Arbara was the light of the two villages, Medres and Madarma. When she dies of a fever, Itara, Arbara’s best friend from childhood, is so distraught that she falls into a physical and mental decline. A year passes and Itara’s daughter travels to Madarma with the desperate hope that Arbara’s son, being of her blood, can somehow save Itara. Raivy, however, has taken to living in the forest, his promise to his mother to take care of her best friend being the furthest thing from his mind. Raivy doesn’t believe his mother died from natural causes. His investigation into her death leads him to a sage, who reluctantly agrees to help, sending Raivy on a quest for answers that will lead him to new worlds and shatter everything he thought he knew about his mother.

Metzra: A Hybrid World is a delightful tale of magic and mystery. It is a short story rather than a full-length novel, and although I felt that M.U. Phoenix could’ve expanded on the story in some parts, it’s a satisfying introduction to the series. The tone is a little odd, but I thought it added to the book as it’s reminiscent of the style used in some fairy tales and myths. Phoenix cleverly spins out the mystery surrounding Arbara’s death, springing surprises on the reader before bringing this quest to an intriguing climax. Raivy is an enigmatic character, but I felt he adjusted to some of the shocks and twists in Metzra: A Hybrid World a little too easily.

Metzra - Book One (World of Metzra 1) by M.U. Phoenix tells the story of a young man struggling to come to terms with the loss of his mother and how his desire to understand the circumstances behind her death will change life forever, not just for himself but for all those around him and even beyond his current known world. After the death of his mother, Raivy walks away from his previous life to live a life of solitude in the forest, and to seek understanding for the suspicions he has about his mother's death. If his suspicions are true, then it means that his father, the most honorable man he knows, had a hand is his own wife's death. As he seeks guidance from a mysterious resident of a cave, the answers Raivy finds, not just about his mother, but about his origin and destiny, will shock him beyond anything he might have anticipated.

Metzra - Book One (World of Metzra 1) by M.U. Phoenix is a captivating read that has a one of a kind plot, an interesting blend of unique characters that complement each other perfectly, and a well developed setting to create a world that is so surreal and at the same time very easy to envision and believe. From the way the story is told, it is easy to picture the different characters and their traits, the villages they live in, and even the mysterious world of Metzra and its mystifying inhabitants. And above all, Raivy's inner struggle will tug at your heartstrings as he works through different emotions and endless new discoveries. I am excited for the next part of this story. I am eager to discover Raivy 's life as a Tribred and his new journey and reign in Metzra.

Metzra by M.U. Phoenix is a debut novella that introduces us to the fantasy world of Metzra. Following the murder of his mother and his father remarrying, Raivy decides he needs time to sort out his emotions and to deal with the violent death of his mother. He retreats to a hut in the forest where he tries to come to terms with what has happened, and to attempt to find out who killed the most wonderful woman in the world. In his quest for answers, he is led to an old sage who lives alone in the wilderness. What the sage tells him will lead him on a journey that will not only, to his shock and horror, expose his mother’s murderers, but will also make him question his very existence. He will discover a dimension hitherto unknown to him, Metzra, and will come to understand that he is so much more than he thought he was. Metzra and Raivy will be permanently intertwined as this saga continues.

Although a fantasy and although very short, Metzra reminded me in many ways almost of a new sub-genre that is gaining popularity – RPG adventures. In this debut novella, M.U. Phoenix was clearly attempting to introduce a new world to potential readers and pique their interest in reading the future books of this series and the further adventures of Raivy. From that perspective, Phoenix clearly achieved this objective. The world of Metzra is different and fascinating. There are three types of beings, and hybrids are, it seems to me, unique, especially the hybrid types i.e. horsnake (combination of a horse and a snake). I felt it was clever and bodes well for future interesting episodes. I know this is becoming a common technique amongst some authors – to serialise their novels as novellas - however, as a reader, I’m not overly certain I’m comfortable with it. That being said, Metzra is a good, if somewhat short, read. I look forward to more from Phoenix.