The Reading Bud

Book Blog by Heena Rathore-Pardeshi

Book Review: Playtime in Vella Dera by Benzon Ray Barbin

Book Details:

Author: Benzon Ray Barbin
Release Date: 27th October 2021
Genre: Science-Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Short Story
Series:
Format: E-book 
Pages: 54 pages
Publisher:
Blurb:
What are the consequences of denying one’s true self?
A traveler named Enauria has returned home for the first time in many years. She connects with a psychiatrist and renews a plan to fulfill a promise to an old friend.
“Playtime in Vella Dera” is a speculative fiction short story. Set in the future, it unfolds a familiar, contemporary vibe with jazz music, lounge life, and varying cityscapes. Adventure and danger intensify as lore and concealed magic intersect.
Enjoy Vella Dera as a stand-alone, or as a companion piece to the novella Reflections of Destiny.

Review

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Playtime In Vella Dera by Benzon Ray Barbin is a well-written, concise story that packs a powerful punch.

I loved reading it as the story was good, moved quickly and had a lot to offer in such few pages! The character of Enauria is beautifully crafted and as I already knew her, it felt like meeting an old friend. It felt like a side-quest in an RPG – that is how relatable the main character is.

This book is a companion story to Reflections Of Destiny but as the author clarifies it can also be read as a standalone novella. It intersects the world and the events of the RoD so I’d highly suggest reading them both as they both are great pieces of speculative fiction/fantasy.


You can also read this review on:

Goodreads


Amazon


I love reading your comments, so please go ahead…

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I’m Heena

Welcome to The Reading Bud, my cosy corner of the internet dedicated to all things books and authors. Here, I invite you to join me on a journey of discovering under-represented books, independent and small press authors, and all things book with a touch of love and loud purrs. Let’s get Reading!

Book of the Month

Read this captivating story on the adventures and hardships of Frank Knightlite, a man who strives to illuminate darkness with his lantern in search of answers to life’s questions.
You can get it here.
November 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930  

Reading is like breathing to me.

Recent Posts

  • Book Review: Googolplex

    If you could have anything but the one thing you really wanted, what would you do? Jack is part of a group of colonists traveling to the distant planet Shylock to build themselves a new home.…

  • Book Review: Southern Solstice

    As rich and distinctive as the Lowcountry itself, Southern Solstice presents a clever and charismatic journey of love, heartache, adaptation and emotional fortitude as told through a patina of family heritage. When twenty-four-year-old Larken Devereaux is…

  • Book Review: Smokescreen

    It starts in Washington when a lone gunman enters a busy burger chain and opens fire killing twenty-five people. It continues in Paris, London, Sydney and Beijing. Authorities, including FBI agent Jack Rossi find no motive…

  • Book Review: The Perfect View

    Mara is unaware that she is not the only one with the perfect view of her own life. Someone who has known her since the very beginning is watching her from across the lake and has…

  • Novella Review: Dyad

    Evi is forced to leave her life behind as she flees from threatening consequences. Hoping the stories of hating humans are wrong, she seeks the land of fairies for refuge.