Robert Elmers' Trion Rising ~ Reviewed

Trion Rising
Robert Elmer
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (May 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310714214

Back Cover

What would it be like if Jesus had come to another planet?

Oriannon is living the good life on the bright side of Corista, a small planet circling three suns. But things get crazy for the teen when a new music teacher arrives at her school with strange songs and even stranger ideas. Soon Oriannon is pressured to spy on her teacher, Jesmet, by using her powers to record everything she sees and hears.
Could Jesmet really be a faithbreaker, like Oriannon's friend Margus says? She's not so sure, but her life is turned upside-down when she loses her way on the dark side of the planet and is taken in by an odd, cliff-dwelling people. And when her new friends face a deadly threat, can the once self-centered Oriannon follow her heart. . . and save half the planet?


Review:

Trion Rising tells the story of Oriannon Hightower of Nyssa. She is the daughter of one of the respected elders of Corista. She also seems to be a magnet for trouble. Only trouble of her own doing. Along comes the substitute music teacher who teaches his students, including Oriannon, to play from the soul. But the teacher’s unorthodox teachings grab bad attention from the elders who believe his teaching goes against the code they live by. It goes against the Codex, a sacred book with instructions from the Maker. Oriannon feels that the Elders have been unfair to their teacher, Jesmet. But it takes a trip to the Shadowlands, and friendships in that land to show Oriannon that perhaps the people of Corista, though they follow the Codex, are only going through the motions. She figures out that just like she plays her instrument from the soul, her devotion to following the Maker’s instructions, lain down in the Codex, should be the same. And that is what Jesmet has been teaching the whole time.

This book is one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read. And I’ll say I’ve read quite a few. Robert Elmer’s creativity brings a completely different world into view, but you can still identify with the characters and situations. Of course, they’ve also got some pretty sweet gadgets to help them out!

Besides all that, Elmer has brought into the story the message of salvation. But it’s not only a message to non believers. Elmer shows Christ’s unfailing love. It’s not something that is just said but the actual emotion is shown in this book. Yes, we know Christ’s love for us, or we wouldn’t be able to say with assurance that one day we’ll be in Heaven rejoicing in him. But sometimes God may seem impersonal, cold and distant to SOME people, instead of who He wants to be: a father and friend to you. Though Trion Rising is a fictionalized telling of Christ’s sacrifice, I believed every bit of emotion to be true. And there is NO WAY anybody can read this book and not be touched. Believer and non-believer alike. It’s a fun book to read with a great message. I give it a five out of five, or ten out of ten.

Review by: Meagan Lopes (Teen Reviewer)