The Shards of the Conduit is Sci-Fi done right

Sci-fi with fantasy elements, thrills, and secrets and emotional gravitas? Yes, S.N. Yusuf delivers all that and more in the first installment of her Eiden Ascendant series. Read my 4 ½ stars review.

Out: January 16th

A discovery leads Malek and his team across their world in search of ancient shards, parts of an ancient machine that might be a weapon of mass destruction, or the opposite. They must not let it fall into the hands of the enemy, the Elemnai. Added to the team is Nikita because of her Elemnai expertise, but she doesn't want to be there, though she wants war even less. Malek possesses a secret, unknown ability that may endanger their race to stay ahead of the game. Their survival. And are the Shards of the Conduit a blessing or a curse?

The book jumps right into the action, the middle of a mission to be exact and WTF is going on mode. You might feel a little lost, but it's the good, exciting 'I want to learn everything' kind of lost. Malek is our compass. You will quickly get comfortable with the fast pace thanks to the image-inducing descriptions that spark the imagination. Presenting details which pinpoint our attention to exactly where it is needed, the scenes come alive. An inviting preciseness colors the writing. There were points where the prose purred and others where it revved up, consistently powerful and captivating.

The mystery of Malek's secret, of what he can do, is hinted from the start. He is a soldier through and through, duty-bound and solemn to the point of grumpiness in the pursuit of that duty. He is afraid of his ability, whatever it is, and it being discovered. Nikita is intelligent, quite educated and loves to share her knowledge. Used to having to prove herself and open-minded to the possibility of living harmoniously with the Elemnai. The others are less enthusiastic about the possibility. She questions everything and the commander doesn't like to be questioned, therefore headbutting ensues.

This author can really spin a story, info blending organically in the narrative, the building of this world and these characters done in a way to be admired. Each POV feels personal, yet all-encompassing, especially when the team is taking the initiative, making you forget whose POV it is. It is masterful how it becomes the whole group's POV. Theory upon theory will form in your mind as the story progresses, its unspooling done wonderfully, as we accumulate more reveals, clues to mysteries and some answers. Creative uses of abilities account for some of the coolest fights I've read lately, plus the writing instills in you the sense of adventure, of discovery.

I immensely enjoyed the mystery of Bastion, not seen but heard, like Charlie in Charlie's Angels. I had a theory about him from the beginning. I literally pumped my fist in the air when my theory was correct and whooped. The whole team is likeable but Bastion has a special place in my heart. Each character has an interesting, distinct voice and role to play. The team-building isn't all champagne and roses from the beginning. Nevertheless, you feel the foundation of a found family taking root. There is respect. There is banter. There are humorous, even laugh-out-loud, actions and retorts — with Vivica being the undeniable leader. This team soars when it takes action and so does the storyline.

There were points where thoughts/mentions of the past appear in the middle of paragraphs that are action-oriented or in/at the end of a character's musings, and I would have preferred they were their own paragraphs. In my opinion, they would have been more impactful that way and their timing wouldn't have felt a little off. That has nothing to do with the thrill-packed paragraphs. Kudos to the author for making them long. The preference to two sentence paragraphs that some authors have now just cut the flow and make the scenes choppy. S.N. Yusuf understands the assignment. I will admit though, that I did get confused in parts. Did not diminish my love for these energetic scenes.

The book deals with war and the morality merry-go-round that goes with it. What humanity means, not the species but the act of being humane. It is about checking your prejudices at the door and acceptance, of others and yourself. People can make you better or worse, so choose wisely.

"I'll try to understand the world a little better the next time I save it" is the quote that envelops the beauty of this story's ethos.

Dangerous secrets and power games paint this superior mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Heart-wrenching but also heartwarming, I admit I teared up at some point. Okay, the truth is I sobbed. I absolutely adored this first installment in the Eiden Ascendant series and cannot wait for the next one.