Chez Maximka: A Voice in the Darkness (The Sundering Chronicles Book 2) by Mark Iles

Friday 23 August 2024

A Voice in the Darkness (The Sundering Chronicles Book 2) by Mark Iles

"All wars leave scars. Not just the physical but the mental. The memory of watching friends die when there was nothing at all you could do about it."

"He was death incarnate. A nightmare once seen never forgotten. The sight of him was enough to send witnesses into screaming fits and nightmares for the rest of their lives".

A Voice in the Darkness (The Sundering Chronicles Book 2) by Mark Iles is a gripping sci fi/fantasy action-packed thriller with lots of twists and turns you won't see coming.

This sequel to Gardens of Earth was worth waiting for. It expands on the concepts from the previous novel. If you haven't read the first book, I'd suggest starting with it, and you will be hooked.

Blurb:

When children on the colony of Semillion go missing, they return changed, the parents even claim they are not their offspring. Sheriff Andrews soon finds himself investiagating the bizarre situation. what he discovers, leads to him being recalled by the military and sent back to Earth, a place now quarantined and where colonical humans are forbidden to venture.

The intention is to recruit ex-commando Seethan Bodell, who's living with the survivors of The Sundering and the mythological creatures that now inhabit the world.

Earth is still ruled with an iron fist by the alien Spooks, but there is something else going on behind the scenes, a new and deadly threat.

To succeed, Andrews and Bodell need to call on that grand tapestry of inhabitants: the shapeshifters, elves, the ravening pack of werewolves that Seethan now belongs to, and even the dead; in the hope that it will be enough to prevent an escalating situation that could so easily lead to war.

Sheriff Andrews lives among the colonists of the green planet Semillion, enjoying the relative peace and quiet, and pondering about his recent past. It was he who'd agreed the peace accord with the alien Spooks. The interstellar conflict had ended, yet the Admiralty decided he should take responsibility for the disaster, even if the dramatic chain of events had been utterly outside his control.

Semillion appears peaceful, "the forests flush with life and filled with bird song, air fragrant with the scent of flowers, loud and soft calls of unknown creatures, and the heady welcoming embrace of nature all around him. If Eden had ever existed it had to be like this".

However, this Eden has problems of its own.

Andrews is tasked with solving the mystery of the missing children. Some of them disappear for a while only to re-appear without remembering anything about what might have happened to them.

When daughter of the local widow goes missing, her mother is distraught. Andrews and his Deputy begin the investigation, following the possible clues, only to discover that the dreadful disappearances are just an indication of a much bigger problem, going beyond the Semillion's colonists.

There are "strange things going on out there in the forest". As his Deputy says, "The shadows in these woods suck the life right out of you, Sheriff. It's an ominous feeling, like being watched all the time by God knows what. Go on, tell me you don't feel it. Everyone does".

To find the answers to their problems, Andrews has to go back to Earth. He has no choice. The trip could well end in a disaster, as the alien Spooks who rule the planet refuse to grant access to Earth to any colonial humans.

The surviving humans live in primitive conditions, without modern technology. What's more, the creatures of myths and legends now inhabit the same space as the humans.

Andrews hopes to find ex-commando Seethan Bodell and recruit him in the dangerous mission. Yet Bodell has undergone a huge change, having become a werewolf. "Seethan wasn't your average werewolf. He was a war veteran. A man who cared. Someone who'd learned to use his PTSD strategies to temper his murderous and manic lycanthrope urges, tools to keep the darkness away".

To succeed in their mission, Andrews and Seethan have to work out their differences. In fact, there is a lot in common between two war veterans. They also need to challenge their own fears and wipe away the preconceptions.

To confront the embodiment of the interstellar evil, all the diverse groups inhabiting the Earth, have to unite and fight together: humans, elves, werewolves and shapeshifters, and even the dead.

The first book was a thrilling mix of dystopian sci fi, fantasy, horror and high-octane action. While all these elements are still present in the second book, it leans heavier on the fantasy side. Plus there is a strong philosophical undertone, with the insights into PTSD, its effects and methods to cope with it.

This dark tale raises deep philosophical questions about the survival of human species, futuristic technology, the devastating effects of colonialism and unchecked exploitation, and many others.

Though set in the future, the book is a commentary on the present state of humankind.

The story pulls you in and refuses to let you go. The shocker of an ending hints at the next book in the series, and I'm hoping it won't take too long for the Book 3, as I really want to know how certain plotlines will develop. Highly recommended.

About Mark Iles:

Born and raised in Slough, Mark Iles began studying the martial arts when he was 14 and joined the Royal Navy at the age of 17. A voracious reader he used to devour up to three paperbacks a day - primarily science fiction, fantasy and horror - by the likes of John Wyndham, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clark, Ray Bradbury, Brian Lumley, Frank Herbert, Stephen King, and a plethora of others.

After The Falklands War Mark was drafted to Hong Kong, where he began writing features, for a variety of martial arts magazines, and short stories for a wide range of markets.

In 2012 he decided to challenge himself and undertook an MA in Professional Writing, followed by Diplomas in Copywriting and Proofreading. With over 200 short stories and articles under his belt the book he wrote for his MA Project, A Pride of Lions was published by Solstice - followed by two other novels, a short story collection, and four novellas. His novel Gardens of Earth, book I of The Sundering Chronicles, was published by Elsewhen Press in 2021.

A Voice in the Darkness is the second in the series. Now a 9th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, Mark is still involved in martial arts and has also written both a book and an app on the subject.