OCTOBER RAIN by Dylan Morgan

5 out of 5 stars

Futuristic, dystopian novella

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE 

Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's Book Review Team

I liked this novella a lot!  It takes place many, many years in the future, after Mars has been colonised by the dying Earth, and thousands have moved to artificially constructed cities on the inhospitable red planet.  But now life on Mars is coming to an end, too, and the lucky ones are moving out to Titan, a satellite of Saturn.

Government agent Steele has one last mission, before he can join his wife and daughter on the journey to Titan—a dangerous and terrifying one...

 

I've read quite a few of Dylan Morgan's books, and this one reminded me of The Dead Lands, my favourite, with all its expertly orchestrated suspense and bleak atmosphere.  This writer knows how to do 'bleak'!  The pace is perfect, the plot unpredictable, the characterisation spot on.  It's not for the faint-hearted, or those who want to be assured that everything will turn out all right in the end. 

My only complaint is that it's so short, even though it fits perfectly into the length of a novella - I think it could have been a novel, though, or maybe the first in the series - come on, Dylan, surely this can't be all there is??!  It's a great idea; made me want to know what happened before, and what will happen after.  One of those books that made me want to keep clicking the page turner on my iPad, hoping for more :)

THE DEAD LANDS by Dylan Morgan reviewed HERE 

 
FLESH by Dylan Morgan reviewed HERE 

 
THE SICKNESS by Dylan Morgan reviewed HERE

 
 

THE DEAD LANDS by Dylan J Morgan

5 GOLD STARS

Post apocalyptic, sci-fi, thriller, dystopia

On Amazon UK HERE 
On Amazon.com HERE

Reviewed as part of Rosie Amber's book review team

This is, without a doubt, in the top five 'indie' books I've ever read, and one of the best books I've read in a few years, full stop.

Right. I thought I didn't like Sci-Fi. I'm not that into spaceships and mutant beings, which is what I thought ScFi was... duh.  I've since had the full genre explained to me, by the way.  Anyway - it was my love of the whole post-apocalyptic thing that made me want to read this book, as well as its excellent title. I am so glad I made that choice!

Basic plot: a motley crew of soldiers are sent from one planet to save the president of a second planet. President has lain in cryogenic suspension since an end-of-world nuclear war a hundred years before.

Dylan Morgan is one hell of a writer. Each character comes alive immediately; we are given no description, physical or otherwise, but I could tell EXACTLY what each person was like almost as soon as they were introduced - a rare talent indeed. The Dead Lands is told mostly from the point of view of Lane, a former soldier and current bounty hunter, but also with guest appearances from other members of the team and connected characters, including one chapter from the point of view of one of the mutants. Very, very clever indeed, and actually put a different slant on the whole thing.

Morgan's writing is clear, concise, never rambling. He understands dramatic impact, suspense, pathos, emotion, though I suspect all this is executed automatically, as it is with those who can write this well. If you like this sort of book you will LOVE this, and I think you will even if, like me, you suspect it might not be your sort of thing. Why? Because Morgan realises something important. A truly great novel is all about the CHARACTERS, not about the plot. The plot is terrific, too, but this story is about human nature: love, loss, greed, betrayal, despair, optimism, friendship, family and strength.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended. I suspect that I do like SciFi after all... and that I might be raving about this book for quite a while. 

(Here's a review from another book blogger who really loved this book as well - read Between the Lines' account HERE )

(and another one from A Woman's Wisdom book blog HERE) 

FLESH by Dylan J Morgan reviewed HERE

HOSTS by Dylan J Morgan reviewed HERE