Helpful Score: 4
The quote on the paperback says, "Black Hawk Down Meets the X-men..." If you're reading this review and indulging me in my thoughts, I would go a step further and say this is a cross-over of several themes: Black Hawk Down, X-men, a little adult theiving of Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings.
The premise of the novel is a military unit has been set up to go after persons who "manifest" with abilities. Those abilities are normally one of four types: Necromancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, and Aeromancy. As each name suggests, you have abilities with using the dead, fire, water, and atmosphere.
If a person manifests and runs, they are considered breaking the law and punishment is distributed. If you turn yourself in, it's not clear if punishment is provided or if you are a slave to the military as they "train" and transform individuals into weapons. There are specific approved schools a person can go through based on abilities - if they don't run.
The main character - Britton - has been a soldier who has helped seek out the Probes or Selfers (those who run). He is not 100% comfortable with how the military seeks out these people and punishes them. After a recent apprehension he is struggling over, Britton manifests with the rare ability of Portamancy (opening gates anywhere he has seen or been). When he runs, he is hunted down and captured. He is forced to go through training to hone his abilities and has a small device that has been inserted in his heart. If he does not cooperate, BOOM!
The training is similar to a hard-core version of an "Officer and a Gentlemen" with no caring whatsoever from the drill staff. Britton struggles with using his ability to do good versus being a captive slave to his government and what the government forces him to do with his abilities.
The characters are well developed and the novel allows for subsequent books in a storyline. I loved it!
The premise of the novel is a military unit has been set up to go after persons who "manifest" with abilities. Those abilities are normally one of four types: Necromancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, and Aeromancy. As each name suggests, you have abilities with using the dead, fire, water, and atmosphere.
If a person manifests and runs, they are considered breaking the law and punishment is distributed. If you turn yourself in, it's not clear if punishment is provided or if you are a slave to the military as they "train" and transform individuals into weapons. There are specific approved schools a person can go through based on abilities - if they don't run.
The main character - Britton - has been a soldier who has helped seek out the Probes or Selfers (those who run). He is not 100% comfortable with how the military seeks out these people and punishes them. After a recent apprehension he is struggling over, Britton manifests with the rare ability of Portamancy (opening gates anywhere he has seen or been). When he runs, he is hunted down and captured. He is forced to go through training to hone his abilities and has a small device that has been inserted in his heart. If he does not cooperate, BOOM!
The training is similar to a hard-core version of an "Officer and a Gentlemen" with no caring whatsoever from the drill staff. Britton struggles with using his ability to do good versus being a captive slave to his government and what the government forces him to do with his abilities.
The characters are well developed and the novel allows for subsequent books in a storyline. I loved it!
Boy am I dizzy! What a wild ride on a psychological pendulum! While I understood what Britton was going through, I thought he took too long to make that final decision. In the end, I have to say the story was too "West-Coast" for my tastes. While I thought it was okay, I don't think I'll be moving on to the next book in the series.
