Genre

Science Fiction, Young Adult

Audience

Adult

Author’s Worldview

Catholic

Year Published

2023

Themes

Fear, good and evil, conscience, coercion, guilt, freedom, the price of doing the right thing, illusion, deception, power, slavery

 

Reviewed by

Corinna Turner

In a future America, wars are fought and populations controlled by incredibly realistic holograms. The holograms confuse on the battlefield, and keep civilians endlessly entertained—and passive—at home. No one can see through them—no one, except eighteen-year-old Aaron, who cannot see them at all. After his village is destroyed and his family enslaved, Aaron is taken captive by Votura and coerced into serving in their military, identifying which enemy forces are real and which are not. Showered with rank and privilege, can Aaron hold on to himself? What will it cost him to survive and find his family? And is he truly willing to pay that price?

This YA thriller invites the reader to join Aaron in an adventure as much about ethics as about action—although it has plenty of both. The novel has an ambitious arc, both in plot and in character development. Aaron’s slow journey to wisdom is, for the most part, realistically shown.  

Aaron’s character development does remain static at times. This, combined with not getting to know Aaron quite as deeply as we ideally needed to, may sometimes leave the reader feeling frustrated with him. In all honesty, I would have quite liked to read this book in first person, not third (although that is partly a preference issue). But, overall, Aaron is a realistically flawed character, not above bullying his slaves and behaving arrogantly even when he has only just arrived in Votura and still regards himself as a mere village boy—a realistic portrayal of a rather normal teenage boy thrust suddenly into a position of power.

One interesting aspect of the story is that Aaron at one point embarks on something that, with different motivations, might have been a good, or at least acceptable, course of action—but he does so for the wrong reasons. The novel doesn’t shy away from the consequences of this.

The future America (a futuristic combination of the Aztec and Ancient Roman empires) is chillingly portrayed and makes an effective backdrop for Aaron’s scheming and for his moral dilemmas.

There is nothing explicitly Christian about the book, except for a brief, barely-plot-relevant mention of ‘the ancient religion’ at the end, and this book could be enjoyed equally by secular and Christian readers. Readers interested in themes of morality and freedom will find it especially of interest.

The book has a few flaws. Aaron’s brother Cole was a disappointing character. He starts the book as a truth speaker, as a hugely positive influence on Aaron, but rather than having a role in helping Aaron later on, he simply becomes lost along his way.

The idea that everyone was truly being satisfied and taken in by the holograms did feel more like a metaphor than something truly realistic, but it was easy to suspend disbelief, so it had little impact on the enjoyment of the book. 

This book would suit fans of science fiction and of Young Adult and New Adult fiction. There is a minor romantic plotline, but politics and character development drive the book most of all.

Although there are some elements of this ambitious tale that could have been done better, I am still thinking about it a week after finishing it—and that means it got something very right indeed.

Roland West Loner by Theresa Linden

When his evil brothers lock Roland up in a dungeon he finds a locked box hiding a mysterious treasure.

Why Reading Fiction Made Me a Better Catholic

How reading fiction became a crucial step in my conversion to the Catholic Church.

Please Don’t Feed the Dinosaurs by Corinna Turner

A series of dino adventures that has been doing better what the mainstream Jurassic Park series only recently attempted.

The Wolf, the Lamb, and the Air Balloon by Corinna Turner

A wolf, a lamb, an air balloon—what could go wrong?

October Books to Pray With: For a Shared Mission

A list of books exploring the theme of solidarity between clergy and laity.

Earthquake Weather by Kevin Rush

The mist that settles over San Francisco hides the ugly parts of her world. Can Kristine find the courage to see with unclouded eyes?

The Mission of Joan Of Arc by Philip Kosloski, Alexandre Nascimento, and Jesse Hansen

Voyage Comics’ dynamic interpretation of the Life of Joan of Arc is based on the play written by St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

Everything Old: Love in Anadauk Book 1 by Amanda Hamm

Two youth group leaders rekindle their friendship and find love with each other along the way.

August & September New Book Releases

Step into Fall with a Good Book

The People’s Choice- Top 10 Genres in Catholic Literature

The book-geeks have spoken! Top favorite genres in Catholic literature July 2018- July 2019

Finnian and the Seven Mountains (Vol.2) By, Philip Kosloski and Michael Lavoy

Can one map be the key to stopping the Viking Invasion?

If Wishes Were Dragons By Karina Fabian

What happens when LARPing becomes a lot more real than a group of D&D players can handle?

Blink and We’ll Miss It by Ginny Kochis

Back amongst her estranged best friends and former love, Mae tries to hide her time-hopping secret.

Dex’s Way by Karina Fabian

Surviving the Black Hole was only the first part, now Dex will have to survive the far future and reunite with Santiago.

Gevaudan Project

This fun monster story takes themes of God, man, and environmentalism to places deeper than any newsroom can go.

Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

In a post-apocolyptic world a small Catholic monastery fights to preserve civilization for the next age.

Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon By Corinna Turner 

A human-sheep hybrid’s friendships with a friendly vampire and a very angsty house-wolf are tested in this story that explores nature versus nurture. 

September Books to Pray With: For the Cry of the Earth

Let us pray that each of us listen with our hearts to the cry of the Earth and of the victims of
environmental disasters and the climate crisis, making a personal commitment to care for the world
we inhabit.

Medal Knight Vol 1 by Voyage Comics

A young inventor in the 1920’s finds out his patrons intend to use his robots for crime. To fight back he becomes a hero inspired by the miraculous medal.

Pink Noise by Leonid Korogodski

A classic Martian adventure that plumbs the spiritual life of a future humanity.