A malevolent force is on Earth, and it first attacks Cairo. It makes people scared, angry, and crazy, and pushes them to fight each other and burn down the city. From Cairo, it quickly spreads through Asia and Europe, leaving cities like New Delhi and Lisbon in ashes. If this continues, Earth will lose all sentient life and eventually, its most trusted servant, Pavel. To avoid that ending, it sends Pavel to save its creation. Pavel goes back in time long before the first burning city and sets specific events in motion to recruit an army to defend Earth. Two teenage freshmen—Ian and Emile—at the University of Munich have unknowingly been chosen by Pavel as part of a quintet that will defend Earth. In preparation for the task ahead, the five are about to undergo huge changes, including growing sets of wings and gaining extraordinary powers. Find out how it all goes down in Yonis: Book 1, The Madness by Sabine Meyer.

If you are looking for a coming-of-age young adult fantasy novel laced with adventure, science fiction, LGBTQ, a hint of crime and drama, and suspense, Yonis by Sabine Meyer is a worthy pick. Teasing the end of times, Meyer plunges me into a world falling apart with deliberate narration and expansive world-building. One moment, I was watching Ian and Emile navigate school life as nerds. The next, I followed them as they adapted to their new circumstances after their lives were abruptly disrupted. Meyer pits the characters against real-world challenges, making them relatable. They not only face family problems, including strained relationships with parents, but also go through terrible losses from death. As the five go on their quest to stop the world from burning down, their interactions with humans reveal the latter’s unpleasant traits, such as aggression toward each other and anything unfamiliar. The chosen five, who dub themselves Yonis, must learn to use their power and nature’s provisions to succeed in their mission.

Emile developed a love of music in childhood, which his father didn't approve of. Even as an adult at university, his roommate choices dwindled until he met Ian and formed a bond with the analytical thinker. When tragedy strikes, and Emile is forced to return to his roots, nothing prepares him for the transformation awaiting him on his father's property. Emile struggles to cope with his new avian appearance and the risks that come with it. He does not realize it yet, but this is only the beginning of a testing journey that will help the young man save a dying world in Sabine Meyer's Yonis: Book 1, The Madness.

Science fiction and fantasy collide in Sabine Meyer's Yonis. She details Emile's complicated family background, explaining his father's aversion to Emile's gift and creating an intriguing origin story that makes it easy for readers to understand why he takes to leading and protecting others like him. The dialogue is mostly conversational, with a subtle cause-and-effect tone. Ian uses a series of deductions to link their activities to the unfolding global chaos in a way that heightens the mystery and immerses readers in the narrative. Science fiction enthusiasts will enjoy how the detail-oriented narrative style highlights every aspect of Emile and his colleagues' transformation. What stands out in Meyer's delivery is how she balances fantasy with mildly humorous yet realistic scenes, such as Ian learning to ride a bicycle and Emile reconnecting with his estranged family. The author weaves these elements together with a graduated pace and an intriguing romantic subplot that will appeal to romance purists. I enjoyed reading this fascinating novel and look forward to the next installment in the series.

In Sabine Meyer’s Yonis, Book 1: The Madness, music student Emile is trying to build a life at university in Munich while still carrying the absence of Tanya, the twin sister he was separated from as a child. His closest friend is seventeen-year-old mathematics prodigy Ian, whose strange companion Pavel appears through mirrors and claims to serve the Earth. Beyond their lives, cities across the world are being destroyed by a mysterious phenomenon that sends ordinary people into violent insanity. As the Madness spreads, Emile’s music begins showing unusual qualities, and Ian becomes increasingly aware that Pavel knows more about the catastrophe than he is willing to explain. What begins as an ordinary friendship soon places both young men close to events connected to the fate of the planet.

Sabine Meyer’s The Madness is a work of speculative fiction with an imaginative world, where science sits naturally beside the seemingly impossible. Ian is my favorite character, and he's given an inventive mind that feels at home in that world, shown when his fifth-dimensional thinking leads him to create a solar conduit that brings electricity into a remote cabin. Mrs. Larsson has a different effect. The elderly Swedish shopkeeper greets each unusual development with dry acceptance, giving her scenes a warmth that suits her perfectly. The settings are gorgeous, especially the Scandinavian forest where moss-covered firs rise beside a gurgling creek. Farmer Bill’s Colorado property feels tangible in every detail as goats wander near the workers’ house, where Emile discovers an old violin by the fireplace. There's a travel method over the Atlantic that is wonderfully visual, and all told, this is a wonderful first book in its series. Readers drawn to found families inside a unique fantasy are in for a real treat. Very highly recommended.