The World of Ryallon: Book Review: Controlled Descent

Controlled Descent

Description:

When Alison Gregorio lands a cushy administrative job in a law office, she knows her big paycheck comes with strings attached. She expects long hours and unreasonable demands. She doesn't expect to be dodging assassins before she gets her first raise, but that's exactly what she ends up doing.

A plane carrying the boss's biggest client disappears into limbo, and Alison's work on the estate reveals explosive secrets beneath the law firm's golden façade. Before long Alison is on the run with lethal secrets locked in memory and no idea where to turn for help.

Staying alive is only the first challenge inventor Justin Wyatt faces after sabotage leaves him stranded in a frozen wasteland. Survival isn't enough. He needs to find out who betrayed him before his deadliest creations fall into the wrong hands. His biggest obstacle: the person holding the key to the mystery doesn't know he is still alive... and he doesn't know she exists.

Justin enlists the help of strangers with their own hidden agendas to hunt down his enemies, and once fate brings Alison to their doorstep, there's no turning back. Either they will untangle the mess of corporate intrigue and personal vendettas that brought them all together, or their common foe will destroy them all.

Forty-two years have passed since the Restored United States emerged from decades of chaos and revolution. The future is a brave new world, but some things never change. Money still talks, power still corrupts, and trust is a rare and precious commodity.

Review

I enjoyed this story a great deal. It's well written and the characters are each unique and very interesting, which is my favorite feature in books. I've read a lot of books recently that meander off into narrative musings or long world building expositions and it's been hard to remain interested. So when I found myself riveted to this story and it's characters, it was a pleasant experience.

Controlled Descent is a post-semi-apocalypse story, which was an interesting twist on the normal full apocalypse type. It allows advances in science while still keeping a similar world view. I was impressed by the well-crafted presentation of the science in this manner.

Justin invents fascinating things but wants nothing to do with running businesses. (Just like me and my writing.) Mysterious people want those inventions and are willing to do anything to get it. He and his companion go to great lengths to survive and find out who and why he was attacked. The mystery remains throughout the entire story, always teasing, never fully revealing.

Alison wants to succeed beyond just getting by like most people. An insatiable drive to get ahead in life takes her further than most and brings her to new friends. But friends are not always who they seem. At some point, you know she's going to meet Justin. The developments that bring everyone together are enjoyable to read and kept me on the edge of my seat. (Usually an airplane seat because I read while traveling)

I was immediately interested in the stories of the characters. Suspense is built from the very beginning and I found myself eagerly turning to the next page. The viewpoint jumps back and forth between Justin's and Alison's stories. Many times when books do this, I tend to prefer one over the other. In this instance, I looked forward to both.

The side characters that join are just as interesting and books after this one go further into their lives. K. M. Herkes is exceptional at creating unique characters that a reader would like to know more about.

About the Author

K. M. Herkes Website

My stories are full of action—things blow up, burn down, and dissolve into puddles of goo—but the outcomes hinge on acts of compassion and cooperation. The characters you'll meet in these stories know the cost of hope and the weight of despair. They find safety and shelter with one another, fitting together at their broken places to become stronger together. Their big victories grow from small acts of kindness and understanding. (My goal is to create imaginary worlds that feel as real as the one we inhabit.)

If we meet in real life, you'll find I am short, squeaky, and energetic, with a thirty-percent chance of loud. Nitty-gritty professional details are on my official About page. My personal emblem is a phoenix, and my house motto is Spes Semper Vincit.

Disclaimer

I have decided to review books that I enjoy. I am an avid reader of fantasy, so most of them will be in that genre. I'm not taking any requests, just reading what catches my eyes. You'll find that most of these are from Indie Authors. The way I figure it, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Alan Dean Foster and Piers Anthony (my favorite authors) already have enough reviews, but Indies could always use a few more.

It is important to note here that while I am a writer, I am doing these reviews as a reader. I also know a number of the authors I will be reviewing. This is not an exchange of reviews, nor have I been solicited by those authors to write the review. If I don't like a book, I won't review it.

I buy through the Kobo bookstore and read books using my Kobo Libra Colour, which I thoroughly enjoy. .

All my best,

John H. Carroll