The Mender
Jennifer Marchman
Independently Published (2023)
ISBN: 979-8397298322
Reviewed by Ephantus M for Reader Views (09/2023)
Jennifer Marchman’s “The Mender” is an appealing blend of science fantasy and historical romance, and the first installment of The Mender Trilogy. The novel showcases an epic historical journey through pre-revolutionary Texas, through the adventures of a stranded time traveler and an Anglo-turned-Comanche farmer.
Eva is among the chosen individuals of the Lux Libera society, who can traverse different worlds effortlessly. In one of her adventures with her friend Tophe, she mistakenly exits a portal after missing the regular guidance beacon to her home. She is shocked to find herself in a dark zone with an inky blackness, that reminds her of the Abyss. Eva can feel her mind plunging into deep confusion but remains hopeful that this turn of events is just a dream. However, a small step forward sends her tumbling into a seemingly bottomless void, and into a world that is decades behind her typical timeline.
The author blends fantasy, history, and romance to create a tempting tale, which, although slow-burning, picks up pace along the way to wholly capture the reader’s attention and imagination. Readers are witness to the mutation of a belief instilled into the protagonist by the time-traveling society to which she belongs. A change of circumstances that will excite a reader’s emotions forces the protagonist to adapt to a different civilization, where she meets a farmer and a former Comanche captive who is struggling with the events of his past. He is also struggling to find favor within Austin’s territory of San Felipe, and his encounter with Eva may be all that is needed to shift his thoughts and dilemmas regarding some fundamental inferences.
Marchman’s writing prowess is evident as she combines fantasy and romantic facets to make the historical particulars of this book fascinating to fans of these genres. Readers get to interact with the well-hewn characters who ably carried this read to the 2022 top rank in the Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest. The author is careful to let her audience know that some of the secondary characters are actual people who deviated from the Anglo, Mexican, and Comanche civilizations. She also points out that the Tikkun Olam, an ancient concept in Judaism, has inspired the ideation of the Lux Libera and Pump, and that the concept of travel between dimensions has been inspired by String Theory.
“The Mender” is without a doubt a masterpiece that will inspire a reader’s adaptability to fateful situations, as well as their decision-making and perspicuity skills. It delivers on all fronts and will relate most to individuals who have found themselves caught up in erratic occurrences and unpredictable arcs in life. Additionally, history enthusiasts who desire a read that colorfully paints the native American beliefs and cultural norms will love this first offering by Marchman.
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