The Flight of A Sperel, written by Orion Spellman, is a pleasant tale spun loosely around the recent security breach at the Plentmire Harvesting Plant in Mulldrum. Although certain events in this book do find their origin in actual, real-life occurrences (such as the previously mentioned Mulldrum security breach and then subsequent reported sperel sightings) it is, on the whole, a work of complete fiction. The main character of the story, a sperel named Zauriel, has found dissatisfaction with daily life as a tragic result of his own misinterpretations. Where opportunity exists, he sees confinement; in purpose, he sees drudgery. Rather than enjoy the splendorous beauty of the melmire which surrounds him, he wishes to be "immersed in an ever-lasting sunset." Obviously an impractical way to live.
       After our poor protagonist's discontent is worsened by a mining accident in which one of his wings is left injured, The Sperel escapes into an imaginative world quite unrecognizable from our own. The author creates a uniquely vivid environment through his clever integration of real-world locations, transformed and contorted beyond belief by the kinetic cast of characters who populate the book. Parents need not be concerned that their children might accidentally mistake this fanciful tale for an accurate account of our true times; the lines which separate fantasy from reality are easily distinguishable.
       In addition to giving his sperel a name, the author has equipped Zauriel with everything from a dream and a determination to a useful mathematical theorem and a pouch containing rare melmire. Zauriel even receives a sword at one point along his journey. What The Sperel has not been given, however, is plausibility. The plot is driven by the absurd notion that a sperel might actually find a purpose for itself greater than the respectable duty of melmire harvesting. The futility of this premise is made evident at several points along the protagonist's journey through his scattered bouts of directionless introspection which reveal little more than what the reader already knows about the refugee sperel - that he is lost and confused. Such obvious inconsistencies with sensibility detract slightly from the credibility of Zauriel's quest.
       However, in a fictitious novel, lack of credibility does not necessarily detract from the book's enjoyability. Despite any flaws of conception, The Sperel still manages to prove itself a worthy and entertaining read. Much of the narrative flows like a dream, studded with metaphorical gems that will appeal to the intellect of older readers and stimulate the imaginations of younger ones. If you've been yearning to escape into a good book, you need look no further. Your salvation can be found in The Flight of A Sperel.