Friday 10 June 2011

FANTASY REVIEW: Dead of Veridon - Tim Akers

Release Date: 09/06/11

SYNOPSIS:

Trouble finds Jacob Burn. Kicked out of his house, out of his comfortable life, out of everything that is familiar, even turned away from his circle of criminal friends and interesting enemies. Two years after he saved an ungrateful city from a mad angel, thwarting the plans of every powerful faction in Veridon, Jacob is still trying to pull his life together. And still trouble finds him. A bad job goes worse, and soon old enemies present themselves as allies, and former friends set themselves against Jacob as he tries to put the dead to rest and the living to justice. Everything gets more difficult when he s appointed by the Council to investigate the rise of the cogdead, while some hold him personally accountable, and others in the city work to use the chaos to their advantage.


REVIEW:

Whilst this title is cited as Science Fiction to be honest I term it more along the lines of Alternate Urban Fantasy as it’s a recognisable world with some startling changes. If you love the weird and wonderful world of Steampunk there’s a slightly more organic feel than that here, if you like a story of intriguing double dealing, yep that’s in there too. Finally if you want a story with an outstanding lead character that is fully formed with flaws as well as boons all wrapped up in a contradictory nature then you really can’t do better than Jacob Burn.

All in this was a lot of fun to read and whilst I haven’t read the others in the series I didn’t feel alienated in any way. If anything the welcoming nature of this title is such that I really will have to seek out Jacob’s earlier exploits in order to get a fuller flavour alongside understanding of the twisted nature of this city. Great fun.

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