Serena is one of the last generations of mermaids. They are
slowly dying along with their world, and the only solution
is making some sort of peace with the werewolves that kill
them. However, doing so will prove far more difficult than
anyone expects and secrets long buried will come out into
the open as soon as the battle starts.
THE RISING by Terra Harmony takes a very unique look at
mermaids and werewolves. The way they use their scales and
the way their society works is interesting, and I think for
the most part, it works well. However, the world building
once the werewolves are thrown in could be better explained.
Even after finishing the book, I don't feel that I have a
100% grasp on what happens. Some of the terms feel mixed or
just poorly explained, and I got lost a few times reading
because of that. I do like the world it's set in, but I
could have enjoyed the story more with better explanation.
Serena and her love interest, Kai, are solid characters.
They both have good moments where the depth of their
character starts to show, and they both, especially Serena,
have nice moments of character development. However, they
also have times where they fall flat. Sadly, the moments
where they fall flat slightly outweigh the others.
Some of the plot points in THE RISING are predictable, but
there is one or two that are nice surprises. I didn't see
the ending coming. I like that it isn't entirely a
cliffhanger, but there are still unanswered questions.
Harmony's authorial voice isn't bad at all, and even with
the predictability, the pacing is set up well, and the
chapters feel quick and mostly smooth.
Overall, THE RISING has a lot of potential, but I didn't see
enough of it met to really enjoy it. If you enjoy mermaid
stories, I wouldn't suggest turning it down, but it probably
wouldn't be on my recommendation list. Because of the
elements that it did have that I like in the general setting
and my weakness for fantasy stories, I am torn on if I would
read a sequel or not. I would consider it, but I can't say
fully yes or no.
Serena is the youngest member of a dying race. The
increasing acidity of the ocean is destroying her home, but
it is an outside force that most threatens their dwindling
population. Werewolves, who once served as protectors for
mermaids in the Kingdom of the Undine, now seek to eliminate
all who dwell in the ocean—and Serena is about to find
herself right in the middle of the deadly conflict.
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