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A review by rustymiller
Silent City by G.R. Matthews
4.0
Is it fair to say that an author did too well?
Silent City by G.R. Matthews is a post-apocalyptic underwater sci-fi thriller. It wasn’t until I read this book that I realized just how claustrophobic I might be. This book showcased all the dangers that come with air-breathers living below the waves, and if it wasn’t bad enough that the main character (Colin Hayes) could drown, or suffocate, or find himself unable to escape from falling debris, or be caught in explosions or torpedo fire, there was the threat of gunfire, guards/soldiers with excellent combat skills, and more.
Hayes is a troubled man with a past that he is trying to avoid. The story is told from his first-person perspective as he seeks to discover the truth of what is going on around him. I would have liked a little more depth to his character, but I suspect that is unrealistic given how much time he spends alone with no interaction with others. Plus, given that this is the first book in a series it is likely that more will be revealed in later stories.
The science and world-building seemed well researched and very plausible, again perhaps too well done. As I mentioned earlier, this felt claustrophobic, which comes partly from the descriptions of the environment and the threats related to it. (The first person perspective heightened this sense even more, I suspect.)
I tend not to stray away from fantasy, but this was a quick, action-packed, intense sci-fi story that will surely impress those readers who can handle the threat. Perhaps I was not that reader, and the book made me more anxious than I would have liked. Again, it might have been too well done for me. I will still give it a 3.8 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4 for Goodreads). This is (cautiously) recommend for those more daring than I am.
(I was given a copy of this book by the author through the TBRindr program in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you G.R. Matthews!)
Silent City by G.R. Matthews is a post-apocalyptic underwater sci-fi thriller. It wasn’t until I read this book that I realized just how claustrophobic I might be. This book showcased all the dangers that come with air-breathers living below the waves, and if it wasn’t bad enough that the main character (Colin Hayes) could drown, or suffocate, or find himself unable to escape from falling debris, or be caught in explosions or torpedo fire, there was the threat of gunfire, guards/soldiers with excellent combat skills, and more.
Hayes is a troubled man with a past that he is trying to avoid. The story is told from his first-person perspective as he seeks to discover the truth of what is going on around him. I would have liked a little more depth to his character, but I suspect that is unrealistic given how much time he spends alone with no interaction with others. Plus, given that this is the first book in a series it is likely that more will be revealed in later stories.
The science and world-building seemed well researched and very plausible, again perhaps too well done. As I mentioned earlier, this felt claustrophobic, which comes partly from the descriptions of the environment and the threats related to it. (The first person perspective heightened this sense even more, I suspect.)
I tend not to stray away from fantasy, but this was a quick, action-packed, intense sci-fi story that will surely impress those readers who can handle the threat. Perhaps I was not that reader, and the book made me more anxious than I would have liked. Again, it might have been too well done for me. I will still give it a 3.8 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4 for Goodreads). This is (cautiously) recommend for those more daring than I am.
(I was given a copy of this book by the author through the TBRindr program in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you G.R. Matthews!)