4 out of 4 stars
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Sojourner: A Novella by M. Quinten O’Neil is a fast-paced, beautifully written tale of hope in a post-apocalyptic setting. As suggested by the title, this blend of sci-fi and fantasy fiction is character-driven. Our protagonist is a mysterious man who has such a strong will to survive that he somehow escaped his dying world, only to enter a desolate world much like his own. He meets Una Kess, a Shi. Shi describes a peaceful nomadic people who are viewed as sheep to be slaughtered and eaten by another group of people known as fade-walkers. Una is tired of her people roaming around in fear. The sojourner may just be able to help the Shi, but nothing good in life comes free.
Not surprisingly, our mystery man is determined to leave the new world he found himself in. At first, I thought that the title, Sojourner, foreshadowed that he would only stay in this world for a little while. However, after further contemplation, it came to mind that he may have been a sojourner in other worlds, but this is the story of the events leading to him taking up permanent residence in this one.
I really enjoyed this novella. The length was a little over one hundred pages divided into thirteen chapters, so I could easily finish it in one seating. O’Neil evidently had his work professionally edited because I could not find any grammatical error. Since this story was character-driven, it was pleasant that all the characters were well developed. They were all 100% human – beautifully flawed, courageous cowards. Although I only mentioned two group of people before, there was a third group – the Order. The order is a group of religious fanatics reminiscent of the crusaders. The non-confrontational Shi, the cannibalistic Fade-walkers, and the religious Order represent the different stereotypical groups that would most likely be found in a post-apocalyptic world. O’Neil does a brilliant job bringing them to life and showing that they are all complex beings via the use of dialogue, background stories and exposing their thoughts.
I cannot find any demerits to highlight. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. I only wish I knew more about the protagonist. Even his name is a mystery. I hope that this has a sequel. This story made me evaluate my sense of morality. I am sure that many readers will be able to relate to this story.
In conclusion, I rate Sojourner 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this novella to fans of both sci-fi and fantasy fiction, especially those looking for a quick thrilling reading experience.
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Sojourner: A Novella
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