Book review:
River Angels; River Saints
by Parris ja Young




Parris ja Young's novel, River Angels; River Saints, masterfully merges the genres of science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and romance. These elements are integrated into the story in such a smooth, uninterrupted, and effortless way, that branding such labels begins to feel irrelevant, or rather, wholly unimportant. However, these elements of genre are nevertheless apparent throughout the tale, and therefore must be mentioned. The end result of these couplings gives birth to an enthralling, soulful story which wrestles the daunting subject of finding one's own strength through self awareness, the kind of self realization that can only be found through love and friendship.

Young gives his readers a believable, exciting, and touching story full of warmth and heart. His youthful spirit, adoration of nature, and hope for mankind, are woven into the storyline making perfect use of poetic metaphor, clever symbolism, and oftentimes, a burst of brilliant action-packed fun. Young has no troubles bringing many clever and intricate surprises to the characters in River Angels; River Saints, but the most impressive aspect of Young's writing is how well he knows his characters. He fully actualizes each character and understands them, prodding them down their chosen paths. The reader has complete faith in Young, resting assured that he will give the characters, as well as the reader, equal justice.

River Angels; River Saints shares the lives of two young women, Lissa and Shell, who coincidentally, or perhaps by fate, find their lives encompassed, but touched, by an old, loveable man from a different world called Rio Azul. This man, Pilankee, must complete a daring mission that was assigned to him by the prophets of Rio Azul, called the Blue. After Pilankee finishes his task, he is instructed to travel down the river to face, what he believes to be, his own death. What Pilankee finds, however, is a new life, with new experiences, in new lands. When Young views these strange worlds through Pilankee's innocent eyes, he transports his readers back to a time of childish amazement. Pilankee comes from a simple world where the river is not simply important, but is life. The river is what brings meaning to the people of Rio Azul, bringing sustenance, home, spirituality, faith, life and death. To Pilankee, every technological breakthrough of Shell's world is a question to be asked, and the highly computerized living station from Lissa's world is an enchantment to wonder at.

Lissa, an explorer and researcher from a technology based planet, is in Pilankee's world to observe the aquatic life of the river. Shell resides on planet earth in Laughing Lady, Montana. The two women, in their separate but strangely similar plights, unknowingly work together, interlacing science and spirituality, attempting to bring Pilankee back to Rio Azul. By doing so, both women must locate and then accept inner peace, spiritual strength, and the importance of friendship. The joys, sorrows, fears, and pleasures, of Lissa and Shell are effectively crafted by Young. The reader is as much a part of the journey as the characters.

River Angels; River Saints is sadly an unpublished novel. This book was read as sheets of loose leaf paper in a box, but this made little difference. The readers of this review can be assured that when this novel is published, I will be first in line to buy a copy.