The Heirs of Menonias
Be-Stirred Book Review #2
The Heirs of Menonias - by Garret K. Jones
My connection to the author: I was introduced to The Heirs Menonias through the dynamic duo who own and operate Twins and Talent. Haley Newlin was one of my teachers at the Creator Institute, and her story of how she decided to become a writer in the Horror genre inspired me to push through some tough times with my own creative writing.
Book synopsis: The Heirs of Menonias is a fantasy book about mystics, mages, magic, dragons, demigods, and elves (among other beings), but with a unique twist – not only are the magical creatures intelligent, but they telepathically connect with the humans they choose to bond with, who are known as ”Mysts.” The dynamics of this symbiotic relationship thread through the story and ultimately heal the rift between humans and other magical creatures that the dark and powerful mystic, Menonias, engendered.
Three heroes: a Dragonmyst (a bonded dragon and human pair), a deity with a plethora of human fallacies, and a halfling elf princess (who is a martyr reincarnate) connect in a shared mission to preserve the peoples, creatures, and integrity of the kingdom of Icínq-Régn. They face three brothers – the heirs of the twisted grand Magus Menonias, who use a variety of weapons against them, including the dreaded Vipermysts (a hybrid of human and sentient viper).
The author also has a neat video summary of the book on his website.
What I liked about it: I’ve written about this before, but I find that reading independent and self-published books has really made me appreciate the value of a good story, despite the rough edges and, on occasion, utter rawness of such books. Menonias is a prime example of one such work. It has a number of issues emblematic of the growing pains all creative writers face, but the bones of the story are thoughtful and creative, and the potential of this book –and the Menonias-verse–are clearly evident.
There was plenty to like about Menonias. To begin with, he world-building is absolutely phenomenal - probably the best world-building I’ve read in quite some time. The lore is incredibly detailed and well-thought out, and the companion site for the book was a fun (and helpful) reference as I journeyed into the world of Icínq-Régn. My recommendation for prospective readers is that they investigate the lore on the author’s website before diving into the story - the book was much more fun to read once I decided to look up the things I couldn’t immediately figure out or place!
Additionally, the author has a special take on traditional fantasy characters, beings, and their associated tropes. When I first encountered the part about dragons and dragon riders, I was afraid I had run right into an overused trope (so many books, movies, and tv series about dragons out right now - dragons are definitely having a moment). But there was much more to the relationship and, as it turned out, the nature of relationships more generally in this universe. Specifically, the world of Menonias is a world of hybrids, both good and bad. Imagine, for example, what might happen if humans bond with magical creatures (elves, dragons, vampires, etc.). I found the concept intriguing, particularly since the author applies it in many different circumstances. Oh - I won’t give away the spoiler, but there is also a hybrid of hybrids in one of the main characters that blew my mind.
Finally, I sincerely appreciated the choreography and characters at play in the action scenes–and there are a myriad of them. Most involve magic, too, which creates some interesting twists and turns. Again, the website was a great reference for me to remember which spells led to which outcomes and so forth (and there are some stunning images / artwork of the creatures involved as well).
How you can experience the story: The Heirs of Menonias is available in hardcopy or eBook formats either from GKJ Publishing or Amazon. The e-book is available for purchase through Kindle or to check out on Kindle Unlimited.
