Title: Ethereal
Author: Al Price
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1796070002
Pages: 292
Genre: Literature & Fiction/Genre Fiction
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

Read Book Review

The journey and path of a friendship is one of the defining aspects of a person’s life. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “A man’s growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.” In author Al Price’s book Ethereal, the story of two friends from very different families takes on life together and discover their own paths in the process.

In this book, readers are introduced to a white boy named Aeamon Lee Mistral and JoNathan Markhum, an African-American boy, both of whom have grown up to become best friends with in family’s that are as close as the boys are, and have no concept of the symbolic materials that resonate within the class-conscious era of the time. After a series of adventures in their teen years, the boys meet a mysterious woman who encourages them to pursue journeys of their own; with Aeamon Lee going for a football scholarship while Jo-Nathan goes for a career in the United States Marine Corps. It is the adventures and journey they take that defines not only their friendship, but their lives overall in this coming of age tale.

This was a well written, relatable and evenly-paced read. The author does a great job of creating a sense of familiarity amongst the cast of characters, while showing off the unique nature of the boy’s friendship and the encouragement they shared for one another’s paths in life, no matter how hard it was on their desire to maintain their close friendship. The author’s use of the setting and lifestyle of the character’s backgrounds became as much a part of the story as the boys themselves, even giving unique moments to the protagonists’ stories throughout. It was interesting when readers saw the unique training technique Aeamon Lee used to get in shape and preparedness for his goal of gaining a football scholarship involving the land their families shared and the wildlife of the area.

Ethereal is perfect for anyone looking for a fairly fast-paced read with well-rounded character arcs, genre fiction and of course stories set in a now historical period, the early 1980’s. The time era of the story and the character’s arcs were truly engaging and seeing the transition of the boy’s friendship into Aeamon Lee’s life in college and his athletic and scholastic journey is something a lot of readers will be able to identify with on some level.

A well written, fast-paced yet thoroughly engaging read, author Al Price’s Ethereal is a brilliant novel for anyone who enjoys genre fiction and is looking for a well-rounded story to get lost in. To read the amazing story of these two friends and the journey they undergo to finding their true self, be sure to grab your own copy of this book today!