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geoffnelder's review
5.0
I’ve been looking forward to this book three of Mark Iles’ Darkening Skies series. So many questions I to which I wanted answers. For example has Selena the guts and stamina to participate in such gory, epic space battles, witnessing mass deaths and sometimes having to trust the untrustworthy. I was not disappointed. This is one of those rare military science fiction stories with rich, three-dimensional characters, some out of this world – way far out! I feel sorry for the author because he must have spent many months writing and honing Roar but it is so fast-paced that I was able to page turn it all in two days.
Most of the plot takes place on ships and planets far removed from the home planet, Earth, which only comes into it near the end, and what an end. The penal warriors of which Selena commands saved the day in the past and is called upon to do the same in Roar. Not everything is simple. In true master-storytelling it’s tricky to know who to trust and we’re not just talking aliens. To add another genre this isn’t just space opera, there’s a criminal mystery too involving vulnerable girls being harvested for their organs. Selena kind of adopts one and this touching plot move adds a warm characterisation thread. As does her similar adoption of Shadow, an alien beastie, which is like having several Rottweiler puppies and then some.
We have future humans battling former humans- the ForeRunners, and aliens fighting their own. Yet it is cleverly crafted to avoid confusion.
As usual when I read a book I seek phrases I wish I’d written. Among them are:
“Humour tinted her words”; “There may only be five of us and a hell of a lot more of you, but we still have you outnumbered.”; It was scary as hell – which in her book was perfect.”; “…swans landing grumpily … muttering their discontent.”
Strongly recommended.
Most of the plot takes place on ships and planets far removed from the home planet, Earth, which only comes into it near the end, and what an end. The penal warriors of which Selena commands saved the day in the past and is called upon to do the same in Roar. Not everything is simple. In true master-storytelling it’s tricky to know who to trust and we’re not just talking aliens. To add another genre this isn’t just space opera, there’s a criminal mystery too involving vulnerable girls being harvested for their organs. Selena kind of adopts one and this touching plot move adds a warm characterisation thread. As does her similar adoption of Shadow, an alien beastie, which is like having several Rottweiler puppies and then some.
We have future humans battling former humans- the ForeRunners, and aliens fighting their own. Yet it is cleverly crafted to avoid confusion.
As usual when I read a book I seek phrases I wish I’d written. Among them are:
“Humour tinted her words”; “There may only be five of us and a hell of a lot more of you, but we still have you outnumbered.”; It was scary as hell – which in her book was perfect.”; “…swans landing grumpily … muttering their discontent.”
Strongly recommended.
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