Fantasy and Science Fiction for Children and Teens
A Darkling Plain The Hungry City Chronicles: Book 4 Hardcover: 576 pages Recommended age range: 12 and up List Price: $18.99 |
Description:
A Darkling Plain is book 4 and the conclusion of The Hungry City Chronicles. The series takes place in a futuristic world in which huge mobile cities compete for resources, eating smaller towns and cities, in something called Municipal Darwinism. There is a war between the supporters of the cities, called tractionists, and the Green Storm, who oppose the cities for the destruction they wreak upon the earth. A Darkling Plain takes place during an uneasy truce between the two factions. The new leader of the Green Storm, General Naga, has sent his wife to an African city called Zagwa to negotiate peace. The negotiations go well, except for an interruption caused by forces trying to assassinate Lady Naga. The assassination attempt is foiled by a young man named Theo, who is later recruited to return Lady Naga home safely. Unfortunately, Lada Naga's staff has been inflitrated, and Lady Naga and Theo are captured.
Meanwhile, an aviator named Tom Natsworthy runs into a woman that he believes he knew decades before in the now destroyed traction city of London. Tom and his daughter Wren embark on a search to uncover the mystery behind the woman, a search that may lead them to London itself. In another city, Tom's estranged wife Hester, accompanied by a stalker (a kind of cyborg built on a resurrected human) named Grike, rescues Theo and reluctantly finds herself drawn ever more into the situation with Lady Naga. As various forces work to destabilize the truce, war threatens and the future of humanity is at stake.
Mom's rating: 4.5 wands 
Mom's Review:
A Darkling Plain was a very enjoyable book. The technical details should appeal to those who prefer their science fiction hard, but the technology never bogs down the story, which is quite exciting and moves along quickly. Nor does technology overpower character; at its heart this is a human drama, and the characters (even the resurrected stalkers) are fascinating and well-developed. Obviously all the characters have a history in the previous books, but even without having read those books I came to care for the characters and became wrapped up in their stories. I recommend this series for any teen or adult science fiction fans.
A Darkling Plain stands well on its own, and I didn't have any problem understanding it without the benefit of having read the previous books in the series.
All Editions:
Hardcover ISBN 006089055X $12.91 Buy Now |
Wands and Worlds © Copyright 2005-2007 Sheila Somerlock Ruth and David Ruth. All Rights Reserved. About Us | Privacy Policy