In REFLECTIONS OF DESTINY, author Benzon Ray Barbin paints a rich, rampant world, in which the feel of a place is conveyed with only a few words. This is no small task, as the story exists on various planes, combining the stark realism of the White House with the allure of fantastical realms. Though restricted by the length of the work, the setting is always vivid, which helps to maintain an air of novelty throughout. What’s more, Barbin showcases his immense creativity, not only infusing his prose with visions of “schizophrenic sunsets”, for example, but using such images to sweeten the action sequences woven into the plot.
The novella is made up of short chapters, which create great momentum. They keep events concise, exposing the volatile nature of the characters’ shifting goals and alliances. But seeing as there are many personalities to engage with, and various eclectic worlds to envision, the story can’t help but feel somewhat scattered at times. There’s a fair amount of hopping around, both in terms of location and time, which creates a sense of confusion as the reader is left scrambling to get his bearings before the next leap. The fact that most of the names begin with the same letter makes this task decidedly more tiresome, as Airin, Aleria, Arlene and Asariel often appear together on the page. Perhaps this effect could have been alleviated by scenes introducing the worlds and psyches of the people occupying them at the beginning. Instead, REFLECTIONS OF DESTINY plunges into an already established reality, one made complex by rules and backstories that are revealed in bits and pieces as the tale progresses, but which fade into the overall onslaught of information that is made hard to grasp emotionally. Unfortunately, this results in very little emotional investment in the characters’ actions, leaving the reader struggling to care about their fates.
Emphasis is placed on deadly air warfare, the powerful yet perpetually elusive sorceress Enauria, and a shallow union between Jaye and Arlene. There’s no true sense of tension and no real grasp of the stakes, since the characters appear disposable from the outset. Even the emotional bond between Jaye and Arlene, the fundamental thread of sentimentality tying the story together, is stretched out of shape, creating an aura of naivety rather than authenticity. Having not seen his former lover for six years, Jaye announces that he not only wishes to mend things with Arlene, but to ask her to marry him. Their tricky union might have seemed less gauche if Arlene didn’t picture her dead lover’s face every time she looked at Jaye, even in bed. With this in mind, it’s best to look at REFLECTIONS OF DESTINY as a short, fast-paced action story, imbued with exquisite images, mystical perils and unpredictable twists in the narrative.
In REFLECTIONS OF DESTINY, Benzon Ray Barbin weaves a tale of magic, death, power and menace. With short, sharp chapters delivering a stealthy narrative, no life or outcome can be taken for granted.
~Neil Czeszejko for IndieReader