REVIEW | ‘AETHER RISING’

Book four in the Aether Psychics series, 'Aether Rising,” (AIBHS, January 2017)did not disappoint. The world in which the novels take place is wonderfully drawn combining elements of fantasy, steam punk and science (but not too much science to bore the reader). In book four, the debate over who should have control of the Eros Element continues and the powers that each of the ladies possesses in connection with the Element and each other is explored further. Confrontations with the wealthy businessman (with a delightfully evil sounding name), Parnaby Cobb and a secretive organization, the Neo-Pythagoreans, challenge Iris's, Marie's and Claire's devotion to their sweethearts and what they believe and know about the power of the Eros Element.

Iris, Marie and Claire are key to the strength of this series. While these stories are set in an alternate Victorian world, they are not simpering ladies. These three women show strength and power that is their own while trying to understand the power of the Eros Elements and their own strange connection to the Element. The men closest to them step out of the way (most of the time) and listen to their thoughts and opinions on how to resolve the crisis facing them.

Because the action is intense from start to finish and with all of the characters coming together for the first time, remembering what happened in the previous books is a struggle. High-level recaps do happen, but not quite enough to jar all the memories loose. This is a fine line for an author to walk so one cannot necessarily hold Dominic at fault. It would have been beneficial for a deeper recap of events from the previous novels as the characters reconnected after being apart from each other and with the full introduction of Claire into the band of friends.