The DOGs want to destroy the world. The gods want to make a new one. The trick is to survive both.My Thoughts: This is probably going to be one of the most disjointed reviews I've ever written because I honestly can't figure out whether I liked this book or not. So, yeah. Be warned.
The world is on the brink of ecological cataclysm set off by the Oil Spill of 2010 and the Great Sea Level Rise of 2070. Hydroponics agronomist Char Meadowlark has become a recluse since her fiance was killed by a terrorist bomb and her twin sister Sky went underground to protect a top secret alternative energy project. Warned about an impending eco-terrorist attack, Char tries to get off planet, but the Defenders of Gaia strike while she's at the airport. Shuttle pilot Jake Ardri might offer her only hope.
When the DOGs' onslaught goes global and the material world threatens to implode, the ancient gods reemerge to take control over humanity. Through the ensuing chaos, Char must juggle two men, a world on fire, and a goddess with an agenda for a new world order.
One of the things that really pulled me out of the story was that there was a TON (a literal ton. I was crushed by it) of worldbuilding within the first part of the book. It wasn't like when I go "A ton of worldbuilding! Yay!" It was more like, "Oh, holy pancakes! I don't know what's happening here!" There are ghosts (mutant humans), mentions of raptors (mutated birds that everyone thinks are myth), eco-terrorist groups, cities on fire, a bad ass space station where people like to engage in public acts of lewdness... I just couldn't keep up.
This isn't a terribly long novella so the action moves along quickly. I can accept that but I never felt like we got to let the different experiences sink in before the next catastrophe hit. The plot felt disjointed as if the author was trying to cram all these pieces of story in before they ran out of words.
Here's the thing: As soon as I finished this novella I jumped online and downloaded the second, which says to me that there was something here that captured my fancy in a big way. I didn't necessarily like this book but I can see the bones of something intriguing in it. Does that make sense? I liked the elements the author created and I liked the idea behind it I was just overwhelmed by all the different concepts that were thrown at me left and right. If this had been a longer novel I really think these concepts would have had time to come to life naturally instead of firing at us in a barrage of information. Yet, once again, I've already queued up book 2 on my Kindle and I'm trying to decide if it's going to be the next book I read.
More books by LK Rigel
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This book looked interesting to me too. It's free so why not. Ton of world building though. It must have been very interesting if you bought the 2nd. I am definitely curious now, I'm gonna have to read it soon.
ReplyDeletetheJeepDiva: The second book is currently a freebie at Amazon, too.
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