Author: D. Nolan Clark
Pages: 570
ISBN: 9780356507477
Series: The Silence #1
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 6 September 2016
Genre: Science Fiction / Space Opera
Source: Review copy from publisher
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After centuries of devastating interplanetary civil war, mankind has found a time of relative peace.
That peace is shattered when an unknown armada emerges from the depths of space, targeting an isolated colony planet. As the colonists plead for help, the politicians and bureaucrats look away. But battle-scarred Commander Aleister Lanoe will not abandon thousands of innocents to their fate.
What would you get if you cross Top Gun with Firefly? I imagine the end result is bound to be something like the brilliant Forsaken Skies by D. Nolan Clarke. A motley crew of pilots are called back into action by their old commander to defend a colony on the outskirts of civilization against attacks by a mysterious foe. The interstellar corporations in charge just don’t care about the colony or their backwater planet; its economic value is negligible and protecting the lives of the colonists just doesn’t make economic sense. Profit comes first. Always. Commander Lanoe and his crew are their only hope, but even they might not be up to the task.
From the very first page Forsaken Skies just draws you in with an action-packed narrative that keeps growing in scope as the tangled webs are sculpted into a cohesive whole. The characters are engaging, if not particularly likeable and they all come with their own particular brand of baggage. Lenoe is a grizzled, world-weary veteran tired of life and war. Auster Maggs is a cocky conman trying to live up to his father’s illustrious military legacy while working every angle to enrich himself. Thom is a lost teenager whose world has been turned upside down after learning the truth of his existence. He tries desperately to find a place in the universe while coming to grips with the aftermath of his actions. Ehta lives with a trauma so severe she has lost her ability to fly, the very thing that defined her life. And lastly there is Tannis Valk a former foe of Lanoe’s who suffered severe burns during the previous war while fighting on the losing side.
The tension steadily builds as the true nature of the enemy is slowly revealed culminating in a nail-biting space battle where the severely outnumbered squadron of pilots battle against seemingly insurmountable odds. The ending is heart-wrenching with enough twists along the way to keep you on your toes. As the first novel in a series Forsaken Skies works very well to prepare the groundwork for some fascinating things to come while still providing enough closure to make it a satisfying read on its own.
While I didn’t care all that much about Lenoe I adored Tannis Valk and his arc was definitely the most interesting, but saying anything more would be venturing into the realm of spoilers. Suffice it to say that I can’t wait to discover more. At times Forsaken Skies does suffer from some pacing issues, but it’s still a solid start to a gripping space opera that completely drew me in. If the series manages to build on the groundwork already established we are definitely in for a treat!
The Verdict:
Forsaken Skies is a compelling space opera where you can get completely swept up in the story for hours on end. While it might not offer anything particularly revolutionary it is still a damn good read with loads of promise for what is still to come. After turning the last page I was left in the warm afterglow of a good story well told. And who can ask for more than that? Highly recommended!
The Rating: 8/10 (Great!)
Thanks to Charlene from Jonathan Ball Publishers for the review copy.
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