Wednesday 28 May 2014

STEAMPUNK REVIEW: In Dark Service - Stephen Hunt

Release Date: 15/05/14
Publisher:  Gollancz

SYNOPSIS:

Jacob Carnehan has settled down. He's living a comfortable, quiet life, obeying the law and minding his own business while raising his son Carter ...on those occasions when he isn't having to bail him out of one scrape or another. His days of adventure are - thankfully - long behind him. Carter Carnehan is going out of his mind with boredom. He's bored by his humdrum life, frustrated that his father won't live a little, and longs for the bright lights and excitement of anywhere-but-here. He's longing for an opportunity to escape, and test himself against whatever the world has to offer. Carter is going to get his opportunity. He's caught up in a village fight, kidnapped by slavers and, before he knows it, is swept to another land. A lowly slave, surrounded by technology he doesn't understand, his wish has come true: it's him vs. the world. He can try to escape, he can try to lead his fellow slaves, or he can accept the inevitable and try to make the most of the short, brutal existence remaining to him...unless Jacob gets to him first and, no matter the odds, he intends to. No one kidnaps his son and gets away with it - and if it come to it, he'll force Kings to help him on his way, he'll fight, steal, blackmail and betray his friends in the name of bringing Carter home. Wars will be started. Empires will fall. And the Carnehan family will be reunited, one way or another...


REVIEW:

Stephen Hunt has been one of those authors that I’ve enjoyed since I read his original “The Dragon and the Crown” (which won him the WHSmith prize) and whilst I’m still waiting for that series to continue, I’ve really enjoyed his Steampunk cross titles as they always bring something that I can’t get enough of to the fore. Principle players that I want to spend time around.

Here within the latest outing is a story of heroism, of action and as usual nigh impossible odds for the people to not only battle against but where survival is the key. Its wonderfully inventive, has great pace and all round made me feel like a very happy reader.



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