Ooookay. This is going to be a hard discussion for me to write up. The first half of the final book of the Elemental Origins series, The Elementals – written by A.L. Knorr – I did not like. However, the second half, or rather the last third and epilogue, I loved. There was no set ending, which I was disappointed in until I looked up her other books. She has individual series that further explore the girls’ worlds. So, because of that, I can accept the way she finished off The Elementals. With that said, it will take me time to be able to collect the rest of them; and the world she created here was beautiful and realistic.
I definitely want more.
(Want to see a discussion of each installment of The Elemental Origins Series? Skip down to the Elemental Origins Series List!)
The First Half…
In the beginning, we are brought back to life with Petra further exploring her powers with the scientist from TNC (The Nakesh Corporation). Real quick, I have to say that the beginning half was kind of nice because we finally got some more information on Petra.
I will still struggle with how Born of Air was the shortest novel of the bunch, but it had the most powerful of the elementals. Not sure how I feel there yet. Anyways, the TNC was described as a multi-limbed creature with each limb fully capable of operating independently from one another. It turns out to be a very fitting description of TNC.
So to start we are reintroduced to Petra and some of her struggles. Then the four girls finally get together and spill all their secrets, even demonstrating their powers. It continues with Petra asking them to join her at TNC for a meeting and hopefully some answers.
I had a hard time with Petra again in this part of the book. She seems content with being clueless about her employers and why they need the girls and what they are all needed for. Granted, she is only 19 and new to her powers and all that stuff, but the plan of TNC to build this massive bio-dome over the Earth to save humanity is a bit of a stretch. Not the bio-dome part, which could be reasonably accounted for, but how TNC planned to build it, prior to the knowledge of the elementals. I mean, they couldn’t have known about them until just a few months ago because the girls themselves were still “human” and hadn’t even known that power was a thing. It left a hole that I have a burning curiosity for.
Needless to say, I was disappointed in the beginning.
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The Last Third of The Elementals…
I mentioned in my Born of Air discussion that I had bad feelings towards the corporation that Petra was introduced to and I had it right. Pulling in the story line from Akiko – Born of Aether – you discover that TNC was actually being controlled by beings higher up the food chain than demons. Demons, a hanta can take on, but these were called Archon. They were likened to the titans of early mythology and could only be killed by an archangel.
“…giants of old were evil, cannibalistic creature preying on humans even before the great flood wiped them out…humans see them a giant storms…half gods who are cunning, manipulative and evil with partial immortality…”
You probably guessed it, the TNC have been feeding these Archon’s for decades. The bio-dome plan was to only secure the wealthy and most likely demon inhabited humans safe passage from their destruction (TNC is worldwide). Petra found out about this, kept the girls from signing contracts, and went to confront Mr. Nakesh, the leader of the company. She obliterated the entire operation located just outside of Saltford which inadvertently caused the Archon to wake up in a ravenous state.
The girls were enjoying their first day of school when the attack came. It brought storms, fire, earthquakes and strong winds as it tore through their town. They defended the town in their own ways, using their powers to save as many as they could. They were making a final stand together when Akiko came out of nowhere, flying out of the aethers. She pierces the Archon through the heart, killing them both.
Thanks to the Epilogue!
The town witnessed the girls’ powers and Targa wiped a few memories before they decided to wait things out and see how they all landed and what proof may pop up. All-in-all, they did remarkably well. Only 7 people died and none of them were family members. Half the town was obliterated, but everyone was pulling together to help everyone else and it was a beautiful ending.
Petra kept the girls informed of her plan to destroy the remaining heads of the TNC and they all worried over Akiko. No one knew what happened to her.
The epilogue was about that though, thankfully. If it had ended there, on a total cliff-hanger in regards to Akiko, I would have been writing an entirely different discussion!
Akiko woke up in the aether, in front of a flaming sword. She called Yuudai and he helped her realize that she was dead. Her last thoughts were of her friends before the memory of them faded away. She grasped the flaming sword, becoming engulfed in the blue flame – Akiko was now an angel. An Archangel. The sword whispered his name to her – Malachi – and that is where the series ended.
Like I said in the beginning of this discussion, I was both disappointed and totally amazed by what happened. I did not expect the TNC to be quite as extensive as they were, and I did not expect the Archon to be the monsters that the TNC were feeding. The TNC was a typical corrupt corporation that justified their bad deeds and history by sacrificing a few to save the many.
How The Elementals And the Elemental Origins Series Fell Short
You know, maybe the thought behind all of this was for this to be an introduction series where we are introduced to the main players and their intertwined roles with each other before the author branched out to their individual series. I could see that potential, but I still wanted more. The first four full-length novels were great. They connected and explored the histories and pasts of each girl just enough to fulfill your curiosity, but not revealing too much.
But Petra deserved a much larger book. Especially considering that you were introduced to TNC in her book, Born of Air. And saying that, don’t you think the final book should have been the longest? I mean, for the first time since the first chapter of the first book, you are brought together with all the girls. You feel their skepticism and anxiety about meeting Petra and after one relatively simple discussion, they decide to go meet with strangers? These girls may have powers now and abilities that will help keep them safe, but they are still in High School!
And the battle at the end, where they band together to defeat the Archon and save their town? It’s literally a blip in the story line. In your eyes, was that not one of, if not the most, important things to happen to them? Yet, they only used their powers once or twice? They stood together in the end, not knowing exactly what they should do to defeat the Archon when Akiko sweeps in and sacrifices herself to kill it.
You are told that there are many more branches of TNC and therefore many more Archons that will need to be fed.
Does that mean that each girl in their individual series will have an Archon that they will have to defeat? They will each probably end up in different areas of the world, so will they each save their new homes? Will Akiko come in to help them, not remembering that they are her friends? Will Petra obliterate TNC and force the hand of the Archon each time like she did in Saltford? Why is there only ever one Air Elemental? What does that mean? We were never really explained that reason in The Elementals and I am desperate to know.
What a Ride with The Elemental Origins Series!
One day, I will read the individual series’ being written with each girl, including the series with the girl from Petra’s novel who has power over metal. I will get my answers and I hope you will be reading them with me. Or if you have already read them or are reading them, I hope you can have some patience while I collect them to talk to you about them.
At the start, this series would have been considered a new favorite of mine. I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA Urban Fantasy. And perhaps it will continue to be a favorite of mine as I search out my curiosity and read the other series’ being written, but I will remain adamant about my sadness and disappointment involving the final two books. I really, really, REALLY want more. It was over too fast and left too much open for me.
A.L Knorr is a very skilled writer and plotter. She has earned herself a spot on my watchlist and I will read more of her work. How can I not? Her characters, even the supporting characters, are so well rounded that you literally cannot love them. Even Petra. *smiling wink* Her writing technique pulls you in and encompasses you in this cocoon of life and color that allows you to walk inside her world. You can literally feel the emotions coursing through the pages of the books, and I don’t know about you, but that is the most important thing and most skillful result of an author. She has a power herself when it comes to her work and I hope you continue reading the life of this world.
When this series was coming to an end, I was shocked and sad until I read about her other series’ that involve the characters you meet in the Elemental Origins Series. It gave me a spark of hope. Whether it is A.L. Knorr, an old favorite author or a new author you have never read before, I hope you keep delving into new worlds with me! Hopefully the rest of your week is a bright, wonderful and charitable time. I will send you good vibes, Curious One.
…it’s time for another book…
Curiosities for the Elemental Origins Series
Book 1: Born of Water – August 30th, 2020
Novella 1: The Wreck of Sybellen – September 1st, 2020
Book 2: Born of Fire – September 4th, 2020
Novella 2: Pyro: A Fire Novella – September 6th, 2020
Book 3: Born of Earth – September 9th, 2020
Book 4: Born of Aether – September 12th, 2020
Book 5: Born of Air – September 15th, 2020
Book 6: The Elementals – September 18th, 2020
I really hope you follow me along my journey of curiosity with the Elemental Series by A.L Knorr. I loved it and I hope to see some other curious faces visit my thoughts.
Make sure to visit A.L. Knorr’s website or her Twitter @ALKnorrBooks!
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