Antivion
Embarking on an adventure across the universe, a couple shares their experience of love with angels, aliens, and humans alike.
Antivion by Richard Sills is the continuation of Surooval and Norma’s romantic love story from Lanethros, the first book of the series. Like Lanethros, Antivion is set in a futuristic time where life and society are dependent on computers that allow the characters to travel, process knowledge from other planets and realities, change their body forms and environments, and much more.
In preparation for their upcoming marriage, Surooval and Norma travel the universe to visit friends and family. On their way, they try an array of new things and receive many blessings of peace and happiness from humans, aliens, angels, and even God himself. They take great pleasure in teaching one another about their home planets before the big day comes. They are a special couple, destined to be together forever, and everyone knows it.
Sills constructs a novel of pure love: love of self, of God, of friends, and of family. Following the characters as they embark on their own adventures, the motif of everlasting unconditional love is clearly apparent, as shown in this passage: “For I am the Lord God, the Lord God of everything. And I will hold you, and I will love you, and you will love me, and we will be forever and forever. Kindness to each other. In the beginning there was love. This was the beginning of everything.”
The writing is very clean and consistent. Many of the characters change little, if at all, within this story, though some of Surooval and Norma’s friends have had children and are seen in a different light than in the first novel. Surooval’s character mostly remains constant throughout the story, but watching Norma fall more and more in love with Surooval is rewarding.
As in Lanethros, there are very few chapter breaks to mark the time and setting changes within the novel, making it difficult at times to follow the storyline. However, in this new installment the continuous narration works to keep the pace even, if slow. With no real conflict or resolution present in the story, there is little sense of movement or goal orientation. The ending is seemingly inevitable, making the outcome of the story predictable. The cover of the novel is a little misleading because Jesus is never mentioned in story, and the picture doesn’t represent the description of heaven given in the piece.
One of the most entertaining aspects of this novel is the creativity Sills shows in the characters’ reactions to everyday items of Earth, such as sugar: “‘It’s pleasant,’ he said. ‘I like the sugar, as you call it. Is it expensive, a luxury?’” Another great feature of this piece is the interesting concept of mortals marrying angels and being allowed to visit heaven and speak with God one on one.
Antivion is a quick read suggested for anyone who loves comedic, paranormal romance novels with a hint of quirkiness.
Reviewed by
Jessica S. Council
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
