaurus to replace original words with one's that had far more syllables! Coupled with the alien terminology, this read did literally seem removed and out of this world. The writer does helpfully provide a glossary but I discovered this at the end of the book. It was too little, too late. It would have been more effective if the glossary was either at the beginning, or in the form of footnotes - a handy formatting trick to use when exploring this as an ebook.
The writing style reflects that of a scientific journal. Reyl is introduced as dictating his journals and this is reflected in the structure of his diary entries. As Reyl carries out his expedition and reflects on his discoveries, I found the plot became increasingly complex. To be honest, a lot of it went over my head and this made it even more difficult to connect with the story.
This is a proper fantasy novel and with its unique concepts that are fully explained at the end of the story, this should satisfy many fantasy, other world, fans. The terminology is imaginative and the ideas are definitely there but, for me, Tasoulas's novel did not appeal. Whilst this is the second part of a series, I was offered this as a stand-alone read. Therefore, I feel the writer has successfully created a story that can be enjoyed in isolation and one you can keep coming back to, should you so choose.
This felt like it had the potential to be exciting and immersive. It is undoubtedly an imaginative world that has been created but for me, this was just a step too far. I'm sorry, Gregory Tasoulas!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2019
You can find this review on my blog: https://rww.home.blog/2019/11/26/the-...
Title: The Journals of Incabad Reyl
Author: Gregory Tasoulas
Release Date: 31 March 2019
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
The short review:
The author has kindly sent me a copy of his book, and with it told me that this was a science fiction/fantasy and was centered in a fictional teslapunk universe. Upon reading this, I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to understand anything. Despite not knowing anything about science, I was able to follow!
I have to admit, there were bits I had to skim because I couldn’t understand what the narrator was trying to say.
I was able to follow the general storyline, though.
This book isn’t that long but it’s story is complicated and there’s constantly something happening – which means that this book is nowhere near boring, but it definitely isn’t a light read.
The narrator is quirky and eccentric, never having a dull moment, and the supporting characters are just as interesting.
There is constantly something happening and there are always explainations to follow, so this is not a book you could read in one sitting. This book needs your attention at all times. The beginning might be a bit slow and you might be confused but the pay-off is worth it at the end!
The Long Review:
Good Underlying Messages/Themes:
-Never follow authority blindly.
-Never charge into situation blindly.
-Some things are more important than profit.
-A passion for knowledge is valuable!
These themes are repeated throughout the book so a whole star for this category!’
Fantastic Worldbuilding:
It think a lot of effort has gone into the worldbuilding of this book; there’s even a website for the universe! There are a lot of different races and the connections between them are explained. Their histories and political views are explained, but I can’t really remember anything about their religions. I know that the narrator frequently uses the term ‘by the ancestors’ but that’s all I can remember.
The events of the Horizon are explained, the story has its own measurement units, and there’s even a part where linguistics is involved! I loved it all!
A whole star for this category!
Realistic Characters and Growth:
As I mentioned before, the narrator, Incabad Reyl, is strange and eccentric. He’s got his quirks, his brilliant mind, and his ego. His characters is realistic, he’s got his good moments and he’s got his bad moments.
Overall, I liked him. He was probably one of my favorites in this book, which is strange because the main character is never my favorite.
Auburn was a blessing in this book. He was quietly funny when I least expected it and this book would have ended 200 pages earlier without him. He’s saved everyone in the story at least twice, except the narrator, who he must have saved like 11 times.
At one point, I just wondered where all the women were, though. There was Veiglia, who had appeared in the beginning of the book and suddenly showed up near the end. Then we’ve got Opula, a linguist who randomly showed up in the last 50 pages. That’s it.
That’s the only problem I had with the characters. The rest were all charming, especially Duke Prospero and Sedulous with his amazing organisation skills.
Half a star for this category.
Writing Is Beautiful/Easy To Read:
Once again, the narrator is so strange that it’s entertaining and fun to read his views on things. That makes the book easy to read.
I did have a problem with the descriptions of some things where I became very confused. I think that the descriptions are the parts which gives the book its length. The constant stream of information could also have made me tired, to the point where I couldn’t understand some things that were happening.
But that was my only problem, so half a star for this category!
Interesting Story:
I have to be honest: the only reason I got through the first part of the book was because I wanted to know what would happen to the characters and where the story would would go. The story was interesting and I couldn’t predict anything no matter how hard I tried.
I wanted to know what would happen next and I wanted to know what Incabad would find. That feeling of curiosity is always welcome in a book!
So, a whole star for this category!
That’s it!
What did you think? Do you want to read this book?
*I received this arc from the author and all opinions and views are my own.
Title: The Journals of Incabad Reyl
Author: Gregory Tasoulas
Release Date: 31 March 2019
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
The short review:
The author has kindly sent me a copy of his book, and with it told me that this was a science fiction/fantasy and was centered in a fictional teslapunk universe. Upon reading this, I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to understand anything. Despite not knowing anything about science, I was able to follow!
I have to admit, there were bits I had to skim because I couldn’t understand what the narrator was trying to say.
I was able to follow the general storyline, though.
This book isn’t that long but it’s story is complicated and there’s constantly something happening – which means that this book is nowhere near boring, but it definitely isn’t a light read.
The narrator is quirky and eccentric, never having a dull moment, and the supporting characters are just as interesting.
I find it slightly depressing, that we never care to name things or places unless we expect to be gaining something important from them, may it be fame or power.
There is constantly something happening and there are always explainations to follow, so this is not a book you could read in one sitting. This book needs your attention at all times. The beginning might be a bit slow and you might be confused but the pay-off is worth it at the end!
The Long Review:
Good Underlying Messages/Themes:
-Never follow authority blindly.
-Never charge into situation blindly.
-Some things are more important than profit.
-A passion for knowledge is valuable!
These themes are repeated throughout the book so a whole star for this category!’
Fantastic Worldbuilding:
It think a lot of effort has gone into the worldbuilding of this book; there’s even a website for the universe! There are a lot of different races and the connections between them are explained. Their histories and political views are explained, but I can’t really remember anything about their religions. I know that the narrator frequently uses the term ‘by the ancestors’ but that’s all I can remember.
The events of the Horizon are explained, the story has its own measurement units, and there’s even a part where linguistics is involved! I loved it all!
A whole star for this category!
Realistic Characters and Growth:
As I mentioned before, the narrator, Incabad Reyl, is strange and eccentric. He’s got his quirks, his brilliant mind, and his ego. His characters is realistic, he’s got his good moments and he’s got his bad moments.
Overall, I liked him. He was probably one of my favorites in this book, which is strange because the main character is never my favorite.
All things are created free.
Auburn was a blessing in this book. He was quietly funny when I least expected it and this book would have ended 200 pages earlier without him. He’s saved everyone in the story at least twice, except the narrator, who he must have saved like 11 times.
At one point, I just wondered where all the women were, though. There was Veiglia, who had appeared in the beginning of the book and suddenly showed up near the end. Then we’ve got Opula, a linguist who randomly showed up in the last 50 pages. That’s it.
That’s the only problem I had with the characters. The rest were all charming, especially Duke Prospero and Sedulous with his amazing organisation skills.
Half a star for this category.
Writing Is Beautiful/Easy To Read:
Once again, the narrator is so strange that it’s entertaining and fun to read his views on things. That makes the book easy to read.
I did have a problem with the descriptions of some things where I became very confused. I think that the descriptions are the parts which gives the book its length. The constant stream of information could also have made me tired, to the point where I couldn’t understand some things that were happening.
But that was my only problem, so half a star for this category!
Interesting Story:
I have to be honest: the only reason I got through the first part of the book was because I wanted to know what would happen to the characters and where the story would would go. The story was interesting and I couldn’t predict anything no matter how hard I tried.
He says the horror of the future wars will not stem from the weapons. It will stem from the mindless hatred.
I wanted to know what would happen next and I wanted to know what Incabad would find. That feeling of curiosity is always welcome in a book!
So, a whole star for this category!
That’s it!
What did you think? Do you want to read this book?
*I received this arc from the author and all opinions and views are my own.
May 9, 2019
What Made Me Read It I was sent a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. The author described it as "science fantasy centered around a fictional teslapunk universe" and the blend of science fiction and magical fantasy caught my interest.
The Plot Professor Incabad Reyl is the most prestigious mathematician and physicist in Horizon, a miniature parallel universe dominated by electromagnetic forces. Even though he created the Equation of Fractional Dynamics, a mathematical algorithm that ushered a new era of technological advancement in Horizon, Professor Incabad believes his equation is still flawed and incomplete and sets out to find the Master Equation, one that would explain Horizon's volatile and ever-changing nature that governs people's lives and reveal the roots of evil... for if souls are born perfect, then why are there dangerous people with vices and flaws?
With the assistance of Lieutenant Auburn Thorn, a natural born Oracle with the ability to feel the echomagnetic fields of Horizon and control the aetheric portions of his own body, Professor Incabad leaves his home trove of Accadia and journeys to the uninhabited but contested trove of Tarn. There, he hopes to find evidence of the existence of an extinct and forgotten human civilization that thrived before the Long Storm reshaped the face of Horizon and set the devolution of humanity, some 14.000 years ago. A simpler and bygone technomagical era governed by only 7 primary electrons, that could hold the key to cure humanity of its vices.
What Professor Incabad finds deep inside the unexplored jungles of Tarn will shatter every core belief of Horizon's society and unleash a terror that could destroy the very fabric of life. With each of the 10 human Cradles on a secret war to secure political and military might over their neighbors, while the Hallowed Hierarchy, a radical splinter group of Oracles from the Temple of the Veil, spreads its doctrine of hatred towards any kind of technology, Professor Incabad is running out of time to try to save civilization as he knows it... it was bad enough being responsible for modern weapons, he had to go out and dig out an ancient one as well!
The Good "The Journals of Incabad Reyl" is the first book in a science fiction and fantasy adventure series, combining the "Elmwean's Lodge" and "Return to Elmwean's Lodge" novellas in a single volume. Told in the first person through the eyes of the main character as he records his memories to a future transcriber, the story follows the adventures of Professor Incabad Reyl in his personal quest to find proof of the existence of a more evolved ancient civilization gone extinct. After developing a mathematical equation he hoped would benefit humanity and seeing it used for military purposes instead, Professor Incabad is looking for a way to save humanity from itself, believing there is a connection between the savage echomagnetic storms that govern Horizon and the effects they have on both the physical body and the human spirit, possibly even with the creation of evil.
In the first novella "Elmwean's Lodge", we follow Professor Incabad at the start of his scientific journey in the company of the Oracle Auburn Thorn. Determined to find the answers he seeks, the two set out to distant and mostly uninhabited trove Tarn where professor Elmwean's anthropological team is studying the Obtuse tribes, a race of subhumans with considerably smaller brains and intellectual capacities, and of unknown origin. In the second novella "Return to Elmwean's Lodge", Professor Incabad has found proof of an ancient civilization technomagically more advanced, inside a massive pyramidal structure deep in Tarn's unexplored jungle. But exploring the ancient pyramid is proving more challenging and dangerous than expected, as the hidden landmark is filled with secrets and technology that affects Horizon's own reality.
The worldbuilding is incredibly complex and deeply imaginative. Horizon is a miniature parallel universe, created and dominated by strong echomagnetic storms and populated by 10 different Cradles - chromatic and diatonic human breeds differentiated by their skin color and unique physiological features - living in floating islands called Troves, with a small fraction of this human civilization born with an extrasensory ability to feel the echomagnetic fields of Horizon and control the aetheric portions of their own bodies, giving them superhuman abilities - the Oracles. This made-up universe mixes science and futuristic technology with magical and supernatural elements, combining them into a whole that feels believable and livable; the author didn't just create a whole new world, he introduces concepts and elements that are as original and unique: shards, mantles, cradles, scribers, troves, fehrtechs, aetherical communication, estrangement vortex, units of time and measurement... at first I was overwhelmed, trying to keep up with this universe - until I reached the end of the book and discovered an extremely handy and highly detailed glossary; a friendly piece of advice: keep that glossary bookmarked, it helps!
"The Journals of Incabad Reyl" isn't an action packed novel per se, though there are a few thrilling action sequences. Because the narrative is structured as a personal journal of an aging mathematician on an archeological search, the story focus on his personal experiences during his journey: his thoughts and emotions, theories and discoveries, his intellectual curiosity and sense of wonder, his frustrations at all the backstabbing manipulations and short-sightedness of greedy politicians and academics more interested in securing power over their neighbors and preserving the status quo. We journey alongside the main character, experiencing all the events at the same time and pace as Professor Incabad, exploring the ancient pyramid and learning its secrets, getting to know the secondary characters, changing our own points of view and opinions of those around him as the Professor himself grows as a character. That being said, the narrative is in no way boring and the pace doesn't drag throughout the plot, because the descriptions are so vivid we get to experience the same kind of wonder as the Professor, there is even a touch of sarcastic humor as he reacts to some of the events and people around him.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 5 of 5 stars. "The Journals of Incabad Reyl" is a science fiction / fantasy adventure novel set in a miniature parallel universe, with a mix of futuristic technology and magical elements. Recommended for those who enjoy both sci-fi and fantasy stories, lost civilizations and ancient landmarks filled with secrets and traps.
The Plot Professor Incabad Reyl is the most prestigious mathematician and physicist in Horizon, a miniature parallel universe dominated by electromagnetic forces. Even though he created the Equation of Fractional Dynamics, a mathematical algorithm that ushered a new era of technological advancement in Horizon, Professor Incabad believes his equation is still flawed and incomplete and sets out to find the Master Equation, one that would explain Horizon's volatile and ever-changing nature that governs people's lives and reveal the roots of evil... for if souls are born perfect, then why are there dangerous people with vices and flaws?
With the assistance of Lieutenant Auburn Thorn, a natural born Oracle with the ability to feel the echomagnetic fields of Horizon and control the aetheric portions of his own body, Professor Incabad leaves his home trove of Accadia and journeys to the uninhabited but contested trove of Tarn. There, he hopes to find evidence of the existence of an extinct and forgotten human civilization that thrived before the Long Storm reshaped the face of Horizon and set the devolution of humanity, some 14.000 years ago. A simpler and bygone technomagical era governed by only 7 primary electrons, that could hold the key to cure humanity of its vices.
What Professor Incabad finds deep inside the unexplored jungles of Tarn will shatter every core belief of Horizon's society and unleash a terror that could destroy the very fabric of life. With each of the 10 human Cradles on a secret war to secure political and military might over their neighbors, while the Hallowed Hierarchy, a radical splinter group of Oracles from the Temple of the Veil, spreads its doctrine of hatred towards any kind of technology, Professor Incabad is running out of time to try to save civilization as he knows it... it was bad enough being responsible for modern weapons, he had to go out and dig out an ancient one as well!
The Good "The Journals of Incabad Reyl" is the first book in a science fiction and fantasy adventure series, combining the "Elmwean's Lodge" and "Return to Elmwean's Lodge" novellas in a single volume. Told in the first person through the eyes of the main character as he records his memories to a future transcriber, the story follows the adventures of Professor Incabad Reyl in his personal quest to find proof of the existence of a more evolved ancient civilization gone extinct. After developing a mathematical equation he hoped would benefit humanity and seeing it used for military purposes instead, Professor Incabad is looking for a way to save humanity from itself, believing there is a connection between the savage echomagnetic storms that govern Horizon and the effects they have on both the physical body and the human spirit, possibly even with the creation of evil.
In the first novella "Elmwean's Lodge", we follow Professor Incabad at the start of his scientific journey in the company of the Oracle Auburn Thorn. Determined to find the answers he seeks, the two set out to distant and mostly uninhabited trove Tarn where professor Elmwean's anthropological team is studying the Obtuse tribes, a race of subhumans with considerably smaller brains and intellectual capacities, and of unknown origin. In the second novella "Return to Elmwean's Lodge", Professor Incabad has found proof of an ancient civilization technomagically more advanced, inside a massive pyramidal structure deep in Tarn's unexplored jungle. But exploring the ancient pyramid is proving more challenging and dangerous than expected, as the hidden landmark is filled with secrets and technology that affects Horizon's own reality.
The worldbuilding is incredibly complex and deeply imaginative. Horizon is a miniature parallel universe, created and dominated by strong echomagnetic storms and populated by 10 different Cradles - chromatic and diatonic human breeds differentiated by their skin color and unique physiological features - living in floating islands called Troves, with a small fraction of this human civilization born with an extrasensory ability to feel the echomagnetic fields of Horizon and control the aetheric portions of their own bodies, giving them superhuman abilities - the Oracles. This made-up universe mixes science and futuristic technology with magical and supernatural elements, combining them into a whole that feels believable and livable; the author didn't just create a whole new world, he introduces concepts and elements that are as original and unique: shards, mantles, cradles, scribers, troves, fehrtechs, aetherical communication, estrangement vortex, units of time and measurement... at first I was overwhelmed, trying to keep up with this universe - until I reached the end of the book and discovered an extremely handy and highly detailed glossary; a friendly piece of advice: keep that glossary bookmarked, it helps!
"The Journals of Incabad Reyl" isn't an action packed novel per se, though there are a few thrilling action sequences. Because the narrative is structured as a personal journal of an aging mathematician on an archeological search, the story focus on his personal experiences during his journey: his thoughts and emotions, theories and discoveries, his intellectual curiosity and sense of wonder, his frustrations at all the backstabbing manipulations and short-sightedness of greedy politicians and academics more interested in securing power over their neighbors and preserving the status quo. We journey alongside the main character, experiencing all the events at the same time and pace as Professor Incabad, exploring the ancient pyramid and learning its secrets, getting to know the secondary characters, changing our own points of view and opinions of those around him as the Professor himself grows as a character. That being said, the narrative is in no way boring and the pace doesn't drag throughout the plot, because the descriptions are so vivid we get to experience the same kind of wonder as the Professor, there is even a touch of sarcastic humor as he reacts to some of the events and people around him.
Read the full review on: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
Final Rating 5 of 5 stars. "The Journals of Incabad Reyl" is a science fiction / fantasy adventure novel set in a miniature parallel universe, with a mix of futuristic technology and magical elements. Recommended for those who enjoy both sci-fi and fantasy stories, lost civilizations and ancient landmarks filled with secrets and traps.
February 9, 2020
This book successfully distracted me from worrying while I was waiting for my wife to have surgery, so kudos for that.
It's a bit slow to get going, and wordy and discursive in places. But it tells a fresh and unusual story, set in an interesting universe, with characters who show integrity and courage.
Oh, my goodness, though, the copy editing. The author has English as a second language, and it really shows. Not just in the very-seldom-correct comma placement (I've seen plenty of native English speakers who have no idea where to put a comma, including more than one journalist), not to mention the issues with capitalization, but in the very frequently incorrect choice of prepositions, the mangled idioms, and the extremely basic and extremely common vocabulary errors. It seems to be a rule that if your book contains airships (which this does), 95% of the time you will have a vocabulary that's much smaller than you think it is, but I've seldom read one this bad. A few of many, many examples: alit/alight, conferring/conveying, glimpsed/glanced, haggle/peddle, ruble/rubble (yes, and repeatedly), led/lead (the metal), wield/yield, tales/tails, degrade/denigrate, dose/doze, perspective/respective, galley/gallery, recourses/resources, crushing/crashing, scale/travel, except/expect, doted/dotted, errant/errand, stroke/struck, bunker/bunk, extinguished/distinguished, exonerated/extolled, expending/expecting, extrapolate/elaborate, sipping/seeping, conserving/preserving, seized/ceased, limps/limbs, chanced/changed, technics/techniques, as well as a number of more common confusions (like principal/principle and sojourning/journeying).
The small encyclopedic section at the back has a couple of dubious entries about the "breeds" (or races) of the setting. The black people's distinctive quality is their strength and muscularity; the people of Mencius, the Empire of Jade, have yellow skin and the ability to make very precise movements. (There are people with red, blue, and green skin too, which... maybe makes this not quite so terrible? No, still pretty terrible.) I wasn't going to drop it a whole star for the copy editing, even though it's awful, but I decided to drop the rest of that star for the stereotyping.
A good story, combining academic investigation of ancient artefacts with politics and adventure, but I've seen that same combination done much better in, for example, Marie Brennan's Turning Darkness Into Light , and there would need to be a truly heroic amount of copy editing before this one was ready for its close-up.
I received a review copy via Netgalley, so there may be copy editing before publication that isn't reflected in what I saw. Even if there is, though, the sheer scale of the problem means it is still going to have a lot of errors left.
It's a bit slow to get going, and wordy and discursive in places. But it tells a fresh and unusual story, set in an interesting universe, with characters who show integrity and courage.
Oh, my goodness, though, the copy editing. The author has English as a second language, and it really shows. Not just in the very-seldom-correct comma placement (I've seen plenty of native English speakers who have no idea where to put a comma, including more than one journalist), not to mention the issues with capitalization, but in the very frequently incorrect choice of prepositions, the mangled idioms, and the extremely basic and extremely common vocabulary errors. It seems to be a rule that if your book contains airships (which this does), 95% of the time you will have a vocabulary that's much smaller than you think it is, but I've seldom read one this bad. A few of many, many examples: alit/alight, conferring/conveying, glimpsed/glanced, haggle/peddle, ruble/rubble (yes, and repeatedly), led/lead (the metal), wield/yield, tales/tails, degrade/denigrate, dose/doze, perspective/respective, galley/gallery, recourses/resources, crushing/crashing, scale/travel, except/expect, doted/dotted, errant/errand, stroke/struck, bunker/bunk, extinguished/distinguished, exonerated/extolled, expending/expecting, extrapolate/elaborate, sipping/seeping, conserving/preserving, seized/ceased, limps/limbs, chanced/changed, technics/techniques, as well as a number of more common confusions (like principal/principle and sojourning/journeying).
The small encyclopedic section at the back has a couple of dubious entries about the "breeds" (or races) of the setting. The black people's distinctive quality is their strength and muscularity; the people of Mencius, the Empire of Jade, have yellow skin and the ability to make very precise movements. (There are people with red, blue, and green skin too, which... maybe makes this not quite so terrible? No, still pretty terrible.) I wasn't going to drop it a whole star for the copy editing, even though it's awful, but I decided to drop the rest of that star for the stereotyping.
A good story, combining academic investigation of ancient artefacts with politics and adventure, but I've seen that same combination done much better in, for example, Marie Brennan's Turning Darkness Into Light , and there would need to be a truly heroic amount of copy editing before this one was ready for its close-up.
I received a review copy via Netgalley, so there may be copy editing before publication that isn't reflected in what I saw. Even if there is, though, the sheer scale of the problem means it is still going to have a lot of errors left.
May 11, 2019
3.5 out of 5, rounded up to 4.
I'm really picky about the kinds of science fiction and fantasy books I like. I like stories that have a well-defined world while also not requiring an encyclopedia to understand that world. I like stories with well-defined characters who help guide the reader through this other world. So, when Gregory Tasoulas reached out to offer a review copy of his book The Journals of Incabad Reyl for me to review, I thought I'd give it a shot. It seemed right up my alley and, on the whole, I'm not disappointed. It's not really the kind of sci-fi/fantasy story I'd read, but it did end up being pretty good.
Let's talk about the good, first. I'm a big fan of stories that are told in the form of journal entries/memories/etc. I love stories that are delivered in ways that aren't just the usual third-person prose and I love when there's a really good reason for a story being told from the first-person point of view. Here, the story is told exclusively through transcriptions of Incabad Reyl's recorded memories, giving us readers a nice, healthy dose of unreliable narrator syndrome as the story goes on and we learn how he hasn't even been truthful with his own recordings, let alone with the other characters. Telling such a complicated story in a complicated universe directly through the eyes of the main character was a really smart decision as the reader gets to learn what, exactly, is happening just as Reyl experiences it.
There is, however, a downside to this. Reyl is a very famous, very smart "philosopher" - a word which, here, seems to be used in much the same way one would use "scientist" in the real world. This means that Reyl constantly uses complicated terminology to explain what is going on. This is really rough for someone like me to get through. I love world-building, but I really don't like to be thrown into a world where I literally need an encyclopedia to understand what is being said. And, since an actual glossary of terms was included in this book, that immediately turned me off and it took me a while to get past that. I'm not saying that authors shouldn't create complicated worlds for their stories to take place in; I just know that those kinds of stories tend not to be for me as I would rather just focus on experiencing the events that are happening rather than having to look up the definitions for made-up words in order to understand what turns out to be simple sentences. This kind of world-building tends to really exhaust me as a reader and it hinders my ability to get immersed into the story that's being told as I constantly have to go to the book's glossary to understand the nuances of the universe. Some people will love that kind of thing, but it's not really my cup of tea. And that's okay; it's not a bad thing that this book does that. I'm not saying it didn't work or that it's terrible the book does that. It's just not usually what I enjoy in sci-fi/fantasy stories.
That being said, I did eventually get past that. It took the better part of the first quarter of the book for me to do so, but I got there. And once I did, I did really start to enjoy the story being told. It's not a particularly action-packed story or anything, but it is a really interesting one. Reyl believes that, prior to what is considered to be the beginning of modern humanity, many technologically advanced civilizations inhabited the Horizon - the name of the planet the story takes place on; Earth, I assume. So, he sets out on a quest to explore one such previously inhabited place in order to prove his theory correct and, in doing so, uncovers a mystery so much grander than he could have imagined. It's a really interesting story, involving lots of fictional archaeology, politics, and science; investigations; and characters supporting each other and betraying each other and it's all just executed really well. Unfortunately, the novel doesn't really have a satisfying conclusion; it just kind of ends, teasing a further adventure for the characters that may or may not actually be a story Tasoulas intends to tell. I like to know ahead of time if the story I'm reading is intended to be part of a series, so I always get a little annoyed when a cliffhanger is thrown at me without warning. But, again, that's not really this book's fault - it's more of a me thing.
All in all, The Journals of Incabad Reyl is an interesting, well-written science fiction/fantasy novel. While it wasn't really the kind of thing I normally like reading, I did end up enjoying it a fair amount. For what it's trying to be, it's very well-executed, featuring a few really interesting characters at its core and a society-spanning mystery that is surprising and genuinely earth-shattering for the world of the story. This kind of story isn't really my cup of tea, but it's definitely gonna be the cup of tea for a bunch of other people. If you like stories with super complex worlds that are so well-constructed that you just want to throw yourself right into them, this book will absolutely be for you. If you prefer your stories to be a bit less complicated or to take place in a world a bit closer to our own, then this might not be for you. Either way, it's certainly worth giving a try. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It's definitely worth checking out if this is your kind of sci-fi.
I'm really picky about the kinds of science fiction and fantasy books I like. I like stories that have a well-defined world while also not requiring an encyclopedia to understand that world. I like stories with well-defined characters who help guide the reader through this other world. So, when Gregory Tasoulas reached out to offer a review copy of his book The Journals of Incabad Reyl for me to review, I thought I'd give it a shot. It seemed right up my alley and, on the whole, I'm not disappointed. It's not really the kind of sci-fi/fantasy story I'd read, but it did end up being pretty good.
Let's talk about the good, first. I'm a big fan of stories that are told in the form of journal entries/memories/etc. I love stories that are delivered in ways that aren't just the usual third-person prose and I love when there's a really good reason for a story being told from the first-person point of view. Here, the story is told exclusively through transcriptions of Incabad Reyl's recorded memories, giving us readers a nice, healthy dose of unreliable narrator syndrome as the story goes on and we learn how he hasn't even been truthful with his own recordings, let alone with the other characters. Telling such a complicated story in a complicated universe directly through the eyes of the main character was a really smart decision as the reader gets to learn what, exactly, is happening just as Reyl experiences it.
There is, however, a downside to this. Reyl is a very famous, very smart "philosopher" - a word which, here, seems to be used in much the same way one would use "scientist" in the real world. This means that Reyl constantly uses complicated terminology to explain what is going on. This is really rough for someone like me to get through. I love world-building, but I really don't like to be thrown into a world where I literally need an encyclopedia to understand what is being said. And, since an actual glossary of terms was included in this book, that immediately turned me off and it took me a while to get past that. I'm not saying that authors shouldn't create complicated worlds for their stories to take place in; I just know that those kinds of stories tend not to be for me as I would rather just focus on experiencing the events that are happening rather than having to look up the definitions for made-up words in order to understand what turns out to be simple sentences. This kind of world-building tends to really exhaust me as a reader and it hinders my ability to get immersed into the story that's being told as I constantly have to go to the book's glossary to understand the nuances of the universe. Some people will love that kind of thing, but it's not really my cup of tea. And that's okay; it's not a bad thing that this book does that. I'm not saying it didn't work or that it's terrible the book does that. It's just not usually what I enjoy in sci-fi/fantasy stories.
That being said, I did eventually get past that. It took the better part of the first quarter of the book for me to do so, but I got there. And once I did, I did really start to enjoy the story being told. It's not a particularly action-packed story or anything, but it is a really interesting one. Reyl believes that, prior to what is considered to be the beginning of modern humanity, many technologically advanced civilizations inhabited the Horizon - the name of the planet the story takes place on; Earth, I assume. So, he sets out on a quest to explore one such previously inhabited place in order to prove his theory correct and, in doing so, uncovers a mystery so much grander than he could have imagined. It's a really interesting story, involving lots of fictional archaeology, politics, and science; investigations; and characters supporting each other and betraying each other and it's all just executed really well. Unfortunately, the novel doesn't really have a satisfying conclusion; it just kind of ends, teasing a further adventure for the characters that may or may not actually be a story Tasoulas intends to tell. I like to know ahead of time if the story I'm reading is intended to be part of a series, so I always get a little annoyed when a cliffhanger is thrown at me without warning. But, again, that's not really this book's fault - it's more of a me thing.
All in all, The Journals of Incabad Reyl is an interesting, well-written science fiction/fantasy novel. While it wasn't really the kind of thing I normally like reading, I did end up enjoying it a fair amount. For what it's trying to be, it's very well-executed, featuring a few really interesting characters at its core and a society-spanning mystery that is surprising and genuinely earth-shattering for the world of the story. This kind of story isn't really my cup of tea, but it's definitely gonna be the cup of tea for a bunch of other people. If you like stories with super complex worlds that are so well-constructed that you just want to throw yourself right into them, this book will absolutely be for you. If you prefer your stories to be a bit less complicated or to take place in a world a bit closer to our own, then this might not be for you. Either way, it's certainly worth giving a try. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It's definitely worth checking out if this is your kind of sci-fi.
May 13, 2019
Most fantasy writers start a book and create a world in which to place it. A very few spend years creating a fantasy world and finally write a book about it. Gregory Tasoulas is one of the latter.
Picture a universe where once every few thousand years the whole basis of the world undergoes a basic shift. Scientific, magical, and metaphysical rules change. None of the inventions and creations of society function anymore. Humans are thrown into an apocalypse from which they must rise again by learning everything about the new world that has formed around them. They are ignorant of their past and doomed to repeat the cycle.
Until one man gets suspicious that vestiges of the last cycle still exist. And then he finds one that is still operant, and all hell breaks loose.
As with other created worlds, this one is imbued deeply with the details and underpinnings of geography, mythology, and science. A full glossary of terms gives evidence of the years of imagination that gave rise to this novel. It is an impressive creation, part wizardry and part steam-punk, and the author slips his setting descriptions in so subtly that you don’t really notice it happening.
Another aspect of this work that deserves mention is that it is truly a journal: a first-person narrative of events that have already taken place. There is almost no dialogue, and at the beginning I found the emotional distance from the action problematic. However, once I got used to the style (and I suspect after the author got used to writing in it) I became fully engrossed in the story and finished it in one sitting.
My connection to the tale was helped by the character of Incabad Reyl himself, an academic and unlikely hero who is forced to confront the destruction of his beliefs several times on the way to his final enlightenment. The other characters, all seen through his eyes, are sketched in less fully, but all fulfill their purposes admirably.
Champion world-building, reasonable handling of a difficult writing style, great plot and main character. (It could use just one more good proofreading.)
Picture a universe where once every few thousand years the whole basis of the world undergoes a basic shift. Scientific, magical, and metaphysical rules change. None of the inventions and creations of society function anymore. Humans are thrown into an apocalypse from which they must rise again by learning everything about the new world that has formed around them. They are ignorant of their past and doomed to repeat the cycle.
Until one man gets suspicious that vestiges of the last cycle still exist. And then he finds one that is still operant, and all hell breaks loose.
As with other created worlds, this one is imbued deeply with the details and underpinnings of geography, mythology, and science. A full glossary of terms gives evidence of the years of imagination that gave rise to this novel. It is an impressive creation, part wizardry and part steam-punk, and the author slips his setting descriptions in so subtly that you don’t really notice it happening.
Another aspect of this work that deserves mention is that it is truly a journal: a first-person narrative of events that have already taken place. There is almost no dialogue, and at the beginning I found the emotional distance from the action problematic. However, once I got used to the style (and I suspect after the author got used to writing in it) I became fully engrossed in the story and finished it in one sitting.
My connection to the tale was helped by the character of Incabad Reyl himself, an academic and unlikely hero who is forced to confront the destruction of his beliefs several times on the way to his final enlightenment. The other characters, all seen through his eyes, are sketched in less fully, but all fulfill their purposes admirably.
Champion world-building, reasonable handling of a difficult writing style, great plot and main character. (It could use just one more good proofreading.)
May 23, 2019
The Journals of Incabad Reyl is the first book in a sci-fi/fantasy series which combines the novellas Elmwean’s Lodge and Return to Elmwean’s Lodge together into one volume. I read the two novellas a while back, but was really excited to read them together as one volume.
The story is told in the first person, through the eyes of Professor Incabad Reyl as we follow his personal quest. I love Incabad Reyl. His character is so smart, and it is really fund to read through his eyes. I could picture what he looked like and what his voice sounded like. He is such a well-rounded character. The narrative is structured as a personal journal and we get to experience everything at the same time as Incabad. I think it is so cool to watch his character grow.
The worldbuilding is incredible in this novel. Horizon is a miniature, parallel universe, created by strong echomagnetic storms. It is populated by 10 different human breeds that are differenciated by their skin and psyiological features. It is so imaginative, I found myself immersed into this world. I love the mixture of science and futuristic technology with magic and supernatural elements. I’ll admit, it can be a little overwhelming trying to keep up with the universe, but eventually, you get used to the language and things make more sense.
If you love sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural elements, you should definitely pick up The Journals o Incabad Reyl. Between the quirkiness of our main character, Professor Incabad, and the incredibly detailed world, this novel is really awesome. Highly recommended and definitely on my favorite list of 2019!
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my.*
The story is told in the first person, through the eyes of Professor Incabad Reyl as we follow his personal quest. I love Incabad Reyl. His character is so smart, and it is really fund to read through his eyes. I could picture what he looked like and what his voice sounded like. He is such a well-rounded character. The narrative is structured as a personal journal and we get to experience everything at the same time as Incabad. I think it is so cool to watch his character grow.
The worldbuilding is incredible in this novel. Horizon is a miniature, parallel universe, created by strong echomagnetic storms. It is populated by 10 different human breeds that are differenciated by their skin and psyiological features. It is so imaginative, I found myself immersed into this world. I love the mixture of science and futuristic technology with magic and supernatural elements. I’ll admit, it can be a little overwhelming trying to keep up with the universe, but eventually, you get used to the language and things make more sense.
If you love sci-fi, fantasy, and supernatural elements, you should definitely pick up The Journals o Incabad Reyl. Between the quirkiness of our main character, Professor Incabad, and the incredibly detailed world, this novel is really awesome. Highly recommended and definitely on my favorite list of 2019!
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my.*
June 28, 2019
It was quite fascinating the sort of things Incabad Reyl finds, on one hand he seems like quite a logical person, on the other - he's fascinated with Archaeology and Psychology. There were occasions where the descriptions get a little bit much.
I found that the hidden building/city that Incabad and them find and the exploration of it fascinating; this book was well worth the read. I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I found that the hidden building/city that Incabad and them find and the exploration of it fascinating; this book was well worth the read. I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2019
Received from Author
My favorite thing about it was the universe/world created.
The story is set in a world, which governing force is electricity. Incabad Reyl spends most of his life reaching it and creating Equation. He is not satisfied with results so he goes on an adventure to find Master Equation, with help of Auburn Thorn.
The worldbuilding is amazing. The world created is very well developed and very vivid. As you read the story, the setting just jumps from the pages. The story is very unique and compelling, however, it took me a while to really get into the story.
A very unique book. :)
My favorite thing about it was the universe/world created.
The story is set in a world, which governing force is electricity. Incabad Reyl spends most of his life reaching it and creating Equation. He is not satisfied with results so he goes on an adventure to find Master Equation, with help of Auburn Thorn.
The worldbuilding is amazing. The world created is very well developed and very vivid. As you read the story, the setting just jumps from the pages. The story is very unique and compelling, however, it took me a while to really get into the story.
A very unique book. :)
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