Official Review: Aresti: Planet of the Red God Volume I: ...

[Poppy Drear]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Aresti: Planet of the Red God Volume I: Foothills of the Gods" by Evelyn Dunbar-Webb.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Aresti: Planet of the Red God Volume I: Foothills of the Gods by Evelyn Dunbar Webb is a science fiction novel set on Mars, where an ancient civilization has been thriving in underground cave systems. Recently, contact was made with a select few people on Earth in order to facilitate scientific programs, especially in the field of archaeology. The book follows Rake, an aspiring archaeologist, as he unearths the secret ties between his own planet, known by the natives as Aresti, and Earth.

The book's plot revolves mostly around puzzles, starting from the very beginning of the story, when Rake's grandfather, or "daktadaka," leaves him an assortment of unfinished archaeological studies and paraphernalia for him to sort through. Solving the mysteries of Aresti's history is balanced by a good amount of action, though, as Rake is put in danger by a variety of parties with conflicting motives, from the isolationist government leader Maldaree to a group of radical terrorists. In addition, there are some magical elements that add to the intrigue, like the divining crystal Rake's grandfather left for him.

This book's worldbuilding is certainly impressive in its depth. The cave systems have a wide variety of esoteric plant and animal life, and there are food items that are just as varied. Despite its historic ties to Earth, Aresti's culture is unique and creative, with a time system complete with a midday rest period, a complex social hierarchy, and strong importance placed on religious tradition. I thought that several scenes could have been described more vividly, with more emphasis on senses other than sight, but this isn't too noticeable.

Unfortunately, this book's greatest downfall is in how it uses the Arestian language. In this book, Arestian words are used for very mundane concepts, so to understand a phrase as simple as "we drank tea with my aunt last night," readers must memorize the Arestian words for "tea," "aunt," and "night." There's not even a complete glossary of terms, so taking notes is almost mandatory, as words are often difficult to understand from context. It did very little to establish Arestian culture; instead, it made reading much more tedious and reduced immersion. At the very least, though, this book is remarkably well-edited, with barely any typos at all.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars, and I think it's a good fit for middle school readers. It has a relatively complex plot and a fair amount of death, and I can especially see students with a passion for archaeology enjoying it. Its characters may be a bit too shallow for older readers, though, and it's likely that adults would tire of having to memorize so much of the Arestian language, anyway. Despite its flaws, it's an effective adventure story with a very unique setting.

******
Aresti: Planet of the Red God Volume I: Foothills of the Gods
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[kandscreeley]

This book sounds right up my alley. However, the Arestian language would be a bit much. I just don't learn that fast. The author really should provide some translation. I still might have to try it. Thanks.

[Nisha Ward]

While I do like the concept of a science fiction book told from the perspective of the, to us, aliens, I do agree with you about the language barrier and the way the incomplete glossary would make it worse. It seems like a really good book but to have to trudge through that? This is probably not for me right now.

[SunVixen]

So, is this book written from a Martian perspective? This is very unusual and interesting. I wonder how the author explains the fact that Mars seems mostly lifeless? In the times of Burroughs or Bradbury, it was normal to write about Martians. However, this seems strange now. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful review!