Baibin Nighthawk

Dhungwana is the only piece of dry land on Earth. The population lives in sectors controlled by various corporations. Life is regimented and daily life and the inhabitants are strictly monitored in terms of health and productivity. The two main characters are part of the social elite. They have good jobs, and lead a relative life of ease. People have become so used to their ordered way of life, that no one questions the system under which they live. This is where Ian and Dayla, our main characters, come in. Without giving spoilers I will say that they gradually uncover some of the lies behind life on Dhungwana and begin a rebellion.

This brief description may make the plot seem simple – it is not. It also had a lovely twist at the end which I enjoyed. It made me feel like our main characters have just uncovered the “tip of the iceberg” and we’re in store for a lot more in the next books.

There is an excellent concept behind Nighthawk and Fencer’s book, The Dhungwana Chronicles (2117-3451) and it is quite clear that the authors have put a huge amount of thought into the mechanics / technicalities of their world. The story has huge potential, however (for me) the execution is problematic.

The biggest obstacles to my reading enjoyment in this edition were the lack of quotation marks for dialogue – instead the authors use em dashes. (However, I note that this has been amended in subsequent editions and this should make for a much more enjoyable reading experience.) The dialogue did not seem realistic as it was overly formal and at times stilted. It meant I was never fully engaged with either the story or the characters.

There is not enough scene setting or “atmospherics” within the story for me. I think this is one reason why events that should have held huge tension and intrigue unfortunately didn’t engage me.

As I am writing this I am deeply aware that there are two writers behind this work who are hoping for a glowing review and I am sorry that I can’t provide it. None of my comments are meant to be offensive, merely constructive.

However, anyone who reads this review should note that there are many five star reviews of this work and maybe this was just not my kind of story.… (mais)

To the rest of the world and the US and British secret agencies, Mark Savannah is dead, but he is hiding with a North Mali revolutionary group in Africa, hoping for a chance to head back to a more normal life in Switzerland. However, a trusted friend informs him that Switzerland is not safe and brings him another option, taking on a new identity and using his medical and aviation skills to join a “Flying for Africa” humanitarian organization that provides pilot-trained doctors to African nations. Yet soon after Mark takes on his new duties tied to a hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he uncovers a secret toxic genetic crop experiment affecting a couple of nearby villages, a conspiracy he discovers is connected to an old nemesis. Mark knows he is at risk of revealing that he is still alive to his enemy, but perhaps the possibility of reconnecting with a secret love may help expose a potential worldwide crisis. This is the second book of the spy and sci-fi thriller series that began with “Black Hawk Day Rewind,” and for the most part, maintains the quick pace, complexity, and excitement, but the authors take some time at the beginning to reintroduce Mark and his connections to readers who might have bypassed the opening novel of the series. Readers will need to be patient at the start to get to the heart of the thriller.… (mais)