Beyond Corista, Shadowside Tilogy Series #3

Oriannon and her friends Margus and Wist hurtle through space on a dangerous mission, guided by the pilot stone. Their enemy, Sola, is on board as well, and Oriannon soon begins to regret rescuing the blind woman from battle. As the odd crew flies from way station to way station, Oriannon delivers the warning she received from Jesmet-a race called the Troikans is coming to destroy Corista. At each location, Oriannon is met with the same disbelief: no one has seen a Troikan in years. Soon, even Oriannon begins to wonder if the threat is real. Are her visits from Jesmet only a hallucination? Oriannon must find the faith to race toward a destination only she can see.

Oriannon, a very human-looking girl, has a very special gift: the ability to record what she sees and experiences like the hard drive of a computer. In the last book of the trilogy, Oriannon and Sola set out to take the word of Jesmet beyond their planet, but are captured by traders, who hold the girl as a pawn in an interplanetary struggle.

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Reviewed by Chandra Lynn (PA), July 22, 2009

Robert Elmer is a most unique author. He is equally at home writing a tender love story as a young adult fiction series about another universe, another world. Beyond Corista is the third book in The Shadowside Trilogy. Some sequels disappoint readers by not taking them on as grand a journey as the first book, The Shadowside books do not. Each book begins where the last one left off and the action and adventure grows with each successive book. Beyond Corista begins with Oriannon and her friends Margus and Wist traveling through space on some unknown mission guided only by the glowing red stone that sings to Oriannon's heart. They have an unwelcome guest with them, Sola, who is now blind and bitter. Oriannon would like nothing better than to drop Sola off in some obscure planet, but her mentor, Jesmet, always taught forgiveness. As they travel from planet to planet they are to give the inhabitants the message that the Troikans are coming to destroy Corista. When warnings go unheeded, doubt sets in, and even Oriannon begins to wonder if her visions are nothing more than hallucinations. This book completes the Shadowside Trilogy and will grab the reader from page one. There are new planets and new creatures and challenges for the three friends. The book can be read as a standalone. However, if you would like the full story I would recommend the entire trilogy which includes, Trion Rising and The Owling.

Reviewed by Terri Haynes (Fort Washington, MD), June 17, 2009

This book surprised me. I was a little afraid when I first started this book, I stopped and handed it off my thirteen year old son, thinking it would be better for him than for me. Boy am I glad I got it back from him. This novel broke all my rules. First, it’s the third book in a series and I didn’t read the first two, which I thought would be a set back. But I had no problems jumping right into the story and connecting with the characters. The second rule it broke for me is that I normally don’t read YA. I’ve read a Margaret Haddix Peterson book once but thought it was a fluke that I liked it. This book is not written as basic as Peterson’s books so it didn’t feel like YA. The third rule it broke is the face that it’s Sci-Fi. Now don’t get me wrong, I love watching sci-fi and everything from Mork and Mindy to Star Trek to Star Wars. I just don’t read sci-fi too often. Ok, none that I remember. I think the best thing is that Elmer laid the Christian symbolism on thick, but it wasn’t annoying. I know it was done so that younger readers could catch the symbolism but it was tastefully done. I loved the Pilot Stone and Jesmet. And I particularly love the way Elmer showed that biblical truths can transcend time and space. Oriannon’s encounter Alymas was quite beautiful. I would recommend this book to any tweener, especially boys. Now I can give the book back to my son.

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Author: Robert Elmer
Submitted: June 01, 2009

    Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know:  Here's the third installment in the "Shadowside" trilogy -- the adventures don't stop! You'll meet a lot of strange creatures in this one. Also, it helps to have read the first and second books before reading Beyond Corista, as the action begins literally just minutes from where The Owling left off. Enjoy! -Robert Elmer

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