Monday 18 October 2010

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Lightborn - Tricia Sullivan

Release Date: 07/10/10

BOOK BLURB:

Lightborn, better known as 'shine', is a mind-altering technology that has revolutionised the modern world. It is the ultimate in education, self-improvement and entertainment - beamed directly into the brain of anyone who can meet the asking price. But in the city of Los Sombres, renegade shine has attacked the adult population, resulting in social chaos and widespread insanity in everyone past the age of puberty. The only solution has been to turn off the Field and isolate the city. Trapped within the quarantine perimeter, fourteen-year-old Xavier just wants to find the drug that can keep his own physical maturity at bay until the army shuts down the shine. That's how he meets Roksana, mysteriously impervious to shine and devoted to helping the stricken. As the military invades street by street, Xavier and Roksana discover that there could be hope for Los Sombres - but only if Xavier will allow a lightborn cure to enter his mind. What he doesn't know is that the shine in question has a mind of its own ...


REVIEW:

To be honest this is more of an acid trip into the world of tomorrow than anything else. It’s definitely intriguing, the supporting characters fascinating and they really help take the reader into this world so that the story is revealed at its own pace. Add to the mix a very interesting long story arc with a touch of humour added within and the reader will get something pretty unique for their money. Whilst this won’t make my top Sci-Fi titles for the year I did appreciate the hard work that went on to create this as well as enjoying the few light moments within that allowed the authors descriptive prose the chance to “shine.” I’ll definitely watch out for other books by her and hope that they pick up a bit more on character concentration and development.

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