Ambitious and sprawling…
Cook’s second installment in The Last of the Atlanteans series is a compelling blend of science fiction, mythology, and speculative history. The Flood has ended, and Earth is locked in an Ice Age. Dr. Ithyanna Iosevya Baraelina D’Yel Tiekka Ekkleono, the last surviving native-born citizen of Atlantis, roams the world ocean, awaiting orders from the Lion of Judah. When the Mortaxaeons, extraterrestrial slave masters, abduct and enslave her along with many others, she is forced into brutal labor. With the universe’s fate hanging in the balance, Ithyanna and her fellow prisoners must team up with a rogue alien and his armada to rebel against their captors.
Cook draws on biblical stories, elements from ancient civilizations, and speculative alien mythologies and creates a dense, multilayered world that feels like a fusion of Earth’s alternate history and the vastness of the cosmos. Stubborn, angry, and often at odds with her guiding divine forces, Ithyanna is nowhere near perfect. Her struggles with faith, vengeance, and her place in the cosmic order are rooted in authenticity. The supporting characters are equally compelling.
The vivid prose is filled with rich descriptions and moments of stark brutality. The narrative alternates between profound philosophical musings on faith and free will and high-stakes action sequences. The language, formal and almost biblical in cadence, enhances the story’s mythic quality. Though exposition-heavy passages and philosophical asides sometimes disrupt the flow of the story, the novel’s intricate worldbuilding, profound themes, and relentless adventure keep the reader engaged. Complex, weighty themes of slavery, the depravity of the human spirit, the nature of evil, and divine justice are woven skillfully into the narrative. This is a bold, uncompromising work that defies standard science fiction and fantasy tropes; a stunner.
Pub date July 25, 2024
FriesenPress; 1st edition
ASIN B0DBBCFSCM
Price $3.99 (USD) Kindle edition
