The Aether Codex Volume 5: Lessons of the Heart is an engaging pair of separate, but connected stories across space and time. This volume of the Codex introduces two stories from the future past that give the readers a deeper connection to the main characters of the Aether Star Chronicles series: Lunessa and Solan.
The Fall of Círdanópa recounts a major event that took place on the elven homeworld centuries ago. The ill-fated calamity pulls the reader into the final moments of a vicious war between the citizens of Eldamar and an invading horde of demonic monstrosities, led by a faction of dark elves, called the Moriquen. Battle plans and tactics are wiped away when a new missive arrives from the front lines: A portal is being constructed to allow the dreaded Dark Lord's ship, the Ōmatanār, past their planetary defenses! Now the race is on to stop the massive death ship which is capable of siphoning the very life force of the entire planet dry. How will the Eldalië elves and their allies survive? All eyes turn to their only hope with fear and questions filling their minds: How can Lunessa, the young and inexperienced Scion of Avalon, stop Daechir and his demonic horde with only half of a broken Aether Star by her side?
The second act, A "Simple" Mission, travels across space and time to follow Sergeant Solan Marcus Adams, leader of a team of Apex Special Forces called the Mavericks. The genetically enhanced super-soldiers, called Hy-Gens, are sent out to collect a mapping drone that was knocked off course. Sounds like an easy job, but in the words of the lion-hybrid leader: "Simple mission briefing, simple orders. First impression? Anything they tell us is "simple" never turns out that way." Along the way, the team works out how best to complete the humans' orders to 'go fetch'. Of course, any grunt will agree that no amount of planning survives first contact, and this op was no different. A surprise attack from nowhere forces the team to make quick adjustments and decisions that come at a high cost. Will they survive a powerful onslaught from this new, unknown enemy? How can a team, as close as a family, cope with the devastating aftermath?
The Aether Codex mini series is presented in the form of historical recordings from the great Library of Avalon. From the classical book cover styling to the entry-log format of Act II, the Codex is designed to look, feel, and read as if you had randomly pulled an old dusty book from a shelf filled with tomes. KJ wanted to immerse her followers with her descriptive writing and fantasy/sci-fi worldbuilding she created for the main series; to such an extent that the readers of this volume become part of the story!
