A Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Coyote’s Road Trip.

Coyote is a nature spirit, a shapeshifter who lives in a valley in the Nevada Desert, he watches life in his territory with a distant interest, he has seen many people pass through his home, but he has never seen as much change in the desert as he has these last few years, so when the last two people he was friends with pass away, coupled with the heat and the drought, he decides to leave the one place he has ever called home.

He sets off North on the only road out of the desert and even though he doesn’t have a destination in mind, something points him in the right direction, just as he is about to leave the desert, he stops for one last look and then turns towards the future.

As he travels, Coyote meets people and experiences different places along the way as he tries to find somewhere new in the Pacific Northwest, but will he find what he is looking for and a new purpose for his existence? In this dystopian sci-fi meets fantasy tale, where the future has been affected by the climate change scientists are just now predicting, this is a journey of self discovery and talks about hard subjects in a manner that all who enjoy this genre of book, it is charming and pulls you through the story to find out how it ends.

Raven Woman’s Tavern.

Raven is a Raven shifter, as her name suggests and she is in charge of the small logging town which has seen better day, but those living within its boundaries have all found themselves there for a reason and kindled a kinship with the others living there. This place, however, is like no other and you will only find your way in or out if Rachel allows it and the road can be as long, short, twisted or straight as she desires, that is until one day when the local Militia find their way in.

All who live there have found there way in unusual circumstances and are not the youngest of pioneers, they have all lived a good life, but like the town have become all but forgotten, they are disconnected from the outside world, but they are happy and make do with what they can, whether that is legally, or by stretching the law, just a little. Baylor is one of these people, although, he isn’t as young as the rest, he has also heard the cry of a raven and followed it, little does he know that this will save his life and that his skills will help this small town survive the turmoil to come.

Can Baylor and the other residents of this small out of the way town keep their way of life, or will the Militia come in and take away everything they are working hard to build? This is a fantastical dystopian take on some pertinent themes including climate change and the flaws and triumphs which combine in all of humanity, while injecting magic and humour throughout in this enchanting novella.

Mountain In The Air.

Pete is a rock star in the prime of his life, he has amassed a loyal, local following with his grungy tunes and it looks like his life is about to take a turn for the better, but one day he takes a walk up Mt. Rainier to clear his head and never comes down, this was in the 1990’s and eventually people stopped searching for him and just forgot, but 40 years later and he is lonely, so he reaches out to anyone he can reach, through their dreams, this is where he calls out to one person in particular without even realising it.

Meanwhile, life in a small logging town carries on and the people living there know that something is coming, they just don’t know when or where, so when a newcomer arrives, it is all hands on deck to help them feel welcome, but will they be able to forget their past life and adapt to this new one, one with little in one way, but a lot in another and with only each other to depend on, their unique talents all work together to help run this last piece of magical land.

What connections can Pete build within his dream walking and will they be the ones he wants, or the ones he needs? This is a magical story of how humanity needs the connections it builds with each other to survive any trials it may come across in this dystopian vision of a future which could come to pass, where reality and magic collide to create an unmissable story.

This is a trilogy which is full of examples of adversity and how it can bring people together, when both newcomers and old troubles come calling into this small town, will the magic surrounding it protect it from the ravages of climate change and humanity in general, or will this breach of their perimeter spell doom for them all? This is a dystopian world which could very much become a reality, if the messages held within are not heeded, as adversity fights for its place in this fantastical world in a way which hooks you from the start and keeps you there until the end.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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