A densely plotted, action-packed, riveting futuristic tale…
Hladky’s outstanding series opener pits Nato’s Senior Chief Loveboy Weir and a team of rangers in a post-apocalyptic wasteland against a dangerous warrior prince, with his own sinister agenda. It’s been decades since powerful solar storms arrived, bringing chaos and devastation in their wake and thrusting the world into a Second Dark Age. The protection of the last NATO stronghold in Germania depends on descendants of American soldiers. When the mysterious Vucari make an appearance, NATO sends a team of rangers under Senior Chief Loveboy Weir’s command to investigate. Traveling in anti-gravity vessels, Loveboy and his team embark on a dangerous journey to meet Vladimir the Resurrected, the Vucari’s warrior prince. With higher authorities playing in the prince’s hands, Loveboy knows he has no one to depend on but his own troops in the wake of approaching war. Hladky offers a vast, intricate futuristic world that vibrates with conflicts and ideas and comes across vividly, with hints of deeper waters to explore. Descriptions of the beautiful city-state of New Reykjavik and mountains where Kazaks use giant eagles to hunt enemies, the mysterious City of Ghost that spews poison, the floating monastery among others are a treat. Equally intriguing are Hladky’s well-developed and deeply engaging characters with their inner turmoil, ethical dilemmas, and need to survive. Filled with striking combat scenes, the narrative builds to larger, increasingly exciting scenes of tension and violence, but Hladky never forgets his characters’ humanity. The vast crew of Loveboy’s team is filled with colorful, entertaining personalities. The secondary characters are equally compelling, playing their roles well in the action-packed narrative. With skill and precision, Hladky weaves together the numerous strands of his complicated, action-packed, and exciting story. Along with the usual genre tropes, he also introduces other fascinating elements, such as anti-gravity flying vessels, siege engines, and towers. In addition, Hladky’s reflections on natural calamities have a frightening plausibility. There are familiar themes of trust, faith, loyalty, brotherhood, greed, betrayal, honor, duty, responsibility, but the heart of the novel is the war between good and evil as Loveboy and his team set out to face the sinister enemy. The maddening cliffhanger will surely leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment. This highly entertaining and absorbing combination of SF and action makes for a captivating page-turner. Hladky is an author to watch.
The Book of Ruin
(The Book of Ruin #1)
By W.G. Hladky
Middle River Press
Pub date January 1, 2018
ASIN 1946886041
Price $12.99 (USD) Paperback, $0.00 Kindle edition
