Title: Diunthum: Illumnesia
Author: Spector Grove
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-6641-4371-5
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 241
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Pacific Book Review
There is post-apocalyptic, and then there is Diunthum. Like they say in cheesy infomercials, forget everything you know about life after the apocalypse. This story manages to take an already bleak idea and make it even darker — literally. When nothing is left on Earth, how does anyone or anything survive?
Young Pagan is used to life in the dark with very few people left on the planet, so when he sees a figure running in the distance, his curiosity is piqued. With nothing else to do in the dark and barren wasteland he calls home, he follows the figure setting off a chain of events that will not only change his life but the world as he knows it.
Diunthum: Illumnesia is an epic story that toes the line between gritty reality and enchanted fantasy. There are so many elements of different genres intertwined in this book which keeps it fresh and compelling to read. There is no rush to develop characters that allow them to gradually grow on you and learn about themselves in the story. One of the Achilles heels of books like these is a big build-up to a disappointing climax, but author Spector Grove delivers a beautifully executed third act.
For Spector Grove’s first published book, this story hits all the right notes. The first couple chapters use unnecessarily complex descriptive words, but that dies down the further you go and makes the book much more enjoyable. From there, the writing gets much more succinct and draws you into this dystopian fantasy with ease. You will find yourself caring deeper than you would care to admit about this eclectic group of characters, which is a direct result of how wonderful Spector Grove has crafted them.
This story works wonderfully as a stand-alone story, but it is safe to bet that we will be seeing more of Pagan, Elena, and the rest of the crew. There is so much more to explore in this barren wasteland, from the future of the characters to the past that created such a depressing place. Since Spector Grove has pretty much created an entire universe here, the potential possibilities are endless.
I look forward to following these characters and others that come out of the mind of Spector Grove in the future.
