Pnĕumä: The Celestial Beings Trilogy by Eli Liszt

A forbidden romance between a spiteful warrior and a mesmerizing mortal threatens the delicate balance of races on Earth in PNĔUMÄ by Eli Liszt.

Jovianus Moreau may be the future leader of the five tribes of Celestial Beings living in delicate, hidden harmony among humans, but that doesn’t prevent this freshly graduated loner from falling fast and hard for the entrancing Simone. Their deepening connection could mean a death sentence for them both, but his obsessive desire for such a lesser being forces him to reexamine every unfounded belief he once held about mortals. Through heartbreak, betrayal, and separation, their bond persists, even years later, when their undeniable love is twisted into a weapon that threatens to shatter both of their worlds.

Cleverly reimagining a tragic Shakespearean premise, Liszt deftly weaves themes of responsibility, independence, infatuation, and self-destruction into a captivating piece of romantic sci-fantasy. The alternating narrative perspectives from Sim and Jovi keep the prose consistently engaging, with the erudition of his immortal mind standing in stark contrast to her youthful and enamored emotions. Both characters mature immensely over the course of this tangled tale, giving the story added depth.

The overall storyline and character development are well-conceived, but the writing itself is peppered with typographical errors, missing punctuation, and misused words, e.g., “medal” vs “metal,” and there is superfluous prose that repeats previous themes and ideas. However, while the prose needs a polish, this dramatic sci-fi allegory and tale of all-consuming love is inventive and emotionally stirring.