Review: The Matrix Opal by Stella Atrium

Youthful heroes face the unforgiving burden of duty and legacy in The Matrix Opal by Stella Atrium, a hard-edged coming-of-age story in a sprawling new sci-fi/fantasy realm, setting off The Duchy Wars series in spectacular fashion.

Ariseng, a young and unassuming force of nature, embarks on a risky quest in possession of the titular talisman, along with a ragtag cadre of companions. Shouldering the weight of a legendary responsibility in a time of social unrest, Ariseng must determine friend from foe and outsmart those who would seek to control the mysterious powers of the whispering people. However, Arisent is linked by more than just her abilities to Bybiis the Beastmaster, a returning character from the author’s preceding series, and their destinies entwine with other young leaders determined to carve out their place.

Duchy politics, merchant family machinations, seafaring conspiracies, and ancient blood feuds create a swirling whirlpool of intrigue, espionage, and untapped powers just waiting to collide. A kaleidoscope of distinct characters from varied tribes, disquieting cultural traditions, harsh political realities, and chilling human rights practices combine to give the story even more weight and timely energy.

The blurry blend of science fiction and fantasy in Atrium’s extended world continues to intrigue; the deeper focus on hedge magic and wards, particularly on the scarification of Bybiis and Ariseng, gives even more depth to an aspect of this realm that the author had broached more sparingly in previous books. Some of these elements echo the magic-laced fantasy sagas, including connection with and mastery over beasts, enigmatic psychic serpents, and certain nuances of this world’s magical rules, but the author draws on a wealth of genre traditions to craft this unique gem of a novel.

The world-building overall is remarkable and constant; the tribal landscape is rich and complex, imbued with multilayered power struggles and a seamless interweaving of mysticism, tradition, and modernity. There are myriad powerful and subtly woven themes throughout the story that add even more prescience to the prose, touching on imbalances of power, retribution, perspective, and flexible ideas of destiny. Alternating between narrative viewpoints is a particular strength of this story, and the characters’ distinct personalities and speech patterns are refreshingly consistent. The storytelling voices shift smoothly from introspective to manic, whip-smart to curious, pithy to provocative, nudging the reader towards intention and meaning without overburdening the prose.

On an editorial level, the storytelling is crisp and engaging, never allowing a reader’s attention to wander for long, even if that means that key lines and moments of significance are sometimes buried in an outpouring of prose without fully expanding these ideas. The ambitious pacing of the novel can occasionally be interrupted by dialogue that doesn’t seem purposeful or plot-driving, while the quick bursts of world-building detail can sometimes feel exhausting, especially for those readers who may be picking this up as a standalone novel.

Despite some excess writing on the fringes of the prose, the immersive storytelling is a compelling genre tour de force and an entertaining new chapter within Atrium’s ever-expanding universe.