Title: Aria of the Eclipse
Series: N/A
Author: Vivien Dean
Genre: MM / Science Fiction / Futuristic / The Arts
Length: Novella
Publisher: Amber Allure (April 21st, 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb: Nothing has ever excited Tylen Merodine more than being invited by the Regent himself to celebrate the first solar eclipse in his planet’s recorded history. It’s the party of the millennium, and if he has to restrain his normal exuberant instincts to fit in, that’s what he’ll do to be a part of it. His good intentions vanish, however, the moment he’s presented to the Regent. Because there, in a gilded cage, playing music unlike anything Tylen’s ever heard, is the most beautiful alien he could imagine.
For more than twenty years, Dek has lived in captivity, performing at the whim of those who see him as an animal. The Regent is just the latest in a long line of owners, and while he’s kind, he’s still blind to Dek’s sentient nature. Only music gives Dek a voice, until Tylen breaks the rules and sneaks in to see and speak to him alone.
The time they have together is stolen and precious, the minutes ticking away until the eclipse is past and they have to go back to the way their lives were before. But when the Regent shows an unexpected interest in Tylen’s future, they begin to wonder if their worlds need to remain so separate…
Product Link: http://amberquill.com/AmberAllure/AriaEclipse.html
Review: What a lovely, lovely book this was. I’m very fond of the sci-fi genre and the whole different species idea I admit, but this story was truly worth reading even if I was not partial to it.
As much as I crave my freedom, I’ve lived so much of my life
In a cage that I’m not sure what I’d do with it once it was mine.
This is how it starts and it comes from Dek’s point of view. Dek is a sentient species similar to humans, but also very different. Hunted down at age thirteen, he has spent nearly two decades in captivity. The first time he spoke to his “owner” it didn’t go well, hence his decision not to speak ever again to anyone that treats him like an animal. His only way of communication is through his music.
When the story begins I was fascinated. Not only by the new species introduced, but mostly from the melancholic tone as Dek narrated it. It was such a romantic way of writing I got lost in it from the first line and through it you get to understand Dek’s personality and admire the character Ms. Dean created here. He is melancholic due to captivity, yet not depressed. He has an understanding for his captors/owners, yet he hasn’t succumbed to his hopeless situation. Maintaining dreams, yet not getting overwhelmed by them or the fact that he might always be a slave. It is a beautiful character you instantly fall in love with.
And then Tylen comes in the scene and he has his own point of view. The writing while similar is also different, the voices between Tylen and Dek easily distinguishable and you can see how easily he falls for the “songbird” in the golden cage and feel his fury and emotions for said cage.
Being the first one to ever acknowledge Dek as a person, Tylen instantly earns the honor of being the first to hear his voice, too. The bond created between them is almost tangible for me as a reader, the emotions the come from the anguish of their fate easily traveled my way. When the pair came together it was almost magical and the writing once again took me within the dreamy intensity of their lovemaking.
In addition to the wonderful love story there was the romantic side of Dek’s owner, the Regent, who made things even more interesting with his behavior. A mysterious character in his doings, he had both characters and me wondering what on Earth is going on. Giving the plot that little something needed to raise it from a mere nice story to a great one. It was absolutely brilliant and I loved the conclusion. Expected, yet so very unique and romantic in its execution.
This is most definitely a read I’d recommend to those who love sci-fi and romantic stories. I loved it.