Genre: YA, Steampunk, Fantasy
Reviewer: Damian
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About The Book
A young man falls in with airship pirates … and discovers how to follow his heart.
Revin, a young man from a poor mining town, has pulled himself up by his bootstraps to become the student apprentice of a law professor. But then, everything goes wrong: their airship is captured by pirates and Revin loses his mentor. Born female, Revin must make his way in a world oriented toward men while he struggles with his own identity.
Set against the backdrop of a war between island nations, Revin must navigate a world divided between the aristocracy and the common people. And, as a promising young man, he must choose whom to align himself with – and to serve.
But what does Revin’s heart say?
The Review
Steven D. Brewer casts the reader into a fantasy world of flying vessels, war, hidden identities, secret agendas, repressed societies, and awakenings in his Revin’s Heart Series. His enchanting story captivates you with a journey of discovery. Revin, whose life spins out of control as he seeks to find his place in the world amid the turmoil around him, is an endearing protagonist.
Before I get to the heart of the matter, a word about reading the series: I read the seven novellas in the Revin’s Heart series, that starts with The Third Time’s the Charm and ends with Rewriting the Rules. Some series allow you to dive into the middle and grasp the tale, while others work best if you read from the start to the finish. Revin’s adventure works best if you do the latter. The stories flow from one to the other without clear recaps or summaries in the narratives. Reading the first novella and following them in order offers a novel-like experience, whereas hunting and pecking might leave you confused. Besides, I found reading them all well worth the experience!
Revin’s life is thrown into chaos when pirates attack a ship upon which he travels. The pirates capture him but soon lure him into their life. Revin is particularly struck by their acceptance of him, especially after the pirate captain wonders if Revin is a man in a woman’s body or a woman pretending to be a man. The world around Revin and the pirates discriminates against different sexualities or gender identities. Revin feels accepted for the first time, even if he is unsure of his answer to the captain’s inquiry. Revin experiences liberation because the pirates don’t care how he answers, instead wanting him to be free to find out for himself.
Revin soon becomes invaluable to the pirates, even as he learns their ways and comes to grips with himself. His ability and daring send him on adventures amid a war, an attempt to end air travel by manipulating the weather, and forces seeking to banish pirates and keep kingdoms intact. Brewer crafts a fantasy world within an adventure narrative, giving you a window into a realm unlike our own but without the need for laborious explanations or detail to yank you out of Revin’s story. This is an especially remarkable feat given the political, travel, and social construct Brewer generates.
Revin himself is a fabulous character. You pull for him from the first. He possesses a charming combination of hurt because of not being accepted for his true nature with a hope for a better future and acceptance for those around him, no matter who they are. And Revin blends a youthful naïveté about the world, especially within the realm of the pirates, with a bravery and courage in his exploits.
This series features a non-binary main character, a fantasy adventure, and a band of pirates who struggle against a society demanding conformity. Brewer drives the novellas forward with action to keep you going from one to the next. He seldom bogs down in long descriptions – this is an adventure ride!
I’ve been behind in about everything in life and had meant to read the Revin’s Heart series for a long time but had to keep putting it off. I took the series on vacation to help me catch up. I generally don’t like to mix business with pleasure, as they adage goes, but it worked out well – these novellas are the perfect read while you’re lounging beside the pool on a sunny, happy day!
The Reviewer
Damian Serbu lives in the Chicago area with his husband and two dogs, Akasha and Chewbacca. The dogs control his life, tell him what to write, and threaten to eat him in the middle of the night if he disobeys. He has published several speculative fiction/horror novels with NineStar Press. Keep up to date with him on Facebook, Twitter, or at www.DamianSerbu.com.
