LitPick Review
Beginning in a time where space travel is not just a dream, humankind has extended its reaches all over the universe. Unfortunately, this brings the Gbaba, an ancient, highly advanced alien race, to our doorstep, where, after a multiple decade battle, they destroy us. As a desperate ploy to survive, humans run to a far off galaxy where they abandon the technology that brought the Gbaba to our doorstep. Safehold, aptly named for its purpose, was our chance for salvation. Using mentally altered colonists to populate the world, they ensured technology that would lead the Gbaba back to humans would not surface. Also, they established "The Church of God Awaiting" making innovation a thing of sin. Unfortunately for the masterminds behind this plot, not all of the people with them agreed with what they did. Hidden away in a secret enclave, a PICA, or a Personally-Integrated Cybernetic Avatar, is given the mission of returning humankind to the path of innovation. With plotting princes, diabolical vicars, and a 'Robot' trying to lead a certain kingdom to greatness, this book contains everything a book of its caliber should contain.
Opinion:
As a fan of fantasy and sci-fi books, this book did something that I thought impossible...it combined both. The plot was interestingly entwined around the church, the leaders of different kingdoms, and Merlin Athrawes. Writing in an omnipresent style, I was not able to establish who was the real main character of this particular story, seeing as it skipped from place to place, showing you different motives and thoughts of the many different and well written characters. Out of all the things I liked about this book, the one thing I did not exactly enjoy was how slow the first 60 or so pages, of around 770, of this book began. I would raise more of a point against it, but I understand that an author must "set the stage" of a book, and the fact that it started to pick up immediately after that. The only other thing I found wrong with this book was how abruptly it ended. Hopefully, a sequel is in order to "finish" what this book started. All in all, this was an enjoyable book that I believe fantasy and sci-fi readers alike will enjoy.
