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A review by brettmichaelorr
Long Dark Dusk: Australia Book 2 by J.P. Smythe
5.0
This review contains spoilers for Way Down Dark.
I'm going to be honest. I absolutely raved about Way Down Dark last year, but the first novel in James Smythe's Australia trilogy was so perfectly executed that, coming into Long Dark Dusk, I was afraid the sequel would suffer from the Glass Sword-effect and fall short of my expectations.
It turns out, I had nothing to worry about.
I admit, I miss the Australia spaceship. I really liked the complex lore the inhabitants had created, their rules and customs, their religion and harsh way of life. There was so much more that could've been explored, so setting Long Dark Dusk in a devastated post-apocalyptic Earth was initially a little disappointing to me - but Long Dark Dusk has its own story to tell, and it's incredibly engaging.
Chan is back, a little more fragile than Way Down Dark. She's still a fighter with killer instincts for survival, but after losing the three most important people in her life -- foster-mother Agatha, almost-daughter-substitute Mae, and potential-partner Jonah -- she's more emotionally invested, and thus, a little more human. Gone is her Christ-the-Redeemer feeling from the first novel, instead replaced with a rawer image of revenge.
The post-apocalyptic Earth has been given a lot of attention. Generic Climate-Change-ravaged worlds are scattered throughout the YA SF bookworld, so seeing a version with actual detail was a refreshing change. Washington D.C. has been rebuilt as a small bastion, with a massive wall surrounding the city, using air-conditioners to keep the city cool - because out in the wasteland, the searing heat is enough to kill.
Gut-churning bloody violence makes a heroic return, and feels like one of the more defining features of the Australia trilogy. Bones break, blood sprays, bodies decompose, and eyeballs are gouged out routinely - and all of this is toned down from Way Down Dark. Sometimes the action is off-screen, showing only the aftermath of Chan's violence, which helps break up the fight scenes.
Not everything is completely new - old characters return in several jaw-dropping plot-twists, and an intriguing middle arc delves into psychological and neurological manipulation. The concept of prisons and the abuse/neglect of prisoners returns, in both the fate of Australia (and its sister ship, South Africa), as well as the newer prisons built on Earth to confine the new criminals.
I'm finding it hard to really criticize Long Dark Dusk. Although I preferred the setting of the original, Long manages to hit high notes that Way never could, especially in terms of character evolution. Long does have the unmistakeable "middle book" feeling, but that's expected in a trilogy, and the new characters and history it introduces are clearly setting up for an impressive finishing act.
If you liked Way Down Dark, you're going to love Long Dark Dusk. The sequel delivers the same brutal action, clever backstory, and break-neck pacing that made the original shine. Australia ends April 2017 with Dark Made Dawn, and I can't wait to see how the series finishes.
5/5 Stars
I'm going to be honest. I absolutely raved about Way Down Dark last year, but the first novel in James Smythe's Australia trilogy was so perfectly executed that, coming into Long Dark Dusk, I was afraid the sequel would suffer from the Glass Sword-effect and fall short of my expectations.
It turns out, I had nothing to worry about.
I admit, I miss the Australia spaceship. I really liked the complex lore the inhabitants had created, their rules and customs, their religion and harsh way of life. There was so much more that could've been explored, so setting Long Dark Dusk in a devastated post-apocalyptic Earth was initially a little disappointing to me - but Long Dark Dusk has its own story to tell, and it's incredibly engaging.
Chan is back, a little more fragile than Way Down Dark. She's still a fighter with killer instincts for survival, but after losing the three most important people in her life -- foster-mother Agatha, almost-daughter-substitute Mae, and potential-partner Jonah -- she's more emotionally invested, and thus, a little more human. Gone is her Christ-the-Redeemer feeling from the first novel, instead replaced with a rawer image of revenge.
The post-apocalyptic Earth has been given a lot of attention. Generic Climate-Change-ravaged worlds are scattered throughout the YA SF bookworld, so seeing a version with actual detail was a refreshing change. Washington D.C. has been rebuilt as a small bastion, with a massive wall surrounding the city, using air-conditioners to keep the city cool - because out in the wasteland, the searing heat is enough to kill.
Gut-churning bloody violence makes a heroic return, and feels like one of the more defining features of the Australia trilogy. Bones break, blood sprays, bodies decompose, and eyeballs are gouged out routinely - and all of this is toned down from Way Down Dark. Sometimes the action is off-screen, showing only the aftermath of Chan's violence, which helps break up the fight scenes.
Not everything is completely new - old characters return in several jaw-dropping plot-twists, and an intriguing middle arc delves into psychological and neurological manipulation. The concept of prisons and the abuse/neglect of prisoners returns, in both the fate of Australia (and its sister ship, South Africa), as well as the newer prisons built on Earth to confine the new criminals.
I'm finding it hard to really criticize Long Dark Dusk. Although I preferred the setting of the original, Long manages to hit high notes that Way never could, especially in terms of character evolution. Long does have the unmistakeable "middle book" feeling, but that's expected in a trilogy, and the new characters and history it introduces are clearly setting up for an impressive finishing act.
If you liked Way Down Dark, you're going to love Long Dark Dusk. The sequel delivers the same brutal action, clever backstory, and break-neck pacing that made the original shine. Australia ends April 2017 with Dark Made Dawn, and I can't wait to see how the series finishes.
The Good
A detailed post-apocalyptic Earth, surprising plot-twists, and newfound emotional depth that really humanizes the characters. The unashamedly brutal violence makes a return, which matches the overall bleak tone.
The Bad
No spaceship. That's really my only complaint here, but the new setting is deep enough to replace it.
The Verdict
A thrilling break-neck ride, with brutal action scenes and plenty of conspiracy and betrayal. An excellent sequel that can't be put down - easy to read, impossible to forget.
5/5 Stars