Review: The Rebellious Earthling: Tale of The Turquoise Mirror by Andi Hayes

For those readers who are looking for both a depraved and darkly amusing novel, The Rebellious Earthling: The Tale of the Turquoise Mirror is a story that should not be missed. Coming across as a long-form allegory for the weakness of mankind and the rise of evil in modern society, this whip-smart book may seem outlandish, but the underlying messages are deeply rooted in reality.

When one of the Fallen Angels insidiously ruins an entire village of peace-loving, animal-honoring goblins, a new horrifying species is created, full of cruelty, selfishness, violence and an (almost) complete lack of morality. In Tartarus, where these vile beasts now live, pain is commonplace, rules do not exist, and abject misery seems to be the neutral emotion. Yet even when all seems so permanently lost, with no hope of salvation or improvement, a pure and peaceful heart is able to shine a surprising light into this dark and dangerous world.

Ermina is the out-of-place human who descends into this frightening corner of hell, and she clearly doesn’t belong in the world of brimstone, trolls and heartless hate. Unable to escape back to the world she knows, she is forced to find a way to survive among monsters who would eat her alive as soon as look at her.

Author Andi Hayes shows herself to be a creative world-builder on a scale and scope that other sci-fi/fantasy authors can hardly imagine. Building such a visceral and comprehensive landscape, or hellscape, without resorting to the classic tropes of purgatory and the “Lake of Fire” is difficult, but there are still layers of meaning in the story. The transformation of goblins into horrible trolls is the result of an infection, one that spreads vice and laziness, of cruelty and disrespect. These innocent victims fall from serenity to surreal horror through the influence of outside forces, which change their values, beliefs and sources of pride.

Hayes doesn’t beat readers over the head with her allegory, but it is ever-present in the atmosphere of the story. This isn’t a veiled piece of religious propaganda either – it asks difficult philosophical questions about the nature of morality, as well as the red lines that our global society has eagerly crossed for the satisfaction of the present, at the expense of the future.

Aside from the depth of meaning and significance within the novel, Hayes is a master storyteller with a penchant for vivid detail and no fear of shocking or appalling her readers. This boldness on the page achieves a forceful and unforgettable novel that is both disturbing and hard to put down. Even the most sinister, seemingly one-dimensional characters in this novel have intriguing personalities, while the completely fantastic setting of the story creates a blank slate on which to study the nature of choice, evil and existence.

A twisted tale of evil and redemption, The Rebellious Earthling may not initially appeal to everyone, but Andi Hayes’ masterful pen has given sci-fi and fantasy readers a richly depicted world, in a story that’s both relevant and raucous.