Review by Abigail Klinkerman -- Opaque by Calix Leigh-Reign
Posted: 10 Jun 2020, 15:00
[Following is a volunteer review of "Opaque" by Calix Leigh-Reign.]
Opaque is a young adult Sci-Fi novel by Calix Leigh-Reign and the first book in the Scion Saga. When we first meet Adam, he appears to be a troubled, emotionally disturbed teenager battling with an inner lust for his mother, an indescribable anger and disgust for those around him, and other seemingly sociopathic tendencies. After he discovers an undeniable connection with the new girl at school, Carly, his life is permanently altered. She introduces him to a whole new world of power and history that explains all of the odd and unusual occurrences that have plagued him throughout his life. Carly explains to him that the reason behind these happenings and the couple’s immense attraction is their common ancestry.
They are both descendants from a group of ancient Russian bloodlines whose DNA is inscribed with telekinetic powers that they can use to manipulate the world around them. But more importantly she informs him that they must use them to protect themselves from the Iksha; a group of dark-minded Russian scientists who are obsessed with finding the source of their abilities and harvesting them for their own agendas at any cost.
I was extremely entertained throughout the novel and managed to finish it within a few sittings. The author has an extraordinary ability to transport you inside the world and minds of the characters that she has created. The original and twisted plotline coupled with her beautiful descriptions left me constantly grasping for more. You can tell she’s put in research through her careful attention to detail. For example, when a native Russian character speaks English, the writing is stylized to be broken in order to portray that English isn’t her native tongue. I also appreciated the general lack of errors within the novel that allowed for smooth reading.
Even though I truly enjoyed it, I still have a few critiques. The entire book is written in the present tense. While that seems to work well in some sections, it disconnected me from the situation and made me have to reread a few things to understand them in others. If I were to change one thing, it would be that. Throughout the book, I also would’ve liked to see further relationship development between Adam and Carly with the other teen descendants that they befriend. Most of the time, the book would just pick up on the fact that they’ve formed these new relationships but don’t describe the process. This way, there could’ve been more opportunities for information to be revealed about these new characters who we know so little about. There were a couple other plot holes I found that may be explained in the next book but aren’t worth mentioning for sake of spoiler alerts.
Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Despite the few problems I had with the novel, I decided that they didn’t trump the fantastic storyline and language. I think this book would appeal to readers of any age who enjoy a good sci-fi fantasy even though it’s listed for young adult. It still may be a little too old for middle schoolers due to mild language and some romantic scenes, but it’s an opinion call. I look forward to reading the rest of the Scion Saga!
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Opaque is a young adult Sci-Fi novel by Calix Leigh-Reign and the first book in the Scion Saga. When we first meet Adam, he appears to be a troubled, emotionally disturbed teenager battling with an inner lust for his mother, an indescribable anger and disgust for those around him, and other seemingly sociopathic tendencies. After he discovers an undeniable connection with the new girl at school, Carly, his life is permanently altered. She introduces him to a whole new world of power and history that explains all of the odd and unusual occurrences that have plagued him throughout his life. Carly explains to him that the reason behind these happenings and the couple’s immense attraction is their common ancestry.
They are both descendants from a group of ancient Russian bloodlines whose DNA is inscribed with telekinetic powers that they can use to manipulate the world around them. But more importantly she informs him that they must use them to protect themselves from the Iksha; a group of dark-minded Russian scientists who are obsessed with finding the source of their abilities and harvesting them for their own agendas at any cost.
I was extremely entertained throughout the novel and managed to finish it within a few sittings. The author has an extraordinary ability to transport you inside the world and minds of the characters that she has created. The original and twisted plotline coupled with her beautiful descriptions left me constantly grasping for more. You can tell she’s put in research through her careful attention to detail. For example, when a native Russian character speaks English, the writing is stylized to be broken in order to portray that English isn’t her native tongue. I also appreciated the general lack of errors within the novel that allowed for smooth reading.
Even though I truly enjoyed it, I still have a few critiques. The entire book is written in the present tense. While that seems to work well in some sections, it disconnected me from the situation and made me have to reread a few things to understand them in others. If I were to change one thing, it would be that. Throughout the book, I also would’ve liked to see further relationship development between Adam and Carly with the other teen descendants that they befriend. Most of the time, the book would just pick up on the fact that they’ve formed these new relationships but don’t describe the process. This way, there could’ve been more opportunities for information to be revealed about these new characters who we know so little about. There were a couple other plot holes I found that may be explained in the next book but aren’t worth mentioning for sake of spoiler alerts.
Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Despite the few problems I had with the novel, I decided that they didn’t trump the fantastic storyline and language. I think this book would appeal to readers of any age who enjoy a good sci-fi fantasy even though it’s listed for young adult. It still may be a little too old for middle schoolers due to mild language and some romantic scenes, but it’s an opinion call. I look forward to reading the rest of the Scion Saga!
******
Opaque
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords