Wondercon 2024 - The Last Lumenian

The vibe of 2024 Wondercon were books and the shining beacon to highlight that was S.G.’s Blaise’s THE LAST LUMENIAN.

The Book

THE LAST LUMENIAN is the first book of an ongoing YA science fiction series. It begins with a princess named Lilla who challenges the oppressive framework that surrounds her royal pedigree to help the refugees and fight a mysterious malevolent being. that threatens to plunge the world into war. To help her in her journey is her best friend Glenna, a skilled magic healer and caretaker of scary pets. She also meets General Callum A’Ruun, Second Commander of the Teague, who has arrived at her planet, Uhna , to warn and try to recruit help against the incoming corruptness. There is also some possible romantic back and forth as Callum is someone who both infuriates her and entices her.

That already sounds like a lot but there is so much more that is happening in the book. And that’s only the first book.

The Review

It is not a light statement when I mention that there is a lot. Both Lillla and the reader is dragged through almost every trope and scenario possible for science fiction within the first book. There’s a forced marriage, zombies, murder mystery involving missing people, refugees being abused, court and all of it’s jaded fripperies, an oppressive society, a father who doesn’t understand her, an evil step mother, and of course, a love triangle. Each chapter is a volley into what new plot point will Lilla have an adventure in.

For seasoned science fiction readers, it’s a very condensed and rapid fire sequence of a story. It’s a tale of one against a horde of many obstacles. For a story that has so much it truly lacks in the details of the surroundings. For instance, Lilla is concerned about the refugees but we don’t see why. Why are there refugees on her planet. Are there regular citizens? The only groups we hear about in the first book are the royal court, the refugees, and deities. This may possibly be explored in later books but one cannot help but wonder about the missing voices.

What the series doe do is to introduce a new reader in the genre by displaying everything a character can possibly deal with in space. It’s a sort of mini cozy space opera fueled by moon magic. It’s also a definitely a predictable comfort book. No spicy bits and no surprises in the book. Everything familiar is in the book. It’s a really perfect series for families to bond over. It may also re-ignite the urge to re-watch classic favorites like the Star Wars series or Princess Bride.

The booth

Immersive booths are a normal staple at large conventions such as Wondercon. Usually these booths were under big names like Sony, AMC, or Marvel. Since there were no major companies this year to offer such large scale distractions, this was the best year for Blaise to roll out one of the most largest booths dedicated to a book series.

One section was devoted for fans to line up and meet the author. The middle section was a replica of the rebel ship featuring visual goodies for those had read the book. Character cards and trinkets specific to the characters were on display for attendees to view and take photos of. The far edge of the booth contained a massive digital screen that played an AI-generated trailer of the book. Meandering around were character actors from the series ready to interact and take photos with attendees.

After interviewing Blaise and waiting to see the live performance, many of the attendees kept voicing out the same question: “what is this?”. The booth was beautiful display that encouraged curiosity and exploration. It was truly one of the magnificent marketing for a book series. It also really showcased how much can be done to entice new readers to a series. Many of the those waiting in line to meet S.G. Blaise were young adults, many of whom are probably still new to the fictional world of fantasy.

Don’t look at it!…..you looked at it, didn’t you?

The Interview

S.G. Blaise - Author of the THE LAST LUMENIAN series

THE LAST LUMENIAN may be bursting at the seams of familiar story plots and characters but it’s just a direct reflection of how much enthusiasm Blaise has for the genre. Her journey into becoming a fantasy writer is definitely unique and explains why the book is the way it is. She is truly passionate for the genre and has so much to share with the world. The series is currently at the fifth book so there doesn’t seem to be much that’s blocking her creativity!

For more on S.G. Blaise and the series, check out https://sgblaise.com