4 out of 4 stars
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Enif by Russ Berg is an amazing fantasy adventure of Jerry Humphreys, a geologist who discovers a mysterious cave, becomes trapped in it and has to travel underground, through seven chambers, fighting for his freedom and his life.
Jerry has recently bought a geology business and has a huge debt. He is engaged to Mandy Miller, his college sweetheart and they are planning their wedding. Although they are deeply in love, Jerry worries that he will never be able to provide enough for her. So, when a friend challenges him, he decides to visit a place near the Chiricahua Mountains where strange phenomena have been reported to happen. Jerry believes that underground thermal emissions are causing weird accounts in that place and if he is right, he can make a lot of money. Although Mandy warns him, he secretly goes there alone to prove his thermal theory, but soon gets trapped in an underground world beyond imagination, where he meets every kind of monster and deadly enemy. He cannot go back, the only option is to move forward and open the seven seals that will lead him to Enif, a celestial body where life is free of all needs.
What I liked most was the climax of the challenges Jerry had to go through, physically and mentally, all narrated uniquely. During his quest, he meets several characters, some of them are there to help him, giving him gifts that he has to use later on his way. Others are there to confront him and become his rivals. All the characters are very cleverly set. For me Enif is much more than a great fantasy story. I found a lot of symbolism in the characters and the situations Jerry encounters. It made me think about my own fears and how powerful the human mind is. A huge realization I had while reading is that our thoughts and actions create our reality and we are the ones that put stumbling stones on our paths. This is something I will always remember.
I rate Enif by Russ Berg 4 out of 4 stars. The book is extremely well written and professionally edited. I only noticed some minor errors. The story is fascinating and the description of the cave scenery and the many different worlds that exist in there is mesmerizing.
Readers who enjoy fantasy, science fiction, adventure and mystery will certainly find the book appealing. The book contains no profanity at all so it will be suitable for teenagers. In addition, Jerry resembles a video game hero, as he levels up from chamber to chamber, so anyone who likes such games will find the book pleasing.
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Enif
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