The Ships of Aleph, by Jaine Fenn, Reviewed.
This short book is a mix of fantasy and soft science fiction that works well. It paints a picture of a world both disturbing and intriguing. I suspect that the author will, or maybe has already, feature the world in further fiction. It certainly has potential.
The story moves the main character through a learning process that shifts him from a level of knowledge and experience reflecting the Middle Ages through to something from the far future. It does this seamlessly and with no sense of impossibility. Beneath the narrative lurks a wonderful and subtle message about religion and belief that strikes an empathetic chord with this reader. There is also a love story that results in further revelations about the nature of relationships.
The settings are drawn with enough detail to unsettle and the incidents echo this air of uncertainty. The characters are skilfully conveyed and believable.
I enjoyed this short tale and will now be on the lookout for other titles by this talented writer.
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